Upland Habitat

The upland habitats are home to an important and diverse ecosystem of plants and animals. Pine trees, oaks, and tall grasses thrive in the drier, sandier soils. Keep an eye out for singing eastern phoebes, gulf fritillary butterflies, and ground-nesting eastern meadowlarks. You'll also get a good view of the berm as it slopes down on either side of the trail. These berms are remnants of phosphate mining operations in the early 1900s. They now separate the wetland cells and help contain the water like the sides of a bathtub, so that water flow can be carefully maintained via the control structures.