We were back in one of my favorite habitats – the Longleaf Pine wet savanna, and the simplicity and informality of this sign at the trailhead appealed to me. It was going to be a good outing.
Garcon Point Water Management Area is a three thousand acre preserve, consisting of three separate tracts, that feature wet prairies, salt marshes, oak hammocks, and Longleaf Pine Wiregrass communities. These natural areas protect the water quality and ecosystems of Escambia, East, and Blackwater bays.
Last April, on our spring visit to the Florida Panhandle, we hiked the Loop Trail on the Garcon Tract at the point of the peninsula. I was eager to return to experience the connected Spur Trail.
The wet savanna of Northwest Florida is one of the most ecologically rich habitats in North America, with great plant and animal diversity. From the minute we entered the trail I knew we were in a healthy ecosystem due to the number of young Longleaf Pines that were thriving. Young specimens can take a couple of decades to get to these four to eight foot heights, but once their root system is established they grow rapidly, up to 2 to 3 feet per year, until they reach their mature heights of 80 to 120 feet.
Longleaf Pine forest was the predominant forest type in the coastal south in precolonial times, covering some 9 million acres from Eastern Texas to Virginia. Over time that acreage was reduced to just 3% of its original range. Historically, natural fires occurred in these savannas every 3 to 5 years and were an important force in maintenance of pine forest. The practice of fire suppression that began in the late 1800s allowed for overgrowth of shrubs and deciduous trees in the understory, which prevented the germination of Longleaf Pine seeds. The remaining forests were void of young specimens. With the relatively recent use of prescribed burns, the forest understory is kept clear and the young trees can again flourish.
The Spur Trail wove its way through the widely spaced and mixed aged trees characteristic of a healthy Longleaf Pine forest.
At times the path was littered with the 8 – 10 inch pine cones characteristic of the Longleaf Pine.
With some of the younger Longleaf Pine specimens we were able to study them up close and were surprised by the textures that we noted. I am trying to find out what is the role of the feathery appendages of the terminal buds at the tip of branches. I had never noted them before.
The remaining papery sheath of dropped needle fascicles resulted in a coarseness to the bark of the branches.
As we strolled across the landscape we took inventory of the understory, noting a wide variety of shrubs and grasses. The most common shrubs noted:
Youpon Holly, with their bright red berries, are a primary food source for many of the birds.
Inkberry Hollies, likewise, were laden with fruit that will provide winter nourishment for wildlife.
The Panhandle is home to several species of Blueberry. They thrive in the moist, acidic soil typical of wet savannas. During our December visit their leaves had turned a vibrant red. The blueberries themselves would have been ripe in late May and June.
The Saw Palmetto is one of the iconic shrub species of many habitats in the Florida Panhandle. Native Americans used Palmetto extensively – the berries for food and medicine, the leaves for roof thatching and baskets, and the roots for medicine.
Amongst the grasses of the understory we often saw an assortment of small oaks – Water Oaks, Blackjack Oaks, and Southern Red Oaks. Interesting, because no mature oaks were seen. I suspect that they were evidence of the caching of acorns that Bluejays do in the fall for winter feeding. Like squirrels, the Bluejays do not recover them all, leading to a new oak tree. Unlike squirrels, Bluejays will bring acorns from as far as a mile away. Bluejays are considered the more effective planter, generally placing their acorns more widespread and in more choice soil. Of course these small trees will probably succumb to the next prescribed burn, as fire historically kept oaks from outcompeting the pines.
Also noted were several wildflowers which are always fun to see in December when you are from the Midwest.
Scaleleaf Aster flowers from late fall into early winter. Like many asters the petals range from nearly white to lavender. While the leaves at the base of the plant are normal aster shape, those on the stem are small and held close to the stem, giving the appearance of scales, which leads to the common name.
The dried flower of Milkwort, which has the texture of a straw flower, was thought to increase milk production. It was given to both women and cows.
A couple wildflower seedheads were also deemed fascinating.
Southern Bog Goldenrod – has a preference for acidic bogs. The uniform red stem and small leaves are identifying features.
