Coastal Uplands

In between covering the chapters of my textbook and taking notes during classes on the shores of the Indian River Lagoon, I have also happily covered quite a few miles pedaling a cruiser bicycle while learning to “read” a very unique coast. 
During this morning’s trek I likened this Coastal Upland profile to a Trilogy as there are three major zones.

Nearest the ocean and under nature’s harshest conditions of shifting sands and wind, hardy vegetation manages to takes root in the Beach and Fore Dune area.

Back on Fishers Island this zone is a different read altogether with ever familiar mounds of smooth stones piled upward towards the scrub lines of Chocomount, Isabella, and South beaches.

Walking landward here, I observe scrub plant diversity quite unlike our Island species back home ranging from shrub-like palms, Florida Privet, to Prickly Cactus. This is the Transitional zone.

And thirdly, monitoring a Maritime Forest could become a favorite and even best-seller “read” for any Naturalist. Occurring on old dunes this Live Oak Hammock (canopy) forms habitat complexity and biodiversity of plants and animals.

Trails meandering around Oyster Pond on Fishers Island and throughout the Betty Matthiessen Sanctuary might be compared to a unique Maritime Forest.

Future Island Sentinels could include that area in their monitoring endeavors.

What a “novel” idea!