Amber Cossio photography

These photographs were taken throughout the Ion Swamp, located in the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina. The trail throughout the swamp leads you over embankments that were used for rice farming in the 1700's. Along with preserving the original ditches from decades ago, the measures taken to protect the wildlife and flora of this swamp are fascinating - from alligators and otters to migratory birds. Walking through this area of Francis Marion National Forest was humbling, to say the least.