December 13, 2007 - Oxbow Features New Exhibit About St. Lucie River

If you haven't visited the Oxbow Eco-Center lately, now is the time to come out and see its new look. The Oxbow just completed Phase I of its centerpiece exhibit - a life-size, albeit shortened, version of the St. Lucie River.

The exhibit takes visitors on a journey down the North Fork of the St. Lucie from its historical headwaters, through its brackish body, and ultimately to the estuary and lagoon. Visitors get a fish eye view as they enter below the water line and are greeted by a variety of animals that call the river home, including alligators, otters, manatees and a variety of fish. Visitors look up through a re-created water surface to view the shoreline and some of the river's terrestrial plant and animal species. A background mural and replicated vegetation, trees, and wildlife add depth to the diorama.

The exhibit has numerous interactive elements that engage visitors, including fossil rubbings, fish songs, and tactile elements.  ''The goal of the exhibit is to help people better understand and appreciate this precious jewel we have in our own backyards and to elicit a sense of stewardship from all our residents and visitors,'' said Sandra Bogan, education and outreach manager for St. Lucie's Environmental Resources Department.

The exhibit was made possible through the support of St. Lucie County, Cargill Industries and the St. Lucie River Issues Team.

The Oxbow Eco-Center, St. Lucie County's premiere environmental learning center, is situated on 225 acres of land on the St. Lucie River with more than three miles of trails that are open to the public everyday. The Oxbow is located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive, approximately two miles south of Midway Road, across from the Publix plaza.  For more information, call (772) 785-5833 or visit www.stlucieco.gov/erd/oxbow.

Fast Facts About the North Fork of the St. Lucie River

•  The St. Lucie River is designated as a Florida Outstanding Waterway and a State Aquatic Preserve. 
  
•  The river has more species of fish than any other river in Florida. More than 500 fish species have been documented within a two-mile radius of the river where it meets the Indian River Lagoon.
  
• In addition, the St. Lucie River tends to have more species within certain families of fish. For example, where you may find one or two species of snook in most rivers, the St. Lucie has five.  The goby is another example, with 16 species inhabiting the St. Lucie River.
  
• This 16-mile long blackwater river has 6,100 acres of surface water within a 333-square-mile watershed.