Region: Southern Palm Beach County
Size: 25 acres
Hours: Daily from sunrise to sunset
Location:
2021 SW 29th Street, Delray Beach, FL 33445 (not a mailing address). The natural area is located on the west side of Congress Avenue, south of Linton Boulevard and north of SW 29th Street. The entrance is on the north side of SW 29th Street, approximately 0.8 mile south of Linton Boulevard.
Public Use Facilities:
Site facilities include a parking area for 10 cars and 2 buses, a bicycle rack, a kiosk with educational exhibits, an accessible nature trail leading to an observation platform, and a natural-surface hiking trail. There are no restroom facilities or drinking water on the natural area.
Site Information:
The natural area is a small remnant of the Yamato Marsh that formerly existed in southern Palm Beach County. It contains four native Florida ecosystems: mesic hammock, xeric hammock, mesic flatwoods, and strand swamp. The site was purchased by Palm Beach County in November 1995 and is open to the public for passive recreation, environmental education, and scientific research. State Preservation 2000 matching funds for the acquisition were provided by the Florida Communities Trust. The natural area is managed by Palm Beach County with assistance from the City of Delray Beach.
Plants:
The shady forested area has a canopy of live oak, cabbage palm, and strangler fig. Spanish moss, shoestring fern, resurrection fern, and other airplants grow on the trees. Wild coffee, American beautyberry, and swamp fern are present in the understory. The strand swamp at the end of the nature trail contains a variety of fern species.
Wildlife:
The natural area provides habitat for many resident and migratory birds, including red-shouldered hawk, blue-gray gnatcatcher, and northern cardinal. Other animals observed on the site include gopher tortoise, golden orb weaver spider, white peacock and viceroy butterflies, and eastern gray squirrel.
Links:
Coastal
