History
Atlantic Ridge Preserve is a 4,886-acre tropical paradise surrounded by an urban community. The preserve is mostly wet flatwoods and wet prairies, gently sloping west to the South Fork of the St. Lucie River.
Access to the preserve is limited. Its main attraction is 30 miles of hiking, bicycling and equestrian trails. The preserve is managed by the staff at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
The banks of the St. Lucie River provide access to fresh water, which made this site ideal for agriculture. Long ago, this area attracted citrus famers and cattle ranchers. The only problem were the soggy wetlands that made up the river’s floodplain. Ditches and canals were dug by landowners to alter the flow of water and drain the wetlands. These changes made the land unsuitable for native plants and wildlife.
In the future, the water flow and natural hydrology will be restored by filling in the canals and ditches. Invasive species, including melaleuca, Brazilian pepper and Australian pines, will be removed. Native trees and shrubs will be planted. This will restore the pastures to pine flatwoods interspersed with wet prairies.

This story is not unique to Atlantic Ridge Preserve. Throughout South Florida, the once abundant wetlands have been carved, drained and filled to make room for people. Wetlands are natural filters, helping to clean and restore our rivers and estuaries. Wetlands also act as flood control, protecting communities from extreme changes in water level. Thankfully, this story will have a different ending.
When the property was purchased by the state in 1999, goals were set to restore the historical water flow from the Atlantic Ridge to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Soon, construction projects will fill in the ditches and canals. Invasive plant species will be removed. Native trees and shrubs will be planted. This will restore the natural hydrology and return the habitat to pine flatwoods interspersed with wet prairies.