Florida outdoor Archive

Taking it to the Swamp – Barley Barber Revisited

This January a protest was staged at the entrance of Barley Barber Swamp in Martin County Florida. Barley Barber is currently under the stewardship of Florida Power and Light. The Protest was held to ask FP&L to re-open the swamp for public use and for FP&L to provide adequate and unbiased proof as to the [...]
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Largest Live Oak Tree…Reaching for the Sky

This by far is one of the largest Live Oak Trees I have ever seen. According to satellite images this massive Oak is 120 feet across. If you walk the outer edges of it’s 60 foot plus high canopy you would easily walk a 330 foot circle. I came across this Live [...]
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Hitching a Ride on a Cabbage Palm

Cabbage Palmetto, Cabbage Palm, Swamp Cabbage, Sabal Palm are all the same name for Florida’s and South Carolina’s State Tree. Each boot or slat that grows around the younger Cabbage Palm is a mini habitat. As the palm grows older the boots gradually drop off and the trunks become slick. I often stop and look at [...]
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Its Talons Clasping a Bluegill

Looking off to the side of the Jon boat all I can see is our wake of black water. Our landing area looks the same distance away from my last glance as the 4hp motor battles the rain while northeast wind grabs the bow of the boat and holds it with her fierce talons. 400 [...]
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Walk Amongst Tall Pines and Cypress

Tucked into the heart of Royal Palm Beach in Southeast Florida is Preservation Park, primarily a bike trail but also an excellent park to walk amongst tall pines, cypress and sable palms. Newly dedicated this June, Preservation Park offers smooth walking paths with different degrees of difficulty for mountain biking. Palmetto palms border the trails with [...]
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