Skeleton Forest

Skeleton Forest is an evocative name for a feature or zone within the Everglades characterized by dead or dying trees — a landscape shaped by the forces that make this ecosystem as dynamic as it is beautiful. In the Everglades, saltwater intrusion, drought, fire, and storm damage create areas where trees stand bare, giving them the skeletal appearance that inspired the name. Far from being grim, a skeleton forest in this context is ecologically productive: standing dead wood provides nest cavities for birds, perches for raptors, and habitat for insects and the animals that feed on them. It is a vivid reminder that death and renewal are inseparable in a healthy wetland ecosystem.