Bogs

graphic image of pitcher plant and dragonfly
Bog artwork produced by D. Caldwell for the National Park Service
Characterized by wet, spongy and poorly drained, peaty soil, a bog can take hundreds to thousands of years to develop. When a lake or pond slowly fills with debris, sphagnum moss and other plants grow out from the water’s edge; eventually covering the entire surface. Bogs can also form when sphagnum moss covers dry land and prevents precipitation from evaporating. Rare and unusual plants such as orchids, water lilies, cranberries, pitcher plants, and sundew thrive in these acidic ecosystems.

There are National Natural Landmarks designated for their bogs nationwide that illustrate the subtle beauty and diversity of these ecosystems. From kettle hole and string to floating and quaking, there are bogs designated as National Natural Landmarks across the country that illustrate the unique beauty and diversity of these fragile ecosystems. Some of these include:

Beckley Bog, CT
Bingham Pond Bog, CT
Volo Bog Nature Preserve, IL
Wauconda Bog Nature Preserve, IL
Cabin Creek Raised Bog, IN
Cowles Bog, IN
Pinhook Bog, IN
Tamarack Bog Nature Preserve, IN
Baker University Wetlands, KS
Appleton Bog Atlantic White Cedar Stand, ME
Carrying Place Cove Bog, ME
Colby-Marston Preserve, ME
Crystal Bog, ME
No. 5 Bog and Jack Pine Stand, ME
Orono Bog, ME
Passadumkeag Marsh and Boglands, ME
Hawley Bog, MA
Poutwater Pond, MA
Black Spruce Bog Natural Area, MI
Dead Stream Swamp, MI
Grand Mere Lakes, MI
Strangmoor Bog, MI
Keeley Creek Natural Area, MN
Lake Agassiz Peatlands Natural Area, MN
Upper Red Lake Peatland, MN
Green Swamp, NC
East Inlet Natural Area, NH
Floating Island, NH
Heath Pond Bog, NH
Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge, NH
Spruce Hole Bog, NH
Bergen-Byron Swamp, NY
Zurich Bog, NY
Brown's Lake Bog, OH
Cranberry Bog, OH
Mantua Swamp, OH
White Pine Bog Forest, OH
Big Run Bog, WV
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, WV
Fisher Spring Run Bog, WV
Cedarburg Bog, WI


 

Last updated: May 31, 2022

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