Fall in love with St. Lucie County’s preserves with help from staff and volunteers as the Environmental Resources Department’s free guided hike series continues this February. Kayak tours are also available at a cost of $29 per person.
Scheduled programs include:
- Friday, February 2, 2024 from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - International Wetlands Day Hike with Eva at Indrio Savannahs Preserve (min age: 12). World Wetlands Day is celebrated each year to raise awareness about wetlands and marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971. This program celebrates the importance of Florida wetlands, highlights the diversity of ecosystems and explains what people can do to protect this unique natural resource.
- Saturday, February 3rd from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - Welcome to the Weekend Hike with Eva at D.J. Wilcox Preserve (min age: 12). After a stressful week, join us on a refreshing hike in nature to recharge and rejuvenate. It’s the perfect prescription. This is a "fresh air & scenic views" hike, with an emphasis on enjoying some of the benefits of St. Lucie County’s greenways, wildlife and gorgeous landscapes.
- Sunday, February 4th from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM – Sunday Serenity Stroll with Eva at Sweetwater Hammock Preserve (min age: 12). Designed with the "quiet hiker" in mind, this program is for those seeking the peace and serenity that nature can provide us. Experience the sights and sounds of nature through this “silent stroll" in a canopied woodland along the riverbank. It’s sure to be relaxing.
- Monday, February 5th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Hidden Waters Paddle with Steve at Richard E. Becker Preserve (min age: 10). Registration opens Jan. 22. Discover the tributaries of the St. Lucie River by kayak on this guided adventure along Ten Mile Creek, 5-Mile Creek and the North Fork. Learn to identify numerous birds, trees and flowers along the way.
- Wednesday, February 7th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM – Mammal Tracks with Jerry at Indrio Savannahs Preserve (min age: 12). "Reading signs" was a prized skill in the past, and it remains a fun way to see who has been in the preserve. The terrain of Indrio Savannahs is a great place to follow tracks and trails.
- Friday, February 9th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM - Ultra-violet Night Hike with Eva at Indrio Savannahs Preserve (min age: 12). Plants and small animals reveal an unusual ambiance at night, reflecting new views in black light. Light wavelengths or the absence of them help plants and animals “change clothes” from day and night in the ultraviolet. Enjoy this night hike as nature comes alive in the dark.
- Saturday, February 10th from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM - Sandy Ridges & Ancient Oceans with Bill at Walton Scrub Preserve (min age: 10). Wander through this small but beautiful preserve as we talk about the early history that has shaped Florida. We will explore the ancient sand dunes where oceans once crashed onto shore. We will be on the lookout for amazing native plants and animals in this preserve along the way. Come enjoy this unique habitat.
- Sunday, February 11th from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM - Florida’s Wading Birds with Kirk at D.J. Wilcox Preserve (min age: 12). Come learn about wading bird biology and nesting as you enjoy the sights and sounds of D.J. Wilcox Preserve. This preserve boasts one mile of interpretive trail and is home to flatwood, hammock and swamp habitats. Species discussed will include our native herons, egrets, spoonbills, wood storks and any that come wading by.
- Sunday, February 11th from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM - Sunday Evening Wind-Down Hike with Eva at Citrus Hammock Preserve (min age: 12). Enjoy a chance to wind down your Sunday with nature. We will be traversing a hammock trail bursting with life beside the floodplain banks of the St. Lucie River. We’ll view the species drawn to the retention pond providing food and rest before roosting down for the night. A perfect way to conclude a Sunday evening.
- Friday, February 16th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Kayak Adventure on the St. Lucie with Steve at Petravice Family Preserve (min age: 10) Registration opens Jan. 22. Escape from hectic daily life and paddle your cares away on this leisurely guided tour of 10-Mile Creek. Wildlife sightings along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River include osprey, freshwater turtles, Great Blue Herons, Anhingas, alligators and much more. Why work Friday morning when you can be kayaking in the sunshine with us.
