Florida Scrub Overlook

This raised platform lets you look out over a section of Florida Scrub. Scrub is such a special habitat that many species living in the Sanctuary are not found anywhere else in the world. The plants you can see are growing atop an ancient sandy dune. Their "soil" is essentially sand; it is nutrient-poor and unable to hold moisture well.

Several species of oak trees are adapted to this habitat. They grow like tall shrubs instead of trees and their leaves have a reduced surface area to prevent water loss. One example is Sand Live Oak (Quercus geminata). Its leaves look like tiny upside-down canoes. Florida Scrub-jays like to eat (and store) the acorns of the oaks that live in the Scrub.