|
Description:
Horseback riding,
biking and walking on miles of trails are popular ways to explore this
preserve in Brevard and Indian River counties. The St. Sebastian River forms
the site’s eastern boundary; Canal C-54 bisects it. Open pine flatwoods,
seasonal wetlands, hardwood swamp, sandhill and scrubby flatwoods are the
dominant habitats here.
Watchable Wildlife:
In the winter,
manatees congregate at the spillway of canal C-54. View them from the
viewing platform at the spillway or from the canal levee. The seasonal
wetlands host sandhill cranes, wood storks and roseate spoonbills. Bald
eagles nest on the property and kestrels and loggerhead strikes are
regularly spotted. The sandhill area supports Florida scrub-jays, while
Bachman’s sparrows, bluebirds and endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers may
be seen in the pine flatwoods. Watch for white-tailed deer, turkeys and
bobcats along the roads or forest edges near dawn and dusk. Check the
hammock areas for migratory songbirds.
Ownership:
The Florida
Department of Environmental Protection
Contact:
(321) 953-5004
Directions:
From I-95, take
Exit 70B (Malabar Road or SR 514) north of Vero Beach and go east to Babcock
St. (CR 507). Travel 11.5 miles south to Buffer Preserve Drive, on the left,
just north of the C-54 canal. Turn east and follow signs to Visitor Center
and hiking trailhead. Entrance to the southern end of the site is off of
Fellsmere Road (CR 512), 1.8 miles east of the I-95 interchange.
Related Sites:
Other East Central Florida Wildlife Sites
Florida State
Parks |
Wildlife Viewing Site
