Overview: Tall cypress indeed. Old growth cypress not so much. Pond cypress trees are the defining features of this 66-acre remnant of a cypress and hardwood swamp. That it still exists is due in large measure to the efforts of students at nearby Coral Springs High School, who fought to preserve it. And it is a peaceful spot. So much so, that during one of our visits, we came across a couple reading their Sunday newspaper at one of the pavilions.
As you would expect, with cypress comes water. An elevated boardwalk provides the only pathway through the site. There are several sitting areas and observation platforms at key points along the way. The cypress, figs, maples, willows, gumbo limbo and pondapples enclose the site, making it seem much larger than it really is and isolate visitors from the rest of the world.
History: As the story goes, the 66 acres that make up Tall Cypress Natural Area were slated for bulldozer to become a housing development. Students at nearby Coral Springs High School rallied to preserve this piece of nature. With proceeds from the $75 million Environmentally Sensitive Lands bond issue passed in 1989, Broward County stepped in and bought the land in 1990. Tall Cypress Natural Area open on Feb. 7, 2002.
This is purely an educated guess, but it's likely old-growth cypress once stood here but was cut down decades before the site was preserved in the 1990s, giving enough time for secondary growth to reach impressive heights (though not girth). The age of old-growth cypress is measured in centuries, not decades.
What You'll See: We found the forest filled with both migratory and wading birds, including wood storks, gray catbirds and yellow-rumped warblers. Site managers say it has one of the most diverse list of resident species of any natural area in Broward County. The trail isn't all that long but it does meander through a variety of ecosystems and is marked with interpretive signs. if you don't live nearby, it's worth the trip, say in conjunction with a visit to nearby Fern Forest Nature Center.
Amenities: There is a large parking lot — large enough to accomodate several buses, informational kiosks, restrooms and drinking water. The entire trail is boardwalk, making for an easy stroll and an accessible one for all.
Nearby: Tradewinds Park is several miles to the east along Sample Road; Fern Forest Nature Center is probably a 15-minute drive from Tall Cypress Natural Area.
Links: The Institute for Regional Conservation's inventory of plants for Tall Cypress Natural Area is here.
Of Note: Tall Cypress Natural Area is open everyday of the year from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free.
Cover Photo: A yellow-rumped warbler perched high in a pond apple tree. Second photo: The floor of Tall Cypress Natural is a dense, and in some spots, very wet place.
As you would expect, with cypress comes water. An elevated boardwalk provides the only pathway through the site. There are several sitting areas and observation platforms at key points along the way. The cypress, figs, maples, willows, gumbo limbo and pondapples enclose the site, making it seem much larger than it really is and isolate visitors from the rest of the world.
History: As the story goes, the 66 acres that make up Tall Cypress Natural Area were slated for bulldozer to become a housing development. Students at nearby Coral Springs High School rallied to preserve this piece of nature. With proceeds from the $75 million Environmentally Sensitive Lands bond issue passed in 1989, Broward County stepped in and bought the land in 1990. Tall Cypress Natural Area open on Feb. 7, 2002.
This is purely an educated guess, but it's likely old-growth cypress once stood here but was cut down decades before the site was preserved in the 1990s, giving enough time for secondary growth to reach impressive heights (though not girth). The age of old-growth cypress is measured in centuries, not decades.
What You'll See: We found the forest filled with both migratory and wading birds, including wood storks, gray catbirds and yellow-rumped warblers. Site managers say it has one of the most diverse list of resident species of any natural area in Broward County. The trail isn't all that long but it does meander through a variety of ecosystems and is marked with interpretive signs. if you don't live nearby, it's worth the trip, say in conjunction with a visit to nearby Fern Forest Nature Center.
Amenities: There is a large parking lot — large enough to accomodate several buses, informational kiosks, restrooms and drinking water. The entire trail is boardwalk, making for an easy stroll and an accessible one for all.
Nearby: Tradewinds Park is several miles to the east along Sample Road; Fern Forest Nature Center is probably a 15-minute drive from Tall Cypress Natural Area.
Links: The Institute for Regional Conservation's inventory of plants for Tall Cypress Natural Area is here.
Of Note: Tall Cypress Natural Area is open everyday of the year from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free.
Cover Photo: A yellow-rumped warbler perched high in a pond apple tree. Second photo: The floor of Tall Cypress Natural is a dense, and in some spots, very wet place.
