Fort Matanzas National Monument - Nature & Science (U.S. National Park Service)

Explore the maritime forest on the half-mile nature trail.

L. Chandler -- NPS Photo

The nature trail winds through the shady coolness of the maritime forest.

Nature at Fort Matanzas National Monument

The original national monument site consisted of only the fort on Rattlesnake Island. Through the years, however, the National Park Service has acquired additional land on both Rattlesnake and Anastasia Islands and has been able to preserve a slice of an intact barrier island ecosystem. The river and ocean beaches as well as the .6 mile nature trail offer visitors the opportunity to view a variety of plants and wildlife native to this ecosystem.

Upcoming Nature Programs at Fort Matanzas

November 14-- Bird Walk with Veronica; 9:30 - 11:30 am. Meet at the visitor center.

November 21--4th Saturday of the Month Nature Program, "Wonders of the Salt Marsh", 9:30 - 11:00 am. Ranger-conducted program. Meet in the picnic area. NOTE that this is the third Saturday this month.

Fort Matanzas has a variety of habitats for a variety of plants and animals.

L. Chandler -- NPS Photo

A Diverse Ecosystem

Fort Matanzas National Monument protects a variety of habitats for many different species of plants and animals. Click HERE to explore the different habitats of Fort Matanzas.

The red rat snake is one of the prettiest of the non-poisonous snakes.

K. Krysko -- Used by Permission

Snakes and Turtles and Frogs, Oh My!

During 1998 and 1999, Dr. F. Wayne King from the University of Florida conducted an extensive survey of the reptiles and amphibians found at Fort Matanzas National Monument. Click HERE for the results of his study complete with information on each species' ecology and habitat and photographs like this one of a red rat snake (corn snake), one of the beautiful, non-poisonous snakes at Fort Matanzas.

GTMNERR

The area around Fort Matanzas National Monument is also part of the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR), one of 25 such reserves in the United States. Designated in 1999, GTMNERR is a federal/state partnership administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Click HERE to visit the GTMNERR website.

Critter of the Month

Click on the star to read about the Matanzas Critter of the Month, one of the many animals who calls Fort Matanzas National Monument its home. Come back next month and discover a different Matanzas Critter.