| Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 Observation Platform overlooking the C-7 compartment on the Marsh Trail | |
  Map ofFlorida | |
| Location | Palm Beach County, Florida,United States |
| Nearest city | Boynton Beach, Florida |
| Coordinates | 26°30′30″N80°20′00″W / 26.50833°N 80.33333°W /26.50833; -80.33333 |
| Area | 145,188 acres (587.55 km2) |
| Established | 1951 (1951) |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge |
TheArthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a 145,188-acre (587.55 km2) wildlife sanctuary[1] is located west ofBoynton Beach, inPalm Beach County,Florida.[2] It is also known asWater Conservation Area 1 (WCA-1). It includes the most northern remnant of the historicEverglades wetland ecosystem.[1][3]
Bordering theEverglades Agricultural Area (EAA) to the west and the urban communities of Palm Beach County to the east, the conservation area contains nearly 145,000 acres of Everglades wetland habitat. Owned by the state, WCA-1 is currently managed by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides an area specified for recreation, wildlife population maintenance and habitat management and restoration.[4]
The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is located seven miles west of the city ofBoynton Beach inPalm Beach County, Florida. The refuge was established in 1951 under the authority of theMigratory Bird Conservation Act and is managed through a license agreement between theSouth Florida Water Management District and theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In total, the refuge includes nearly 145,000 acres of northernEverglades habitat. The refuge contains one of threewater conservation areas (WCAs) in south Florida and is maintained to provide water storage and flood control, as well as habitat for native fish and wildlife populations. Water is regulated by a series of pumps, canals, water control structures, and levees built by theArmy Corps of Engineers. These freshwater storage areas and part of theEverglades National Park are all that remain of the originalEverglades.[5]
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, the area has amonsoon climate, abbreviated "Am" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in the refuge was 103 °F (39.4 °C) on July 27, 1962, while the coldest temperature recorded was 24 °F (−4.4 °C) on January 20, 1977 and January 12, 1982.[6]
| Climate data for Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 90 (32) | 91 (33) | 96 (36) | 98 (37) | 98 (37) | 100 (38) | 103 (39) | 99 (37) | 98 (37) | 95 (35) | 92 (33) | 95 (35) | 103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 83.6 (28.7) | 85.0 (29.4) | 87.3 (30.7) | 89.1 (31.7) | 91.3 (32.9) | 93.1 (33.9) | 93.8 (34.3) | 93.9 (34.4) | 92.6 (33.7) | 90.2 (32.3) | 86.5 (30.3) | 84.9 (29.4) | 94.9 (34.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 74.7 (23.7) | 76.9 (24.9) | 79.3 (26.3) | 82.5 (28.1) | 85.5 (29.7) | 88.4 (31.3) | 89.8 (32.1) | 90.1 (32.3) | 88.6 (31.4) | 85.5 (29.7) | 80.2 (26.8) | 77.4 (25.2) | 83.2 (28.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 65.1 (18.4) | 67.3 (19.6) | 70.1 (21.2) | 73.3 (22.9) | 76.8 (24.9) | 80.5 (26.9) | 81.9 (27.7) | 82.3 (27.9) | 81.2 (27.3) | 77.9 (25.5) | 72.1 (22.3) | 68.5 (20.3) | 74.8 (23.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 55.5 (13.1) | 57.7 (14.3) | 60.8 (16.0) | 64.2 (17.9) | 68.1 (20.1) | 72.5 (22.5) | 74.1 (23.4) | 74.4 (23.6) | 73.7 (23.2) | 70.3 (21.3) | 63.9 (17.7) | 59.7 (15.4) | 66.2 (19.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 40.6 (4.8) | 43.7 (6.5) | 46.8 (8.2) | 52.5 (11.4) | 60.5 (15.8) | 68.2 (20.1) | 69.7 (20.9) | 71.0 (21.7) | 69.7 (20.9) | 60.6 (15.9) | 50.5 (10.3) | 45.7 (7.6) | 38.1 (3.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 24 (−4) | 27 (−3) | 27 (−3) | 35 (2) | 47 (8) | 56 (13) | 62 (17) | 62 (17) | 60 (16) | 42 (6) | 33 (1) | 26 (−3) | 24 (−4) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.34 (85) | 2.81 (71) | 3.03 (77) | 3.07 (78) | 4.97 (126) | 9.73 (247) | 6.69 (170) | 8.28 (210) | 8.60 (218) | 6.36 (162) | 3.69 (94) | 3.06 (78) | 63.63 (1,616) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.9 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 10.7 | 17.7 | 17.8 | 19.3 | 17.4 | 13.5 | 9.1 | 9.9 | 149.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[6] | |||||||||||||
