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NENA is home to some plants and animals that live only within its boundaries. The four-petal pawpaw is found only in northern Palm Beach County and southern Martin County – nowhere else in the world. South Florida's subtropical climate grades into the temperate climate of the southeastern United States in northern Palm Beach County. There, along a thin zone, stately royal palms grow near giant cypresses and rare animals such as the Florida scrub-jay eke out a tenuous life in ancient dunes formed during the Pleistocene era – nearly 10,000 years ago. Perhaps nowhere else in the world is this delicate balance more subtle or more misunderstood than in south Florida, where a few inches in elevation can result in a completely different biological community. A high, desert-like scrub can be next to a deep, tannin-laced marsh where alligators crease the waters in a slow drift. The dunes of the Atlantic reach west from the reefs and barrier islands, constantly shifting on this high-energy coast. The Gulf Stream lies just a few miles out, and moderates the climate with its warm current on its northward journey. Golden sands washed down from rivers along the Carolina coast are deposited on beaches in summer, while violent autumn storms tear the dunes loose, pulling tons of sand back into the sea. Plants and animals in this zone are subject to a difficult, shifting environment, but one that is rich with life. The wrack line, tossed up by waves, is a reflection of the waterline at high tide. It contains treasures for those who look. Seashells, seaweed, crabs, seeds, and pieces of wood tell stories of life and death and the ocean's bounty. Dune plants include seaoats, railroad vine, and panicgrass. Their job is to hold the dune with their strong roots, but when a fierce storm comes, they will be swept out to sea. Life starts again from the remnants left on the shore. Behind the first dune is a semi-protected place called a maritime hammock - a closed-canopy hardwood forest of salt-tolerant plants characterized by a rather low, rounded profile. There is little growth on the floor of this forest, so dense is the shade. The eastern edge often is covered with seagrape and saw palmetto, plants tough enough to withstand the constant battering by wind and salt. The breath of the tradewinds from offshore keeps the windward side trimmed. These plants buffer the hardwoods behind, protecting them and the small animals that live beneath the canopy. Skunks, raccoons, opossums, reptiles, and land crabs are common here. The dunes farther inland were formed when the sea level was higher. These ancient dunes are the highest points in the county – up to 16 feet above sea level. They consist of ridges of deep, welldrained "sugar sand" on which the Florida scrub community was formed. Florida scrub occurs nowhere else in the world. More endemic species (those restricted to a certain community type) live in this community than in any other Florida ecosystem. Less than two percent of the original scrub in Palm Beach County remains, most of it in public ownership. Sweetly scented by sand pines and Florida rosemary, Florida scrub is hot, dry and scratchy. Nearly every plant secures its survival with thorns, stiff twigs, thick leaves, or nettles. Yet this ecosystem is home to some of the most delicate wildflowers in the state, such as the largeflower false rosemary. More than 300 species of animals of the scrub ecosystem rely on the deep burrows of the gopher tortoise to provide shelter from the summer's heat and the winter's chill. These burrows can be up to 15 feet long and 6 feet deep. The animals that regularly share their cool darkness include the Florida mouse, eastern indigo snake, scrub lizard, gopher frog, and eastern diamondback rattlesnake. The remarkable Florida scrub-jay, an icon for family values, lives only in the scrub, feeding on acorns, seeds and insects. These highly-intelligent birds can find acorns they buried in the sand months before. They are territorial, raising their families in the same area year after year. The offspring of the previous year help feed the young ones and fend off intruders. To the west of the dunes, a sweeping valley of low, gray-blue vegetation dips down to the shores of the Intracoastal Waterway, ferns and wildflowers betraying the dampness of the marsh where they grow. It is a place where topography is measured in inches, where four inches can make the difference between uplands and wetlands, deep sand and rich black soil, searing sunlight and welcoming shade. The Lake Worth Lagoon is a rich estuary of brackish water - a nursery for fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates. It once was a freshwater system – a series of inland lakes that became brackish after the Lake Worth Inlet was dug at the north end of Palm Beach and the lakes were connected to allow passage to the ocean. Most early travel was done by boat because of the inhospitable environment and the difficulty of building roads. Digging an inlet was seen as a way to increase commerce and transportation in the region. Red, black, and white mangroves sprouted along the shoreline, creating dense areas of salt-tolerant vegetation that provided new spawning areas for fish and other marine life. The red mangroves lined and stabilized the water's edge with their strong prop roots. They trapped sediments and leaf detritus and provided shelter for small fish and crustaceans like crabs, lobsters and shrimp. Behind them the black mangroves flourished, followed landward by the taller white mangroves. These new spawning grounds created one of the richest, most diverse sport fishing areas in the country, where anglers have earned world records in sport fishing. Today, many former mangrove areas have been replaced by riprap, seawalls, and other hard surfaces to protect the homes and docks that were constructed to take advantage of the water view. The Lake Worth Inlet is now the entranceway to the Port of Palm Beach. Cargo ships from all over the world bring in produce, bulk goods and building materials such as cement and steel; in turn, they take out sugar, molasses, and other agricultural products. More than 500,000 passengers move through the port each year on cruise ships. This development, along with increased pollution from agriculture and roadways, has made the remaining mangrove areas even more precious. Efforts are underway to protect and restore the mangrove fringe along the Lake Worth Lagoon. To the west of the Lake Worth Lagoon, elevation changes are more subtle. Extensive areas of pine flatwoods and wet prairies appear to be flat, but more closely resemble a shallow dish, handmade with flaws, bumps, and dips. It is a place of fire. Wildfires started by lightning strikes during the summer rainy season and prescribed burns set by land managers under controlled conditions to reduce fuel loads and improve habitats clear out the thick understory of shrubs and grasses. Within two months, green replaces black. The plants start to grow with great vigor, nourished by the release of nutrients from the burned material, The fires do not usually reach the crowns of the slash pines, nor do they encompass an entire forest, so animals can run or fly away from the low, slow fires to seek shelter in nearby woods. Other animals find safety in gopher tortoise burrows. Pine flatwoods support bobcats, deer, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, and many smaller mammals. Birds are abundant in pine flatwoods, especially during migratory seasons when they are in search of food and shelter. Wading birds feed and nest in the interspersed wetlands, seeking safe places to raise their young that are surrounded by water so that predators can't reach their nests. There is no more beautiful vista than a pine flatwoods surrounding a wet prairie, with the tall trees whispering overhead, the yellow flowers of St. John's-wort bordering open water with miles of startling blue sky reflected in the clear shallow water, and a lone cypress dome in the distance. This is the Northeast Everglades, a timeless place graced by water and torn by wind. It is a place of harsh extremes. The plants and animals that live here are remarkable and wonderful. From the throaty bellow of an alligator to the haunting cry of a limpkin, the raspy notes of the scrub-jay, and the grunting of a pig frog, the Northeast Everglades echo the sounds of wildness. A snail kite circles, lands on top of an ancient cypress tree, and calls its mate. An alligator waits below, hoping a wading bird will come closer. An orchid blooms deep in a swamp full of tea-colored water. A woodpecker tap-taps on an old pine snag, looking for a meal. Sit, listen, and close your eyes. Let the sounds of eternity wash over you. |
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 Coastal Resources |
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Lakes,
Estuaries and Lagoons |
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Mosquito Control |
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Natural Areas |
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Permitting and Regulation |
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