Native Habitat Inventory Final Report 2004 - St. Lucie County

Site Number: 42
Site Rank: A/B Total Acreage: 105
Edge Acreage: 68 Percent Core to Edge: 65
Table 1. Ecological Criteria Scores by Natural Community Type. This is an areaweighted
average value score for each natural community present on site. Numbers in
bold have significant above average resource value (>3.0). Natural Communities in bold
have at least two of the content resource values (rarity, connectivity, and completeness)
above average (>3.0). Overall Ecological Value = 0.61
FNAI Natural
Community Rarity Connectivity Completeness Vulnerability Manageability
MF / Mesic
Flatwoods 1.1 3.9 2.0 3.2 3.2
MF / Prairie
Hammock 3.8 4.8 3.8 3.8 3.8
WF / Wet
Prairie 2.0 4.0 2.0 2.0 3.0
Key Features – This site is very heterogeneous, and diversity is good. It contains
Prairie Hammock, which is a community rarely seen elsewhere.
Importance – This area is noteworthy primarily because of its heterogeneous
diversity. Plant communities include primarily Mesic Flatwoods (but fairly different
compositionally on the east and west sides), with Prairie Hammock in the northeast
portion, and scattered depressional wetlands. It is also contiguous to conservation lands
to the east, which makes this site valuable as part of a larger natural area. No rare plants
were seen here, but the site is large enough and diverse enough to probably still have
some ecosystem-level function, including the possibility of harboring a few species that
are not common in the region.
Connectivity – Within 500 feet of existing conservation lands.
Proximity to Urban Areas – Site is within the city of Fort Pierce.
Proximity to primary and secondary roads – Within 500 feet of a major roadway.
Hydrology – The hydrology has been altered by the canals to the north, east, and
west. Within the site, hydrology seems to still be functional, with the whole area draining
into a depressional slough in the middle portion.
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