Savannas Preserve State Park, State nature park in St. Lucie County, US.
Savannas Preserve State Park is a nature preserve in St. Lucie County that stretches along Florida's Atlantic coast and contains freshwater marshes, pine flatwoods, scrubby areas, and wet prairie habitats. The park showcases a patchwork of different ecosystems that represent the natural diversity of coastal Southeast Florida.
The land preserves an ecosystem that mirrors what Southeast Florida looked like before suburbs and development spread across the landscape. This protected area keeps intact the natural conditions that early settlers encountered in this part of the state.
The Savannas Education Center holds live exhibits, a gift shop and self-guided tour booklets, and interpretive guided tours and canoe or kayak trips are run by the Friends of Savannas Preserve State Park, a nonprofit citizens' support group. A group of youth volunteers, the Junior Friends of Savannas Preserve State Park, also works in the park.
The park has 13 miles (21 kilometers) of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, along with kayaking, canoeing, and fishing opportunities. Bring sturdy shoes and insect repellent, especially during the wetter months when bugs are more active.
The savannas mint grows wild nowhere else on Earth; this park holds its only wild population. The park also contains nearly all remaining populations of the fragrant prickly-apple (Harrisia fragrans), an endangered cactus. A youth volunteer group, the Junior Friends of Savannas Preserve State Park, helps care for the park.
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