Shu Swamp
Shu Swamp is a significant ecological area located just 12 miles from New York City, featuring one of the last intact red maple-blackgum swamps on Long Island. The swamp, whose name derives from the Dutch word for "cascading waters," is part of a unique wetland ecosystem found along the North Atlantic coast and is notable for its complex geological and hydrological features. It is nourished by Beaver Brook, which flows through small ponds into the swamp's clay soils, creating a habitat that transitions between upland forests and tidal marshes.
Spanning 59 acres, Shu Swamp is recognized as the Charles T. Church Nature Preserve and hosts a diverse plant community, including old-growth tulip trees and American beech, some of which are hundreds of years old. More than 300 vascular plant species thrive here, alongside critical wildlife, including various bird species and native brook trout, which rely on the swamp for breeding. However, Shu Swamp faces significant environmental threats due to suburban development, pollution, invasive species, and potential impacts from climate change, such as rising sea levels. Conservation efforts by local organizations aim to protect and manage this vital ecosystem, showcasing its ecological importance in the region.
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Subject Terms
Shu Swamp
Category: Inland Aquatic Biomes.
Geographic Location: North America.
Summary: Shu Swamp is one of the few extant and intact red maple-blackgum swamps on Long Island, New York, supporting native brook trout and old-growth stands of tulip tree and American beech.
Situated a mere 12 miles (20 kilometers) from New York City, Shu Swamp is one of the few remaining intact red maple-blackgum swamps on Long Island. The name Shu is a corruption of the Dutch word sheogh, which means “cascading waters.” This type of wetland can be found along the North Atlantic coast of the United States from New Jersey to New Hampshire. In New York State, red maple-blackgum swamps are restricted to 20 or 30 sites, primarily on Long Island.
The landscape surrounding Shu Swamp consists of low-lying hills along the intricate coastline of Long Island Sound, remnants of a glacial moraine that formed the island during the last ice age. The climate today is temperate, with warm, humid summers and cool winters. Shu Swamp is fed by Beaver Brook, which originates from seeps and springs in the low hills; flows through a series of small ponds; and eventually reaches the heavy clay soils of Mill Neck Valley, where a high water table has resulted in the formation of the wetlands. The swamp marks the transition between upland oak-tulip tree forests and the tidal marshes of Mill Neck Creek, which drain into Cold Spring Harbor and Oyster Bay, one of several embayments on Long Island Sound.
There are many ecological links among these neighboring habitats, but Shu Swamp’s unique geology and plant community clearly distinguish the wetland as a discrete ecosystem. Although it has been highly modified by suburban development, the 59 acres (24 hectares) of land that comprise Shu Swamp are protected as the Charles T. Church Nature Preserve.
Vegetation
In addition to hosting red maple (Acer rubrum) and blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica)—also known as tupelo—as its constituent tree species, Shu Swamp is renowned for containing approximately 30 acres (12 hectares) of old-growth tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia) forest. In particular, the tulip trees are thought to be candidates for the oldest and largest trees on Long Island, and they are certainly among the tallest trees in the eastern United States, reaching more than 148 feet (45 meters). The Shu’s tulip trees are generally 150–200 years old, while the largest specimens, reaching nearly 5 feet (1.4 meters) in diameter, are estimated to be 350–600 years old.
More than 300 vascular plant species have been identified in Shu Swamp, including two state-threatened species, American strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) and sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). The midstory is dominated by sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), while the inundated areas are dominated by skunk cabbage (Symplocarups foetidus), a low-growing plant. Skunk cabbage emits a foul odor to attract pollinators such as flies; it is notable for its ability to generate heat and thereby melt its way through frozen ground and flower during the winter.
Fauna
Shu Swamp provides important habitat and breeding ground for many bird species, including red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), wood ducks (Aixsponsa), Virginia rails (Ralluslimicola), ovenbirds (Seiurusaurocapilus), and swamp sparrows (Melospizageorgiana). In addition, the adjacent tidal wetlands and Beaver Lake attract ospreys (Pandionhaliaetus), herons, and high numbers of waterfowl.
The swamp is notable for supporting one of the few spawning populations of native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) on Long Island. Although not endangered, many populations of brook trout—New York’s official state fish and Long Island’s only native salmonid—have been reduced and/or lost due to habitat destruction and the introduction of competitively superior fish species. There also are reports of the rare American brook lamprey (Lampetra appendix) spotted in the clear-water streams of Shu Swamp. The waters downstream where the swamp connects to Beaver Lake have been invaded by introduced Asian carp (Cyprinuscarpio), which grow to nearly 3 feet (1 meter) long and are known to negatively affect native fish populations elsewhere.
Environmental Threats
The greatest threats to Shu Swamp come from the high degree of suburban development in the surrounding area. In general, wetlands are particularly sensitive to runoff from roads, households, and golf courses, and may be affected by offsite pollutants flowing downstream through the watershed. Located in one of the most densely populated regions of the United States, Shu Swamp is affected by human pollution. Fortunately, several small nature preserves upstream of the Shu, such as Coffin Woods and Upper Francis Pond Preserve, provide habitat corridors for some of the stream catchments running into Beaver Brook.
Other threats to the habitat include invasive plant species such as garlic mustard (Alaria petiolata) and English ivy (Hedera helix), which may outcompete native plant species. Another concern is that the marshland may be in danger of “drowning” in the face of sea-level rise driven by global warming. Saltwater intrusion, if permitted to reach substantial portions of Shu Swamp, would have devastating impacts on both native vegetation and animal life. Despite these threats, active management by the North Shore Wildlife Sanctuary and other volunteer groups continues to maintain Shu Swamp as one of the finest examples of red maple-blackgum swamps in the region.
Bibliography
Greller, Andrew M. “A Classification of Mature Forests on Long Island, New York.” Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 194, no. 4 (1977).
Johnston, Carol. “Spring Wildflowers at Shu Swamp Preserve.” Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter 6, no. 3 (1996).
Karpen, Daniel. “Old Growth Forests on Long Island, New York.” Long Island Botanical Society Newsletter 10, no. 3 (2000).
New York Natural Heritage Program. “Online Conservation Guide for Red Maple–Blackgum Swamp.” http://www.acris.nynhp.org/guide.php?id=9900.
The Osprey's Platform: North Shore Audubon Society Serving Northern Nassau County, vol. 70, no. 2, 2020, northshoreaudubon.org/werp/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Dec‗2019‗Jan‗Feb‗2020v4. Accessed 1 Sept. 2022.