Natural Communities
"The topography…is greatly diversified,
and the eye is not wearied by monotonous stretches of low
lands and lonely pine forests."
Hernando County Real Estate promotion, 1885 |
Within Chassahowitzka an extensive expanse of hardwood
swamp is punctuated with creeks, marshes, scrub islands, and springs.
Tidal marsh is found directly along the coast in the Chassahowitzka
National Wildlife Refuge. Farther inland are flatwoods and
sandhill interspersed with wet prairies, freshwater marshes, and
cypress domes. Running north-south about 3 to 4 miles from the
coast on historic sand dunes are remnants of the rare scrub community.
FWC has contracted with the Florida
Natural Areas Inventory to map natural communities and collect
data on vegetation structure and composition for each community
on 25 managed areas. You may view or print the Natural
Communities Map (pdf file) for Chassahowitzka.
