Time is running out to sign up for the guided hike series offered by St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department. Staff and volunteers offer a variety of topics to help residents and visitors better understand our area’s natural environment through this award-winning guided nature program series.
Scheduled hikes for May, 2023 include:
- Saturday, May 6th from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM - From Birds to Flowers Hike at Spruce Bluff Preserve (minimum age: 8). Come out to this morning hike as we listen to the bird calls then locate and identify as many as we can and see all the flowers blooming in this preserve. We will walk from the scrub habitat through to the marsh habitat and enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds.
- Saturday, May 6th from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - The Tree Predator: Florida Strangler Fig Hike at Steven J. Fousek Preserve (minimum age: 12). This lovely and seemingly innocuous tree has a wily dark side, scheming against its neighbors. We will visit one of its "stalking grounds" to see the fig's many forms and learn about the Florida Strangler fig's unique adaptations, which make it successful in the hammock forests of Florida.
- Sunday, May 7th from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM - International Dawn Chorus Day Stroll at Sweetwater Hammock Preserve (minimum age: 12). A morning hiking adventure for those who appreciate nature’s sounds and look forward to rising at dawn to listen to the sweet music of different birds.
- Sunday, May 7th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM - Twilight Chorus Stroll at Sweetwater Hammock Preserve (min age: 12). Conclude the day with a setting sun while being serenaded by the “twilight chorus,” courtesy of the area’s resident and migratory bird species.
- Friday, May 12th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM - Ecotone Extravaganza Hike at Ancient Oaks Preserve in Weldon B. Lewis Park (minimum age: 12). Explore the world "in-between" of ecotones to discover how these transitional areas between two distinct habitats are some of the richest in terms of biodiversity. We will explore the plant and animal species utilizing ecotones and the impacts of an “edge effect.”
- Saturday, May 13th from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM - World Migratory Bird Day at Steven J. Fousek Preserve (minimum age: 12). Experience a habitat birds need to survive. Learn about birds, the ecosystem services they provide and the impacts of climate change on birds and Florida’s unique role in American bird conservation.
- Saturday, May 13th from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM - Growing Up WILD - Flower Power at Oxbow Eco-Center. Designed for families with children ages 3-7. Families will hike at the Oxbow preserve to learn about Florida wildflowers, why they are important and the wildlife they support. The hike will include different interactive stops along the way.
- Sunday, May 14th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Howls, Growls and Bowels: Wild Canids in Florida Hike at Jones Hammock Preserve (minimum age: 12). Historically, Florida has been home to native wild canid species. We will explore the preserve for evidence of tracks and scat, listening and watching for canid presence. Nature's "wild dogs" connect us with local habitats to co-exist with our canid neighbors.
- Saturday, May 20th from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM - A View of Florida at George LeStrange Preserve (minimum age: 12). On this hike, we will pause regularly to discuss various aspects of Florida's varied landscape, habitat types and the importance of fire. We will also discuss the utility of preserves for managing land and the diverse ways you can manage land for the enjoyment of people while maintaining native habitats.
- Saturday, May 27th from 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM - Sunset Beach Stroll at Ocean Bay Preserve (minimum age: 12). Sunset vistas off Florida’s Atlantic coastline promise scenic clouds and colorful, sunlit skies sliding into the ocean as day slides into twilight. Enjoy the ocean breeze and nature’s artistic palette.
- Saturday, May 26th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM - Non-Natives, Exotics, Invasives: Oh My! at Walton Scrub Preserve (minimum age: 8). Non-native species, exotic species, invasive species: What is the difference? What is so bad about invasive species anyway? Join us on a short hike at Walton Scrub to learn about invasive species and their impacts on Florida's ecology. Florida is an invasive species hot spot, home to non-native plants, reptiles, mammals and more. Learn about the flora and fauna that have appeared in the sunshine state and do not have any plans to leave.
Visit www.SLChikes.org to register. For more information, call St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department at 772-462-2536 or email slchikes@stlucieco.org. Nature hikes and family programs are free. Reservations are required and space is limited.
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.stluciepreserves.com.
