A Trip to the St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge

The cry of an osprey is the only sound as my nine-year-old daughter and I walk quietly along a path through the golden grasses of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. We have come looking for alligators on this bright March day, and have found instead a wonderland of birds. The quiet, shallow waters of the refuge's broad expanse of salt marsh are alive with ducks and shorebirds. We see canvasback and goldeneye ducks,

tricolored herons and snowy egrets. Kingfishers balance on the telephone lines, keeping a sharp-eyed lookout for breakfast. The osprey soars by overhead, and we shade our eyes to search for its nest. We are startled more than once by the sound of something jumping into the grasses ahead of us. Walking quietly, we finally see a small furry animal-a roundtailed muskrat we later learn-searching for seeds along the side of the path. As we walk out onto the dikes that surround the refuge's freshwater impoundments, we can hear the heavy splashes of alligators plunging from the banks into the safety of the water. Who is more startled, the alligators or us? It's a tough call. We once had the unpleasant experience of catching an alligator unawares along one of the refuge's paths, scaring himand us half to death, and earning us a close-up view of the inside of his quite large, tooth-filled mouth. Today we talk and whistle as we walk, to be sure they hear us coming. Alligators are common in Florida's salt marshes which border the large shallow sounds and estuaries where inland rivers empty into the sea. Tidal creeks meander through the grasses, rising and falling twice a day, flooding the marsh and then retreating. On the mudflats left behind are hundreds of holes surrounded by tiny balls of sand; irrefutable evidence of fiddler crabs, which disappear down their holes at the first hint of danger.

What’s So Great About Salt Marshes?
The salt marshes that line the Florida coast from Apalachicola Bay to Tampa are found where inland rivers empty into the sea. These coastal wetlands are made up of plants that can tolerate high levels of salt. Florida's most common salt marsh plants are black needlerush, salt meadow cordgrass and smooth cordgrass. A vast variety of birds visits these marshes during their annual migrations. Wood ducks nest here, as do bald eagles, white ibis and many other bird species. Alligators, snakes and turtles make their homes here, along with racoons, river otters, fox squirrels and Florida black bear. Floridians came late to the understanding that salt marshes are critical to life along the coast. More than half of all Florida's marshes, both saltwater and freshwater, have been lost to development, dredging and mosquito control impoundments since the beginning of the century. Salt marshes act as filters for land run-off. The grasses remove sediments and pollutants. They control flood waters, help replenish ground water, and provide homes for waterfowl and other wildlife. Coastal wetlands stabilize shorelines and protect homes and property from storm surge and flooding. They are important breeding and nursery grounds for fisheries, sanctuaries for rare and endangered species, and tranquil places to visit.

What you can do:

If you live on a waterfront, use a swale and berm system to keep water that might contain lawn and garden pesticides and fertilizers from running off into the water.
Build the smallest dock you can, and locate it to minimize its impact on the marsh.
Use a central sewer system if it's available. If not, check your septic system frequently to make sure it's working properly. Call your local health department for a list of companies that can maintain your septic system.
Reduce or eliminate the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Check to see if you need a federal, state or local permit to fill or alter even small wetlands on your property.
Encourage other landowners to maintain their wetlands.
Make sure the conservation element in your local government comprehensive plan has wetlands protection policies.