Wildlife in South Florida Gardens: A Tapestry of Native and Introduced Species
Away on holiday in Florida so a bit of a Travelogue... The condominium and apartment blocks of Boynton Beach, located in Palm Beach County, Florida, are a far cry from the biodiverse coastal sand dunes that they were built on. But are none the less an interesting place to stay and explore. Human influence has only been in effect here for 125 years and has built the Atlantic Avenue, Intercoastal Canal and Flagler's railroad together just inland, and there is a narrow strip of modern development around these links. Florida is famous for its Everglades - lush primeval swamp and wetland that supports a massive ecosystem in its own right (locally to Boynton, the Everglades start at the nearby Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge). But what is left of the once pristine intercoastal environment and the native wildlife? Is it a suburban jungle that stretches all the way up the coast, or a carefully manicured Garden of Eden? Using one of the spacious apartment blocks we are visiting this week a...