About the North Fork St. Lucie River Aquatic Preserve
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The North Fork St. Lucie River, designated as an aquatic
preserve in 1972, is a freshwater system upstream and a
brackish system near the St. Lucie Estuary.
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The preserve contains approximately 5,000 acres in
St. Lucie and Martin Counties.
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Habitats along the North Fork St. Lucie River range
from mangroves to freshwater swamp forests.
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The river supports a variety of federally and
state-protected species such as American alligators,
manatees, river otters, nesting wood storks, little blue
herons, brown pelicans, snook, and opossum pipefishes.
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Rare tropical peripheral fish species, such as gobies,
sleepers, and pipefishes, are also found in the upper
reaches of the North Fork and the two headwaters, Five and
Ten Mile Creeks.
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The river is especially important habitat for the juvenile
phases of commercially important species such as blue crabs,
snook, snapper, drum, and shrimp.
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The North Fork St. Lucie River is part of Florida’s "Save
our Rivers" program.
To the North Fork St. Lucie River Aquatic
Preserve website
For more information, please contact Aquatic Preserve Manager, Laura Herren, at
(772)429-2995 or Laura.Herren@dep.state.fl.us.
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North Fork St. Lucie River Aquatic Preserve Management Plan Review Process
