Resurrection fern grows in a cascading fashion down the branch of a live oak NPS Photo/Teodorski. The Groundfloor. White-tailed deer often disappear into the saw palmettos of the understory of the maritime forest NPS Photo. The canopy is the highest section of the forest and in the maritime forest, the live oak is the dominant species of tree. Their branches are often covered with Spanish moss, resurrection ferns, and different types of fungus. The canopy section of forest gets the most sunlight, but it also gets the most exposure to salty air. As a result, growth of the trees is stunted, causing branches to grow outward rather than upward, creating a dense canopy. This process is called salt-pruning, and it gives Cumberland Island’s live oaks a unique look that visitors come to know and love, as their twisted branches sprawl throughout campgrounds, trails, and even the main road. Insects, squirrels, and various migratory birds find habitat in the live oak canopy. If you pause while standing beneath the canopy of the maritime forest, you will see it come to life, with birds flitting from branch to branch, and squirrels running up and down trees.