In 2016, theSouth Florida Water Management District announced that it was providing notice to theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that it would cancel the lease of the property to the federal government for failure to control invasive species.[8] SFWMD is believed to have created the invasive species problem in the first place.[9] It is believed that this approach is being taken to allow for polluted water in excess of 10 ppb phosphorus to be stored on the land.[10]
According to theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge's management activities focus primarily onwetland habitat restoration, particularly throughwater quality andhydropattern improvement, and exotic plant control. A large portion of refuge management effort is spent controlling exotic and invasive plants and pursuing funding to eliminate these threats. The three most problematic exotic plant species on the refuge aremelaleuca,Brazilian pepper, andOld World climbing fern (lygodium). The refuge is working together with many otherfederal agencies andstate agencies regionally in South Florida to address these issues and restoreEverglades habitat for the benefit of wildlife.[5]
Loxahatchee NWR is one of over 500national wildlife refuges located throughout the United States and administered by theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge not only preserves and protects native wildlife, but also offers compatible public recreational and educational opportunities including walking trails, a canoe trail, bike trail, boat ramps, fishing platform, observation towers, butterfly garden, and a visitor center. It is home toAmerican alligator, the endangeredsnail kite,coastal plain cooter andFlorida softshell turtles, and as many as 257species ofbirds. As such, it has been designated a 'gateway site' for theGreat Florida Birding Trail.
Not quite all of the 145,188-acre (587.55 km2) refuge isEvergladesmarsh habitat. A 400-acre (1.6 km2)bald cypressswamp is the largest remaining remnant of a cypress strand that once separated the pineflatwoods in the east from the Everglades marshes. A boardwalk into the swamp gives the visitor a chance for an up-close swamp experience without getting their feet wet.Hurricane Wilma damaged the refuge in October 2005, and the administration building was condemned. The Lee Road fishing pier was damaged byHurricane Irma and will remain closed until further notice.[11]
Despite all of its treasures, the refuge is in serious danger of quickly becoming an exclusive haven for invasive plants, especially the broad-leaved paper bark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) and Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum), both rapidly growing non-native species, which are quickly overgrowing the native flora and are likely not compatible with the native wildlife.
The refuge allows multiple activities in the park such as, fishing, hunting, hiking and also offers guided tours.[12] Fishing is allowed in only three areas of the refuge which are Hillsboro, Headquarters and the 20-mile bend. All fishermen must also carry a validfishing license in the state of Florida.[13] There are also over 16 different species of fish present within the refuge that are able to be caught. Hunting is allowed within the refuge to manage wildlife populations. It is one of 330 refuges open to the population for hunting.[14] Waterfowl hunting is permitted in the late fall and early winter months. All hunters are required to possess a valid Florida StateHunting License[15] and a Florida StateDuck Stamp.[16] Alligator hunting is only available by permit from the state of Florida. There are also numerous hiking trails throughout the refuge. One is abald cypressswamp boardwalk that is located directly behind the visitor center. The others are accessible through the Lee Road parking lot. The refuge also offers guided tours throughout the year. They offer, canoe tours, night walks and tram tours by reservation only.[17]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service.
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