Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Victoria Arruda
Prof. Castro
Environmental Science
07/10/2018
Florida is a beautiful place full of nature, wildlife and beaches. Some may not think about
the nature that Florida possesses since the state is known for their tourism in themed parks like
Disney World and Universal Studios located in Orlando Florida. Despite all of the tourism places
and great restaurants, Florida has plenty of natural parks, reserves, lakes, beaches, and forests. It
is a great destination for families seeking an educational and cultural vacation for their children.
What’s better than going somewhere that you can both have fun at theme parks and go to natural
parks to experience the true feeling of nature. Florida has also a large range of manatees, which
are herbivore marine mammals. The sunshine state is known for large forests, wildlife such as
In Florida, forests cover about half of its land area, according to the text “Florida
Forestry” published by Florida forestry association. Most of those forests are considered working
forests, meaning that it is sustainable. Working forests are great for the environment by
balancing needs from the forest which is the goal for sustainability. Some of those forests are
private, but some are owned by state and federal governments. Florida forests are also known for
protecting endemic species. The Ocala National Forest preserves the world’s largest remaining
sand pine scrub. The Apalachicola National Forest protects the wet pine flatwoods where
Arruda 2
carnivorous plants live. Finally, the Osceola National Forest where Pinhook Swamp was added
to the forest’s diversity. The sunshine state has one of the largest variety of biodiversity in the
United States. According to the website “United States Department of Agriculture Forest
Service”, the state of Florida is ranked 7th with 4,368 known animal species, and 6th for vascular
plant diversity, with 3,038 species. It is also ranked high for endemic species, which are species
only found within a specific place. Florida has a total of 269 endemic species which is incredible.
The Forests protect those species by monitoring them and keeping them healthy.
Let’s talk about manatees, they are the kings of Florida’s wildlife. Tourists and locals are
always exited to go visit those beauty. They are located in the Gulf of Mexico, in shallow and
coastal areas of rivers. Manatees are large and gray aquatic mammals with a paddle-shaped tail.
They are the closest relative to the elephant, which is a curious fact. They usually stay where
vegetation is abundant. They are a migratory species and are mostly located in Florida during the
winter. As they may seem unfriendly, manatees are gentle and slow- moving animals, they spend
most of their day eating, resting and migrating. They consume a lot of aquatic plants since they
are a herbivore specie. Now Florida is working hard to protect manatees from injuries and death.
They are conducting many studies regarding biology, mortality, population, distribution,
Florida has three main forests, the first one is called Apalachicola National Forest. This
forest contains cypress, longleaf, pine or wiregrass, and savannas. It has moist lowlands and
provide a refuge for wildflowers and amphibians. According to the website “National Forests”,
the Apalachicola is one of the last remaining large areas of swamps, savannahs, and pine forest.
The rivers located in the Apalachicola provide fresh water flow to productive coastal bays and
estuaries. Many activities can be found in this forest such as, fishing along the rivers, swimming,
Arruda 3
boating activities, trails, hiking, biking, horseback riding, motorcycle riding. It’s a perfect
destination for a family seeking recreation for the whole family. Many families visit the
The next well-known forest in Florida is called, Ocala National Forest. It offers activities
for the whole family all seasons. You can experience camping during the winter time and river
activities such as canoeing and boat riding during the summer. The Ocala forest has large
springs, and beautiful lakes for fishing and other activities. Some beautiful and known lakes
located around this forest are called, Juniper Springs, Alexander Springs, Salt Springs, among
others. All of those rivers are crystal clear water which can allow families to view fishes
swimming by. The Ocala National Forest is an amazing destination for people wanting to spend
some quality time outside. There are activities for everyone including, hiking, swimming,
fishing, or just relaxing while reading a book. In this specific forest you can view multiple
ecosystems which can be a thrilling experience for anyone wanting to learn more about Florida’s
wildlife. The final well-known forest is called, Osceola National Forest. It has nearly two
hundred thousand acres of pure nature. It is a forested woodland with swamps that can be a
perfect destination for enjoying some outside fun with the whole family. It is also a great place
for hiking, and camping. All of these three forests stated have many common traits but are each
Although Florida may seem modern and updated in the theme park technology, it has a
beautiful history regarding its nature. Some of the oldest rocks found in the sunshine state are
limestones and dolostones that were found in the shallow sea during the Middle Eocene era.
According to the website, “Florida Springs”, the remains of marine organisms can be found in
those rocks. They comprise part of the Floridian aquifer system. An aquifer is an underground
Arruda 4
reservoir of water and in Florida it is the source for most of its spring water. Going to the
Oligocene era, the Florida platform emerged from the sea due to a global sea-level decline. This
processed caused the creation of some of Florida’s springs. In the Ice Age, which is the
beginning of the Pleistocene epoch, continental glaciers began to advance and retreat. This event
caused sea level to rise and fall irregularly. The aquifers located in Florida were filled and
provided fresh water. Again, many springs were formed during this event. Nowadays springs are
a common destination for families seeking activities in the summer. Springs are main spots for
biological diversity, they used to provide water, food and habitat for many animal species. Today
it is the only natural area in the state that you can find plants and animals is one geographical
area. If a family visits a Spring, it can see a manatee, alligator, river otter, and a limpkin. Springs
provide a great home for fished, it’s almost like an aquarium. Some species of fish came all the
way from the ocean to Springs. Reptiles and Amphibians are also part of the Spring’s
community, such as the American Alligator, and the Loggerhead Musk Turtle. Due to weather
conditions, Springs are capable of supporting many plants such as the ancient cypress trees, rare
orchids and lilies, and lush underwater carpets of eel grass. These plats help nourish a freshwater
food web. There is a variety of insects and invertebrates that can be located in the same area.
Some of those are so small only a good sigher can spot. Species like the Freshwater Shrimp and
the albino Cave Crayfish which are only a couple of inches in size. Finally, birds and mammals
couldn’t be off this list. Some of the most famous mammals and bird species found in the
Springs are the Great Blue Heron, Deer and Otters. Those species can be sotted all year at the
Springs.
In All, Florida can surprise many with its abundance in nature and wildlife. It is a state
rich in forests like the Apalachicola National Forest, the Ocala National Forest and the Osceola
Arruda 5
National Forest. They are abundant in nature, wildlife, ecosystems, and activities for the whole
family. Springs are also part of the Florida community; many locals go during weekends and
breaks to explore wildlife and swim in the clear waters of springs. Many animal species can be
spotted at such place like Manatees and Alligators, which are the species that most tourists and
locals seek. Florida has an ancient history regarding the creation of the springs. From a long time
ago in the Middle Eocene and the Ice age were sea level went through harsh changes, was the
reason why most of Florida’s springs were created. Despite all of the fun you can have riding
roller coaster and meeting famous characters from Disney, there are many other activities
available for a great family experience. Visiting natural parks, and forests is a great way to
expand your knowledge about the environment. Florida is a perfect destination to experience all
of those things. From visiting a forest, to meeting a manatee and an alligator you can still camp,
swim, hike, fish, and relax in those beautiful sites that Florida has given to us.
Arruda 6
Works Cited