St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department concludes its guided nature program for 2017 with nearly a dozen opportunities to learn more about the local fauna and flora.
These programs are free, open to the public, and reservations are required as space is limited. Hikes for May 2017 include:
- Saturday, May 6 from 8 to 10 a.m.: The Special Birds of Sheraton Scrub Hike at the Sheraton Scrub Preserve, 2222 North 41st St., Fort Pierce. Enjoy an opportunity to look for a very special avian resident, the Florida Scrub-jay. This site features uplands adjacent to a small lake, affording visitors to see a wide variety of resident and migratory bird species which utilize this unique ecosystem. We’ll be exploring trails to look and listen for the presence of birds and other wildlife while enjoying the seasonal flowers adapted to an upland environment.
- Saturday, May 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.: Crepuscular Critters Hike at Indrio Scrub Preserve, 4100 Old Dixie Highway, Fort Pierce. As the scrub cools off in the evening activity picks up. Hike the sandy trails and find out what’s going on before dark. Appropriate for all ages and all minors must be accompanied by an adult.
- Sunday, May 7 from 8 to 10:30 a.m.: Exploration Hike at Citrus Hammock Preserve, 6511 Citrus Ave., Fort Pierce. The county’s newest preserve is ready to “meet the public!” This property boasts a retention pond aquatic habitat, a hammock trail featuring towering Slash Pines preserved during the acquisition and restoration process, and includes a canoe and kayak launch accessing the St. Lucie River. This is an opportunity for visitors to visit the property to explore it by land and learn some of its natural and human histories.
- Saturday, May 13 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Nocturnal Neighbors Night Hike, Part 6 at George LeStrange Preserve, 4911 Ralls Road, Fort Pierce. This preserve features both upland and bottomland replete with resident owls, Nighthawks and Marsh Hares. Adventure through this woodland to listen for nocturnal creatures as the breeze rustles through the leaves of Live Oaks, Slash Pines and Saw Palmetto.
- Sunday, May 14 from 8 to 10 a.m.: Discovering Indian Hills Preserve and Recreation Area Hike, 52 Savannah Road, Fort Pierce. This is one newest preserves in St. Lucie County and it boasts a retention pond aquatic habitat and a Slash Pine savannah near the Indian River Lagoon. This is an opportunity for visitors to visit the property to explore it by land, learn some of its natural and human history and how the site is managed in partnership between the city of Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County.
- Saturday, May 20 from 9 to 11 a.m.: Bugs ‘n Blooms Hike at Steven J. Fousek Preserve, 8551 Carlton Road, Port St. Lucie. Find the hidden beauty of the preserve as you hike and learn the key to identifying the different species of the wildflowers and invertebrates that found within. We’ll find out which flowers bloom this time of years, spot as many colors as possible and then discover the precious pollinators that ensure the flowers survival. This family hike is appropriate for all ages and all minors must be accompanied by an adult.
- Tuesday, May 23 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Natural Connections and Plant ID Hike at Spruce Bluff Preserve, 611 SE Dar Lane, Port St. Lucie. In some way or another, every organism is connected to each other and to the abiotic features found around them. Walking along the winding trail, participants will get to make the similar connections with the plants and animals that may have once been made by the site’s earliest peoples. Discover how to ID plant species and learn about their adaptations along the way.
- Thursday, May 25 from 6:15 to 7:15 a.m.: Turtle Tracks Beach Hike. Enjoy an early morning stroll along the beach with us to learn about the tracks in the sand made by different sea turtle species as they dragged their heavy bodies out of the ocean to nest.
- Friday, May 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. to noon: Black-light Night Hike – Part 5 at Walton Scrub Preserve, 10809 South Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce. It’s a night-time stroll through the preserve. We’ll watch and listen for owls, nighthawks, and all manner of plants and smaller critters with interesting night-time colors under a naturalist’s black-light. Learn about how wavelengths of light have the power to render a plant or animal’s exterior different colors, and how nature can “change clothing” between day and night.
For more information and to find the link for registration, please visit www.slchikes.org, call 772-462-2526 or email slchikes@stlucieco.org.
Programs are usually limited to 15 people helping to allow participants to immerse themselves into the county’s beautiful natural areas. Programs target ages 12 and older unless otherwise noted. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. Proper footwear and water are required for all programs, and please leave pets at home.
Purchased through a voter-approved bond referendum, St. Lucie County manages more than two dozen preserves that are open to the public for passive recreation. For more information about St. Lucie County’s Environmentally Significant Lands visit: www.stlucieco.gov/erd. For a list of all St. Lucie County parks and preserves visit the interactive map at http://gis.stlucieco.gov/parkspreserves.
