High Ridge Natural Area

We wound up our trip with a quick visit to a local area where my aunt is a volunteer steward - the High Ridge Natural Area in Palm Beach County. It is sandwiched between houses and the highway, but is still home to many state-threatened gopher tortoises in the rare Florida scrub habitat.


Gopher Tortoise Hole

I was completely enamoured with the slash pines, even though the shorter-needled sand pines are better in this habitat. I think the long, floppy needles make them look like muppet trees! As we wandered through the scrub we saw many trees with male cones, and even found some small female cones preparing for pollination.

Slash Pines aka Muppet Trees!!!!!

Gopher Tortoises

Gopher Tortoise Eating