Destination Spotlight

Curry Hammock State Park

Several small islands in the middle Florida Keys make up Curry Hammock State Park. The park is ideal for a variety of activities, including snorkeling, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking, as visitors explore the range of unique habitats. Mangrove swamps and seagrass beds provide many opportunities to see wildlife up-close, and students will collect data and water samples to learn how threats to the seagrass beds could have widespread effects on Florida’s natural ecosystems.

Interesting Facts:

• Seagrass beds are underwater “meadows,” made up of plants that look like the grass on land, which gives them their name.
• Mangroves are areas where trees are able to grow within a swampy saline environment. Because the require tropical climates, only a few areas in the United States are able to support them, including southern Florida and isolated growths in southern Louisiana and Texas.

Links:

Florida State Parks – Curry Hammock