- Saturday, February 17th from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM - The Tree Predator: Florida Strangler Fig Hike with Eva at Steven J. Fousek Preserve (min age: 12). This lovely and seemingly innocuous tree has a wily dark side, scheming against its neighbors, the Florida Strangler Fig. We'll visit one of its "stalking grounds," see the fig's many forms and learn about its unique adaptations which make it successful in the hammock forests of Florida.
- Saturday, February 17th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Preserve Pals Volunteer Workday at Spruce Bluff Preserve (min age: 6). Do you love our preserves and want to help protect them? Join us at Spruce Bluff Preserve for our Preserve Pals Community Stewardship Day. Participants will help in trash cleanup and trail trimming. Our BARK Ranger Ambassadors will also be discussing with dog owners about Leave No Trace and pets in the preserve. All equipment will be provided, families are welcome.
- Sunday, February 18th from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - Revisiting Old Florida Hike with Eva at Spruce Bluff Preserve (min age: 12). This preserve has "two halves" comprising a winding way through trailside wildflowers, water lily wetlands and a timeline of human history. Sugar sands of the dry scrub meld into pine flatwoods, then transition to wetland areas. Come see what we might hike upon in this unique and special preserve.
- Wednesday, February 21st from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM – The Sound of Silence with Jerry at Oxbow Preserve (min age: 12). We live in a world of noise, but this wasn't always the case. Experience the pine flatwoods of the Oxbow preserve without distractions.
- Saturday, February 24th from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - National Bird Aid & Awareness Hike with Eva at Indian Hills Preserve (min age: 12). Originating as a week-long celebration to create awareness on how we can better care for pet birds, this program focuses on how to aid native/wild birds. Bird enthusiasts have an opportunity to hike this ecological preserve, learning how habitat management aids local bird populations, as well as take-home tips for making bird-friendly spaces in yards and communities.
- Saturday, February 24th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Kayaking for Beginners with Steve at Petravice Family Preserve (min age: 10). Registration opens January 22nd. Never paddled a kayak before or not for a while? Come learn basic skills of safe paddling and get the opportunity to practice them on the water. On land, we'll cover safety, how to enter/exit and sit on your kayak and paddling strokes before we get on the water to practice in a sheltered cove. (Please note this program is approximately one hour on land and an hour and half on water.)
- Saturday, February 24th from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM - Treasure Coast Habitats & Inhabitants with Bill at D.J. Wilcox Preserve (min age: 8). This preserve starts on a boardwalk overlooking a restored freshwater wetland and then seems to wander off into the great big green. Come explore with us. We will talk about everything from alligators to fire to early humans and their impact on native plants. We will wander through scrub and hammocks as the trail takes us through this beautiful preserve.
- Sunday, February 25th from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM - Top Secret Topic Hike with Kirk at Donald B. Moore Heritage Preserve (min age: 12). Wondering what this hike is about? Sign up to find out. We will enjoy a morning stroll through tranquil Donald B. Moore Preserve. Our hike will eventually lead us to an observation tower, where we'll take in the beauty of our Indian River Lagoon. Let your curiosity be your guide. Come and enjoy the mystery.
- Wednesday, February 28th from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM - Nature Health Hike with Jerry at George LeStrange Preserve (min age: 12). Hiking has a number of health benefits. Find out for yourself on this walk around the lake and into the woods.
- Friday, March 1st from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - Morning Serenity Hike with Eva at Donald B. Moore Heritage Preserve (min age: 12). Designed with the "quiet hiker" in mind, this program is for those seeking the peace and serenity that nature can provide us. Experience the sights and sounds of nature through this “silent stroll" in a canopied woodland along the intracoastal waters. It’s sure to be relaxing.
- Saturday, March 2nd from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM - Fire in the Ecosystem with Eva at George LeStrange Preserve (min age: 12). Nature incorporated fire into Florida’s ecosystems for a very specific purpose; many plant and animal species rely on seasonal wildfires to survive and thrive. Learn why Florida's ecosystems need fire and how human land managers use ecological burns to help ensure animal and plant species live in healthy upland and flatwoods ecosystems.
Visit www.SLChikes.org to register. For more information, call the Environmental Resources staff at 772-462-2536 or email slchikes@stlucieco.org. Nature hikes and family programs are free, kayak tours are $29 per person. 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.
