This 64-acre preserve is part of the North Fork St. Lucie River (NFSLR) Greenway and serves as an important part of the wildlife corridor that runs along the river. The 4-acre man-made pond provides habitat for wildlife such as wading birds and waterfowl, helps offset historic wetland habitat loss in St. Lucie County, and provides water-quality and flood-protection benefits for stormwater runoff from area streets. Pollutants such as sediments, fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals, oils and grease have historically drained directly into the river; this pond now functions as a filter, helping remove these harmful pollutants.

Citrus Hammock is a public preserve owned by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners and managed by the St. Lucie County Environmental Resources Department (SLC ERD). This preserve was purchased with funds from St. Lucie County’s Environmentally Significant Lands Bond Program, a 67% voter-approved $20 million tax referendum, and Florida Communities' Trust—Florida Forever Program, a State funding program to preserve and provide passive public access to Florida’s remaining natural treasures. This preserve is managed for invasive vegetation, wildlife, and passive recreation. The site was acquired to enable passive recreation for St. Lucie County residents and visitors. Citrus Hammock Preserve is open dawn to dusk every day. Please remember to be a green steward of this preserve by packing out all trash brought into the site.

Additional Information

• Trails: 1/2 mile self-guided interpretive trail winds through the hammock, identifying the most common species.
• Habitat: Mature hydric hammock with several large, old live oaks, laurel oaks, slash pines, cabbage palms, red maples, pond apples and Carolina ash and flood plain forest supporting an abundance of wetland vegetation.
• Commonly seen wildlife: Squirrels, red-bellied woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers and cardinals.

Historical Interest

The North Fork of the St. Lucie River was an important transport and trade route for St. Lucie County's early residents. Before the 1890s, the river was freshwater and may have been historically connected to the Indian River Lagoon through inlets that formed and disappeared periodically; however, in 1892, the St. Lucie Inlet was completed, permanently connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian River Lagoon at the mouth of the St. Lucie River. Once this connection was made, the river transformed into a riverine estuary.