Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
submergence. Mangroves have also developed 'live birth,' germinating their seeds while
they're still attached to the parent tree. Of the over 50 species of mangroves worldwide,
only three predominate in Florida: red, black and white.
Mangroves play a vital role on the peninsula, and their destruction usually sets off a
domino-effect of ecological damage. Mangroves 'stabilize' coastal land, trapping sand, silt
and sediment. As this builds up, new land is created, which ironically strangles the man-
groves themselves. Mangroves mitigate the storm surge and damaging winds of hur-
ricanes, and they anchor tidal and estuary communities, providing vital wildlife habitats.
Coastal dunes are typically home to grasses and shrubs, saw palmetto and occasionally
pines and cabbage palm (or sabal palm, the Florida state tree). Sea oats, with large plumes
that trap wind-blown sand, are important for stabilizing dunes, while coastal hammocks
welcome the wiggly gumbo-limbo tree, whose red peeling bark has earned it the nickname
the 'tourist tree.'
The Florida chapter of the Nature Conservancy ( www.nature.org ) has been instrumental
in the Florida Forever legislation. Check the web for updates and conservation issues.
National, State & Regional Parks
About 26% of Florida's land lies in public hands, which breaks down to three national
forests, 11 national parks, 28 national wildlife refuges (including the first, Pelican Island),
and 160 state parks. Attendance is up, with over 20 million folks visiting state parks annu-
ally, and Florida's state parks have twice been voted the nation's best.
Florida's parks are easy to explore. For more information, see the websites of the fol-
lowing organizations:
Florida State Parks ( www.floridastateparks.org )
National Forests, Florida ( www.fs.usda.gov/florida )
National Park Service ( www.nps.gov/drto )
National Wildlife Refuges, Florida ( www.fws.gov/southeast/maps/fl.html )
Recreation.gov ( www.recreation.gov ) National campground reservations.
Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission ( www.myfwc.com ) Manages Florida's mostly un-
developed Wildlife Management Areas (WMA); the website is an excellent resource for
wildlife-viewing, as well as boating, hunting, fishing and permits.
 
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