Visit a vanishing natural treasure. Florida Scrub is one of the
most interesting and one of the most endangered natural plant
communities in the United States. Florida Scrub is a unique
plant community that occurs in small patches scattered across
the state. It is home to dozens of plant and animal species that
occur nowhere else in the world. What you'll see... So what is a
scrub? Scrub is a plant community characterized by the dominance
of shrubs, in contrast to forests which are dominated by trees,
and savannas and prairies which are dominated by grasses. The
Florida scrub environment is harsh. Without a canopy of trees,
summer temperatures are hotter than in other plant communities.
Rain water rushes through the deep, sterile sands as fast as it
falls. Fires sweep through the bushes burning the scrub to the
ground at unpredictable intervals. The loose sands are shifted
about by wind, abrading and sometimes burying small plants. Only
the toughest plants and animals can survive! The scrub depends
on fire...