Rare plants like the scrub plum, pygmy fringe tree, and scrub blazing star make the area an attraction for botanists. Today, this web of inter-dependent species is America's equivalent of the Galapagos Islands. Threatened by conversion to agricultural, housing and commercial uses, this unique eco-system is rapidly disappearing under development pressures. A recently-created network of preserves, in both public and private hands, seeks to protect the diaspora of these rare species. You are invited to visit the Babson Park Nature Center, and learn more about how to view, enjoy, and help protect the rare species which make their homes on the Lake Wales Ridge.
Information is also available about several area preserves.