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North Fork Plants | 10 Reasons To Love Trees |
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It is the plants in the North Fork that makes this area so beautiful and special. Have you ever canoed along the river? You will find amazing things: Cypress Trees, so big, you can just imagine in your wildest dreams. Pond Apples, so old, that they could tell you stories about the first settlers, the Indians, who lived here a long time ago. It is the plants in the North Fork that provide a perfect home for the huge variety of animals. …and yet, we give them so little attention! Did you know that invasive exotic plants threaten the existance of all our beautiful native plants?
I. What Are Native Plants?
Cypress Tree
Photo by Nici Daw
Native plants are plants that have not been brought to your area from another area. They naturally have been in your area for a long period of time (hundreds of years).
A great part of Florida was once the bottom of the ocean, while plants developed within the surrounding areas, like the West Indies. Once Florida became land, seeds came either floating over the ocean and sprouted or birds brought them to Florida. Native plants adapted to the different area’s climate and soil and started communities in the areas they grew best.
Florida has developed the largest varieties of native plants in the United States, except Hawaii.
There are several different factors that can influence the plant species found in South Florida: changes of elevation, soil, fire and temperature determines which plant grows well in in a certain area.
The North Fork area has a great variety of native plants. North of the Broward Boulevard Bridge, a large majority of the shoreline has retained its natural state. You can find huge, very old species, like Cypress and Pond Apple Trees and protected flaming-red bromeliads. You can also find Mangroves and Leather Ferns.
Mangroves
Photo by Nici Daw
Remember, the North Fork Area is very special. We can see increasingly fewer places with old native trees. The North Fork it is the last vestige of the Everglades in the heart of Broward County and the sight of those gigantic trees is amazing. When you walk along or take a canoe onto the river of the North Fork, you will see what a treasure and jewel this area is.
II. Why are native plants important?
Animals have adapted to native plants. Native habitats provide the best mixture of habitat fundamentals for animals. Because animals have adapted to this environment, native plants provide a good food source to them and provide the necessary shelter. Non-native or invasive exotic plants can disrupt that environment.
III. What are invasive exotic plants?
An exotic plant (They are plants that arrived from other regions of the earth and are brought to your area by mankind.) is considered bad, when it is an aggressive invader and when it starts to disrupt native plant communities. There are at least 100 different kinds of invasive exotics that spread on a fast pace within Florida.
IV. Problems Invasive Exotic Plants Can Cause
Australian Pine
Photo by Nici Daw
Invasive can take over and eliminate native plants. The natural biodiversity can be destroyed. Certain animals need certain plants, they have developed around the native plants within a community, if native plants are destroyed by exotics, animals are forced to leave the area, because they are not able to make use of exotics. Exotics can destroy habitats. Aquatic invasive (plants found in the water of the river) plants drive fish away from the infested area
V. Are there invasive exotic plants in the North Fork Area?
Yes, exotic and nuisance species include Brazilian pepper (when you crush its leaves between your fingers, you will find a very peppery smell), hydrillia (is a plant found in the water, when it takes over, it can drive out fish and other animals), hygro and common reed as well as Australian Pine (are very tall and slim trees, their foliage looks like pine needles, but they are actually leaves) and are talking over several areas of the North Fork.
VI. What can you do?
- Learn what are trees and shrubs native to the North Fork.
- Learn what are some of the animals that depend on those trees and shrubs.
- Plant those trees and shrubs that you found are native to the North Fork in your back yard to provide a nice home for animals.
- Native trees do not need as much fertilization and the river will thank you, because fertilizers cause algae and overgrow of aquatic exotic plants.
V. How can I participate in the contest?
Draw a picture of a tree and how it can provide a home for animals, write a poem about the beauty of native trees, walk along the river or go out in a canoe and take some photos, These are just some suggestions, any ideas are welcome. Be original!
FUN STUFF!