The Trailblazer

Beach erosion, property damage, and habitat destruction, oh my!  The Australian pine is still loved by many Floridians, but it's destroying native areas and causing widespread property damage. Australian pine silhouetted against the sky It may look like just another pine tree at first glance, but don’t be fooled! Common names can be deceiving, and the Australian pine ( Casuarina equisetifolia ) isn’t a pine tree at all. Its small, evergreen leaves lay flat against long trailing stems, and from a distance these multi-leafed stems look like pine needles. Its reproductive structures even resemble pine cones, but this tree is much more closely related to many broad-leaf trees than it is to the true conifers. Sadly, the deception doesn’t stop there. Early Floridians were also deceived into thinking the Australian pine was both useful and harmless, but this species is now one of the most damaging invasive plants in the country. Needle-like branchlets of Australian pine When Australian pi...

As you hike through the preserve, you'll come to 12 numbered trail markers (shown on the map). At each trail marker, stop and listen to (or read) the short informational clip provided.  You can download each file separately using the links provided OR download the entire audio file and pause it between trail markers. You can also download the text to read along instead of listening. Remember to bring a trail map, water, bug spray, and a snack with you and tell someone where you're going. Happy hiking!  Trail Map and Text Links: >>Golden Aster Scrub Trail Map This is a geo-referenced trail map, meaning that if you download a mapping app like Avenza on your smartphone and open this PDF in the app, it will let you see your location on the map as you hike.  >>Full Hike - Text Only Audio Links: >>Full Hike Audio You only have to download one audio file, but you'll have to pause it between trail markers.   >>Introduction >>Trail Marker 1 ...