Native Habitat Inventory Final Report 2004 - St. Lucie County

Fork of the St. Lucie which is the primary riparian system in the county. Protecting and
buffering these creeks would benefit the North Fork as well.
Connectivity – Within 500 feet of existing conservation lands.
Proximity to Urban Areas – Greater than a half mile from an urban center.
Proximity to primary and secondary roads – Within 500 feet of a major roadway.
Hydrology – There are shallow ditches in the groves that speed drainage of the
uplands. Within this site both Five and Ten Mile Creeks are mainly reduced to a very
narrow strip of riparian vegetation along each bank. These creeks are tributaries of the
North Fork of the St. Lucie which is the primary riparian system in the county.
Protecting and buffering these creeks would benefit both the water quality and water
quantity of the North Fork.
Table 2. Community Types present on site and their rankings.
FNAI Natural Community Acreage FNAI Rank Global FNAI Rank State
BW / Depression Marsh 3.5 G4? S3
FW / Bottomland Forest 18.4 G4 S3
FW / Floodplain Forest 61.9 G4 S3
MF / Mesic Flatwoods 288.3 G? S4
R / Blackwater Stream 15.3 G4 S2
WF / Hydric Hammock 15.0 G4 S4
NA - agriculture 113.9
NA - agriculture - grove 65.1
Site History/Habitat Disturbance – Much of this site is already developed or in
intensive agriculture. The Floodplain Forests in the western portion have evidence of
ATV use. There are dirt roads throughout the Mesic Flatwoods.
Table 3. Listed Species observed
Common Name Scientific Name Federal
Status
none
State
Status
FNAI Rank
Global/State
Endemic
to Florida
Table 4. Invasive Exotic Species observed.
Common Name Scientific Name FLEPPC
Status
State
Status
Rosary Pea Abrus precatorius Cat I none none
Old World Climbing
Fern Lygodium microphyllum Cat I noxious none
Castor Bean Ricinus communis Cat II none none
Federal
Status
157