Fort Matanzas National Monument Throughout its history, the story of Fort Matanzas has been closely intertwined with that of the city of St. Augustine and the Castillo de San Marcos. This Spanish outpost fort was built in 1740-1742 to guard the Matanzas Inlet and to warn St. Augustine of British or other enemies approaching from the south. Fort Matanzas now serves as a reminder of the early Spanish empire in the New World.
In addition, the park, which is located on barrier islands along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Matanzas estuary, provides a natural habitat rich in wildlife with the salt marsh, scrub, and maritime hammock now protecting endangered and threatened species like the historic Fort Matanzas protected St. Augustine long ago.
Great White Heron NWR The Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1938, was created as a haven for great white herons, which were being hunted for their highly prized feathers for the millinery trade. Part of a vast subtropical ecosystem, the refuge consists of a 300 square mile area of water and backcountry islands that lie north of the main chain of the Florida Keys, between Marathon and Key West. The refuge is the last of the offshore, or backcountry, islands in the Lower Florida Keys available as critical nesting, roosting, loafing, and wading habitat for over 250 avian species and provides critical nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles. In addition, the refuge protects portions of the largest seagrass bed in the world, coral patch reefs, and significant areas of coral “hardbottom” community. Approximately 15,000 snorkelers, divers, anglers, bird watchers and pleasure boaters visit the refuge annually. Many visitors are drawn by the unique tranquil experience as some of these backcountry islands are designated Wilderness.
Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve is the newest reserve in the national system. It is geographically separated into a northern section, where the Tolomato and Guana rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean, and a southern section at the mouth of the Matanzas River.
Gulf Islands National Seashore More than 80 percent of Gulf Islands National Seashore is submerged lands but the barrier islands are the outstanding features to most who visit. The Seashore stretches 150 miles from Cat Island in Mississippi to the eastern tip of Santa Rosa Island in Florida. There are snowy-white beaches, sparkling blue waters, fertile coastal marshes, and dense maritime forests. Visitors can explore 19th century forts, enjoy shaded picnic areas, hike on winding nature trails, and camp in comfortable campgrounds. In addition Horn and Petit Bois Islands located in Mississippi are federally designated wilderness areas. Nature, history, and recreational opportunities abound in this national treasure.
Hobe Sound NWR Hobe Sound NWR is a coastal refuge with three basic and distinct plant communities: coastal sand dune, mangrove swamps, and sand pine-scrub oak forest. The 735-acre Jupiter Island beach tract provides some of the most productive sea turtle nesting beach in the United States. The 232-acre mainland tract is on the Atlantic coastal ridge. The mainland tract habitat is composed of sand pine with an understory of Chapman oak, sand live oak, and myrtle oak. Although the tract is small, its value is magnified by the fact that over 90 percent of this community type in south Florida has been lost to development. Management is aimed at controlling the exotic Australian pine, which has invaded the dunes, displacing native species and interfering with sea turtle nesting. The back dunes are characterized by such woody plants as sea grape , wax myrtle, saw palmetto, and occasional scrub oaks. These plants play an important role in stabilizing dune soils and slowing the rate of erosion.
