Matheson Hammock Park is one of the most beautiful, versatile parks
in Metro Miami-Dade County. With scenic walking trails, a great
restaurant, boat launch area, swimming lagoon and several picnic
areas, it is truly a place that everyone must visit!
Much of what makes this park special is not known by most. It
contains a safe haven for countless types of wildlife. The focus of
this cache is the protected trees of Matheson Hammock. Mangroves to
be exact.
There are 3 main types of Mangroves in Florida; Red, Black and
White. Starting at the water's edge, you will find Red Mangroves.
They have arching prop, or aeriel roots that make it look as though
the tree is walking across the surface of the water. As you travel
inland you will find Black Mangroves. They are surrounded by many
finger-like roots that poke up through the ground upwards. Their
leaves excrete special salts through excess glands. White Mangroves
are found the farthest inland. They have thick, light green leaves
that are the same color on both sides.
Since it is against the law to place a cache in these protected
trees, I put one close, but not where you would need to come in
contact with them. If your GPS is sending you into or near the
Mangroves, please back up and look elsewhere. NO BUSHWHACKING!
1. Mangrove wetlands provide breeding, nursery and feeding areas
for a great variety of life, including endangered and threatened
species.
2. Mangroves also filter upland run off.
3. Mangroves buffer wave action during intense tropical storms
(including hurricanes).
4. Mangroves hold soil during periods of heavy precipitation
stabilizing shoreline sediments.
While many people are aware of these mangrove benefits, few of
us know about one of the most important contributions these trees
make to marine ecology. That contribution is in the form of the
leaf litter that falls from mangroves and is subsequently broken
down by microorganisms to begin the first link in the food chain
for a large segment of the tropical aquatic community, including
most of our important commercial and sport fish species.
To learn even more about these important trees visit:
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4H/Other_Resources/Contest/Highlighted_Ecosystem/MangrovePlants.htm
This cache is placed with the permission of Miami-Dade County
and is a part of a 4 month trial to test the effects of Geocaching
in a Miami-Dade County Park. There is no bushwhacking, and as
always, with any of the parks, please bring a trash bag to grab
trash as you go in or come out! The Park Management is aware of the
locations and reserves the right to remove the caches if deemed to
be a threat to the environment or wildlife without notice.
This cache was hidden by a proud member of
