Cunningham Brake
Location
County: Natchitoches Parish
Forest: Kisatchie National Forest
District: Kisatchie Ranger District
SAF Cover Types:
- 102 Baldcypress – tupelo
- 91 swamp chestnut oak – cherrybark oak
- 92 sweetgum – willow oak
- 82 loblolly pine – hardwood
- 52 white oak – red oak – hickory
View a searchable map for the Cunningham Brake RNA.
Related Reports and Publications
- Mathies, P. S. 1978. The vascular flora of Cunningham Brake, Kisatchie Ranger District, Kisatchie National Forest, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Ms. Thesis, Northwestern State University. 32 pp.
- Mathies, P.S.; Holmes, W.C.; Allen, A.A. 1983. The vascular flora of Cunningham Brake, a cypress-gum swamp in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Castanea 48: 24-31.
- Allen, C. 1993. Ecological assessment of the Cunningham Brake Research Natural Area in the Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana. Unpublished report. Northeast Louisiana University, Department of Biology.
Ecological and Physical Description
The mean annual precipitation is 55.9 inches (1419 mm), with the largest amount occurring in December and the smallest amount occurring in August.
The NOAA weather station is located at Alexandria, LA, 50 miles (80 km) from the RNA. The length of the record is 29 years.
The area consists mainly of recent alluvial deposits and some Pleistocene terrace deposits around the north, south and west borders of the RNA. The predominate soil in the area is Perry clay. Guyton-Cascilla soils are also found in the area. The terrain of the Cunningham Brake RNA is uniformly flat.
Kisatchie Bayou is located along the north margin of the RNA and there are numerous small streams flowing through the area. There is standing water in the cypress swamp most of the year.
Flora and Fauna
Common Plant Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxodium distichum | Large baldcypress | Plant Communities | ||
| Nyssa aquatica | Water tupelo | Plant Communities | Some trees are over 100 years old. |
|
| Triphora trianthophora | Three birds orchid | At Risk Species | ✔ | |
| Justicia lanceolata | Water willow | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Campsis radicans | Trumpet vine | Common Herbaceous Species | ||
| Rubus arbutus | Blackberry | Common Herbaceous Species |
Common Animal Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Category | At Risk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sciurus carolinensis | Grey squirrel | Common Mammal Species | ||
| S. niger | Fox squirrel | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Sylvilagus aquaticus | Swamp rabbit | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Procyon lotor | Raccoon | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Vulpes fulva | Red fox | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Grey fox | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Didelphis virginiana | Opossum | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Dasypus novemcintus | Armadillo | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Odocoileus virginianus | White-tailed deer | Common Mammal Species | ||
| Meleagris galopavo | Wild turkey | Common Bird Species |