THE FAKAHATCHEE STRAND PRESERVE STATE PARK

AN AUDUBON FLORIDA SPECIAL PLACE

by John Elting

In the early ‘60s when I first wandered into the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, west off Rt 29 north of Everglades City, it was not the best place to be. In short, it was a “free fire“ zone where Cuban refugees, Alfa 66, trained to retake Cuba from Fidel Castro. Later, in the early 70s, after it had become a part of the Florida Park System, thanks in part to the efforts of Miami attorney Mel Finn and others, it became a wonderful place to visit, a virtual oasis of tranquility.

The Fakahatchee Strand is not just one strand but a series of strands—swamp streams, if you will—that flow in a Southwesterly direction deep enough and with a canopy of cypress and hard woods that mitigate extremes of temperature. The result is an astounding profusion of orchids and bromeliads. The Fakahatchee, the only bald cypress/royal palm swamp in the world, is ninety some thousand acres of accessible wilderness.

If one drives down Jones Scenic Drive, the only road open to the public, it is hard to get a true sense of the wonders of the Fakahatchee. You have to get out of your car and wade. It takes but a few hundred feet before you begin to feel the peace and tranquility that emanates all around in this “black water“ swamp. Tannin from the cypress cones (a natural bactericide) and the flow of water—there is a slight current—render the water clear and clean. No leeches, but yes an occasional snake or gator, both wild and, by and large, non-aggressive.

In Central or South America one generally must look high and far into the canopy to see the orchids and bromeliads; but here, everything is more or less at eye level, an advantage for the photographer. From the duckweed on the water’s surface to the Utriculata high in the cypress, all is within camera range.

A day in the Fakahatchee is energizing. I have a poorly founded theory that this is the result of the spin-off of oxygen generated by the process of photosynthesis. If one includes the phytoplankton and algae of the estuaries of

Florida Bay along with the profusion of plant life in the Fakahatchee, I would bet that south Florida is the photosynthesis capital of America.

I have seen more panthers on Janes Scenic Drive in the last 3 years than I have in the previous 12 years, thanks in part to the introduction of cats from the southwestern U.S. These cats have interbred with the local population, thus strengthening the gene pool and establishing a more sustainable population. Panthers aside, all manner of Florida wildlife is represented within the park’s boundaries.

Most people think of Florida as all beaches, golf courses, condos, and Disneyworld. Not so. If one includes all the abutting parks and preserves of south Florida, you come up with an area roughly the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. So, give it a try. A day in the Fakahatchee is not just an outing, it’s an unforgettable adventure.

This column is one in a series from AUDUBON FLORIDA. John Elting is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Audubon Florida. For more information about AUDUBON FLORIDA and its “Special Places” program visit www.FloridasSpecialPlaces.org. All rights reserved by Florida Audubon Society, Inc.

Fakahatchee Field Trip

Fakahatchee Bromelaid