Yelloweyed Grass – it was flowering with its elegant yellow flower when we were here in April.
As the trail continued we were approaching the loop trail that we had hiked in April. In this stretch we noted an ever so slight drop in grade that had a dramatic change in the botany that we were seeing. Here the water table was closer to the surface and the soil much more moist. At times we had to avoid standing water on the trail.
The remnants of last season’s White Pitcher Plants were noted. These wetland plants are carnivorous, getting a significant part of their nutrition by trapping insects. The tubular part of the plant is botanically a modified leaf. Its rim is slippery and contains sugars that attract and intoxicate insects, causing them to fall down into the base of the tube. It is lined by downsloping hairs that prevent their escape, and enzymes in the liquid at the base of the tube digests the insects into nutrients that can be absorbed by the plant. The soil in bogs like the wet prairie are acidic and nutrient poor, leading many species to develop carnivorous capabilities. Other carnivorous plants known to be at Garcon Point, but perhaps dormant in December and therefore not seen on our hike, are bladderworts, sundews, and butterworts.
Another bog species of note was Foxtail Clubmoss. On the few occasions that we have seen it, standing water was always nearby. It has the classic appearance of an old-fashioned pipe cleaner.
New Plant of the Day – it is not uncommon to see greenbriar species in the Florida Panhandle and recently we saw 3 species growing on the same small tree. Florida is home to 9 species of greenbriar vines but this was the first time that I had identified Laurel Greenbriar. The lance shaped leaves held vertically are its identifying features. The berries had a porcelain appearance.
In addition to the plants of the wet savanna, this preserve is noted for its birding and is on the Florida Birding Trail. According to the eBird website, 98 species of birds have been identified at Garcon Point. At times the low lying winter sun made photography a challenge, but the photographer did capture a few:
Gray Catbird – yes its call can sound like a cat’s meow.
Brown-headed Nuthatch – note the morsel in its beak. It is unclear if that is a seed or perhaps an insect pupae.
Red-bellied Woodpecker – on our last visit to Garcon Point we saw many woodpecker species, but this was our only one on this hike, and he was a shadowy character, rarely venturing into the sun. If you look closely you can see the red on his abdomen.
Lastly we will feature a couple of insects that we noted along the trail.
The American Bird Grasshopper is one of the larger grasshoppers in the U.S., with adults usually larger than 2 inches. It blended in remarkably with the mosaic bark of the Longleaf Pine.
Spreadwing Damselfly – This one confused me in the field. Damselflies usually hold their wings above and parallel to their body while perched, whereas dragonflies hold theirs horizontal. This guy held his at a 45 degree angle, which I have since found out is characteristic of this group. They are voracious predators feasting on soft-bodied insects such as mosquitoes, gnats, and flies, which they catch in mid-flight.
Then, one last glimpse of the Longleaf Pine wet savanna that looks infinite when you walk within it.
In summary, Garcon Point Water Management Area has become one of my favorite greenspaces in the Florida Panhandle. The diversity of the plant and animal life is outstanding and I am always learning while there. The unobstructed sight lines allows for great visualization of wildlife. I plan to research the other tracts of this fragmented preserve to see if they offer formal trails as well. If you are staying in Pensacola, Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Fort Walton Beach or Destin consider a short road trip to this outstanding habitat. What else can you do for free in Florida? I am confident that it will be a memorable and enriching experience.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns.
Overview
Location – 972 Avalon Blvd., Milton, Florida. It is 20 miles from downtown Pensacola and 35 miles from Fort Walton Beach. The sign for the North Trailhead runs parallel to the road and can be easily missed in the thick roadside brush.
Parking – gravel lot for about 12 cars.
Facilities – none.
Trail Conditions – bare sand and mowed grass. Much of it is in the sun so sunscreen and water are musts. The trails are well marked.
Trail map link – none. Take a photo at the trailhead or use AllTrails.
Benches – none noted.
Kids – should do fine.
Dogs – only with a permit.
Suggested Paired Hikes – The Loop Trail, which you can enter on at the end of the Spur Trail. If you did both you would cover 3.9 miles.
Links: