Ichauway is located on the Dougherty Plain, a karst topography with local relief ranging from 90 to 200 ft MSL, and is dominated by sandy soils with drainage classes ranging from excessively drained sands to very poorly drained clays. The property contains approximately 18,000+ acres of upland pine grassland habitats with the remainder consisting of agricultural fields, wetlands, and riparian hardwood hammocks. Virgin longleaf forests on Ichauway were harvested in the early 20th century, with today’s second generation longleaf stands dominated by 80-100 year-old trees. The longleaf forests found on Ichauway today demonstrate the results of over 80 years of ecologically-sound management with frequent prescribed fire and single tree selection silviculture. Upland pine habitats at Ichauway are dominated by longleaf pine and either a wiregrass (native ground cover) or broom sedge (old field) understory. Basal area ranges from 40-60 sq. ft./acre with most stands characterized by mature, widely spaced pines.

The fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystem is a remnant of the forest type that once dominated the southeastern Coastal Plain and is perhaps the most significant ecological attribute of Ichauway. Much of the ground cover of the 18,000 acres of this forest at Ichauway has not been disturbed by previous agricultural tillage and consequently harbors some of the most species-rich habitats in North America. More than 1,100 vascular plant species have been documented on Ichauway. The ground cover under longleaf pines is extremely diverse with more than 50 different species sometimes found in an area of approximately a square yard. The characteristic vegetative structure and composition of well-managed longleaf forests support a unique faunal community that provides habitat for many species of conservation concern. Over 370 vertebrate species have been documented on Ichauway, and herpetofauna represent many of the most threatened species of the longleaf pine ecosystem.

Just over 15 miles of Ichawaynochaway Creek flow through Ichauway, and the Flint River forms 13 miles of the property’s eastern boundary. Aquatic and wetland habitats range from cypress-gum ponds and grassy, ephemeral wetlands to riverine habitats including cypress sloughs, deep pools, gravel riffles, and large stone, rapid water shoals. Diverse hardwood forests, called hammocks, are found on alluvial soils adjacent to the river and the creek. The aquatic habitats and their adjacent uplands are critical habitats for many rare species of plants, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. The limestone geology of Ichauway and the associated riverine habitats are unusual in the southeastern Coastal Plain because the stream channels are rocky with many shoals and significant amounts of groundwater input as seepage from fissures in bedrock.

The ecological communities found across Ichauway provide a unique example of the historic landscape of the southeastern Coastal Plain. These relatively undisturbed natural communities offer valuable insight and opportunities for research that helps better understand the structure, function, and value of these ecosystems.