The boardwalk begins in pine flatwood at the Blair Audubon Center. A little further along, a spur leads to the site of an old plume hunter's camp that is also in the flatwood. Occasional oak and hardwood hammocks dot the area.

Long ago, most of Florida was open pine forest and resembled this scene. These forests were created and are kept open by periodic natural fires, so plants growing here need to be able to recover quickly after the burns.

Although at a higher elevation than the wetlands, the general lack of topography gives an advantage to plants that can also withstand occasional summer flooding. Southern Slash Pine, Cabbage Palms, and Saw Palmetto dominate the area, and a myriad of wildflowers are in bloom throughout the year.

Wildlife in the pine flatwood varies with the seasons. When the palmetto berries ripen in the fall, deer, raccoons, and occasionally black bears are drawn to the abundant food supplies. Cardinals, woodpeckers, vireos, mockingbirds, and red-shouldered hawks may be seen and heard throughout the year and are joined seasonally by migrating warblers, towhees, and buntings. Wood storks and swallow-tailed kites soar overhead during their spring and early summer nesting seasons.

 Pine Flatwood

Painted Buntings Mockingbird Yellow Rat Snake

Downy Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Lubber Grasshopper

Zebra Longwing Wild Coco Orchid Bay Lobelia Narrow-leaf Sunflowers

Pine Warbler Florida Black Bear   Continue along the boardwalk to the Wet Prairie by clicking the arrow...

Tour intro | Pine Flatwood | Wet Prairie | Pond Cypress | Bald Cypress Forest | Central Marsh | Lettuce Lakes | Blair Center

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