St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Established in 1931 as a wintering ground for migratory birds, it encompasses 68,000 acres (280 km²) spread between Wakulla
Wakulla County, Florida
Wakulla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 22,863. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 28,212 people...
, Jefferson
Jefferson County, Florida
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population is 12,902. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 14,490 . Its county seat is Monticello, Florida....
, and Taylor
Taylor County, Florida
Taylor County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 19,256. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 19,622 . Its county seat is Perry, Florida.- History :Taylor County was created in 1856...
Counties in the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
The refuge includes several Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
coastal habitats, such as saltwater marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, islands, tidal creeks
Creek (tidal)
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary is the portion of a stream that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tides, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle...
, and the estuaries
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of seven north Florida river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s. It is home to a diverse range of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
and animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
life and also has a long history of human use, including structures such as the St. Marks Lighthouse
St. Marks Light
The St. Marks Light is the second-oldest light station in Florida. It is located on the east side of the mouth of the St. Marks River, on Apalachee Bay....
, the second oldest lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
in Florida.
The refuge is a 'gateway site' for the Great Florida Birding Trail
Great Florida Birding Trail
The 2000 mile long Great Florida Birding Trail is a collection of more than 400 locations in the U.S. state of Florida...
.
Access
Public accesses to the refuge are located at:- Panacea Unit
- Otter Lake, in PanaceaPanacea, FloridaPanacea is a small unincorporated community in Wakulla County, Florida, United States of America. It is in the Tallahassee metro area. Its elevation is seven feet above sea level....
- Bottoms Road, in Panacea
- Skipper Bay Road, south of MedartMedart, FloridaMedart is a small unincorporated community in Wakulla County, Florida, United States of America.-Schools in Medart:*Medart Elementary School*Wakulla Middle School*Wakulla High School...
(may be closed)- Wakulla Unit
- Purify Bay Road, in Medart
- Shell Point Highway, north of Shell PointShell Point, FloridaShell Point is a small unincorporated community in Wakulla County, Florida, United States of America.-Overview:Shell Point is located on the northern edge of the Apalachee Bay, approximately 30 miles south of Tallahassee. Most notable for its mediocre beach, Shell Point Beach was previously...
- Wakulla Beach Road, east of Shell Point
- St. Marks Unit
- Lighthouse Road, the main entrance, in NewportNewport, FloridaNewport is a small unincorporated community in Wakulla County, Florida, United States of America, situated where U.S. Highway 98 meets State Road 267.-1840s:...
- Mandalay Bay Road, just east of the Aucilla RiverAucilla RiverThe Aucilla River rises close to Thomasville, Georgia, USA, and passes through the Big Bend region of Florida, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay. The river is long and has a drainage basin of . The Wacissa River is a tributary...
in Taylor County.
There is no paved public access to the refuge in Jefferson County.