Fifteen
miles west of Stuart on Florida’s east coast, Allapattah
Flats WMA anchors 20,945 acres of marshes and slash pine
flatwoods. This northwestern Martin County site is part of a
vast area of marshes and flatwoods that once extended from
the upper St. Johns River basin to the headwaters of the St.
Lucie River. Surface water from Allapattah Flats eventually
flows into the Indian River Lagoon. The area provides
public recreational opportunities while protecting habitat
for rare animals, particularly sandhill cranes, wood storks
and crested caracaras, and game animals such as white-tailed
deer and wild turkey. Wading birds frequent the wetlands.
To
prepare the property for cattle and crop production,
previous landowners constructed swales and ditches to drain
the site’s wetlands and channel the water to the C-23 Canal.
Today, the South Florida Water Management District is
restoring natural water flow on the site by filling in some
of these manmade waterways and installing water control
structures on others. Also, they are constructing berms to
protect adjacent waterways and are planting pines in some
areas to reestablish uplands. Martin
County and the South Florida Water Management District
jointly own Allapattah Flats. The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission partners with the South Florida
Water Management District and Martin County to manage public use
and wildlife.
The area is open
to public access year-round. Recreational opportunities
include hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, primitive
camping, hunting. fishing and wildlife viewing. Visitors
may hike or bike on the five mile long trail system leading
to an open marsh popular with wading birds. There are
separate trails for equestrians as well as a 150-acre riding
area; horse trailer parking areas are under construction.
Between September and March, high-quality quota hunts take
place on limited days. They include seasons for archery, muzzleloading gun, family hunt, general gun and spring
turkey. A quota is not required during the small game
season, which runs from mid-November through the first
Sunday in January. Fishing is permitted year-round. For more
information: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) (561) 625-5122; South Florida Water
Management District (561) 686-8800.
