5 /5 Ariel W.: This is a 65 acre preserve located in historic White City. It is part of the North Fork St. Lucie River Greenway, a network of over 65 miles of greenspace that serves as an important highway corridor for wildlife, people, and plants to traverse.
The land that is now the preserve was once George Venters citrus groves and tomato, pineapple, and bean fields. Fruit that was grown here was sold as part of the Indian River Citrus League of Growers and Groves. In the late 1920s Indian River citrus was very popular and it was sold around the world. Today this area has been reclaimed by native plant communities but you may still find a hidden wild tree descended from the original grove but the fruit will be bitter.
From the parking lot it is a short walk to the trailhead. One path takes you around the lake. Branching off from the lake path is a half mile interpretive trail in the mature hydric hammock that takes you through what was once the Venters farm but is now old live oaks, laurel oaks, slash pines, cabbage palms, red maples, pond apples and Carolina ash and flood plain forest. Here you may see squirrels, red-bellied woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers and cardinals. Wild hogs descended from the ones brought over to Florida by the Spanish in the 1500s have also been seen here. Along the trails are picnic tables and benches. On my walk I saw a number of Eastern land lubbers, a large colorful grasshopper found in the southeastern Unites States. At one point there were so many on the ground near the back of the pond that I really had to watch where I was stepping.
When I was last here five years ago there wasnt any water. Now the focal point of the preserve is a four acre man made lake can be used for catch and release fishing. The pond is an important habitat for wildlife while filtering out pollutants such as sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, oils and grease that would have drained directly into the St. Lucie River. It was gratifying to see how this natural area has been transformed into a beautiful nature area that is the perfect place to take a short hike and connect with nature.
