Ebenezer Swamp Tour

On May 25th, several of the Chilton County Master Gardeners went on a guided tour of the University of Montevallo’s Ebenezer Swamp Ecological Preserve. Our guide, Mike Hardig, Department Chair at UM, discussed the history and importance of swamps as he walked the boardwalk with us. He pointed out the native trees and plants and told us no visit to the swamp was complete unless you spot a snake and we did!

Mike showed us plants native to the swamp including Tupelo gum trees, sycamore trees, Lizard’s Tail, Swamp Dogwood, Arum, Virginia Sweetspire, Leatherflower(native clematis) among others. He told us that the swamp is home to water moccasins, timber rattlesnakes, copperheads, beavers, turkey, and deer.

The swamp is used by UM for hands on science classes. It also features abstract sculptures of a frog, a heron and a dragonfly made from recycled steel by students in UM art classes.
Article and photos by Trisha Williams