Hidden behind a busy highway bustling with gas stations, car lots, a high school, and a boat dealership, you’ll find the paradise that is Spring Hammock Preserve. Tucked away in one of the fastest growing and busiest sections of Seminole County, Florida, Spring Hammock Preserve is a whooping 1,500-acre natural preserve that encompasses two parks (Big Tree Park and Soldiers Creek Park), contains miles upon miles of boardwalk trails, rare and ephemeral flora and fauna, but most notably, large swathes of mature and old-growth forest.

The most renowned old-growth tree in the preserve is the Lady Liberty tree, an estimated 2000-year-old bald cypress tree that is almost 90 feet tall, nearly 10 feet diameter, has a circumference of 400 inches, and a crown spread of around 35 feet. It was commonly referred to as "The Companion” for many years since it stood about 40 feet away from another truly spectacular tree, “The Senator”. This tree was sadly lost to fire due to arson in 2012, though echoes of its legacy can still be found throughout the preserve and the county, as well as in the memories of the people who were fortunate enough to witness this grand tree. Based on the size of the Senator, it was thought to have been 3,500 years old, one of the oldest trees in Central Florida. The fact that this forest hosts a 2,000-year-old tree and was home to a 3,500-year-old tree makes it truly unique for the Old-Growth Forest Network. We simply don’t have any other forests like it in the Network!

Photo courtesy of Seminole County

Spring Hammock Preserve is home to a wide variety of different ecosystems, varying from pine flatwoods and upland mixed hardwoods, to floodplain forests and hydric hammocks. Each ecological community creates a crucial habitat for many species of plants and animals, including the following:

gopher tortoise, a keystone species whose burrows provide habitat for at least 360 other species
several listed fern species
the endangered Okeechobee gourd
numerous fungi that are still being researched and discovered

Each of the species listed above, and many more, rely on a consistent, protected habitat that is free from disturbances and development. Preserves like Spring Hammock are crucial in maintaining the health and stability of these amazing species and provide visitors with a glimpse of what the area looked like before major development projects took over much of the area. As you walk through the forest on one of the many trails or boardwalks, you’ll not only find other superb examples of massive bald cypress trees, but you’ll also see many old-growth oak, sweetgum, and magnolia trees. Our local county coordinator, John Cook, who brought Spring Hammock Preserve to our attention, studies the fungi species that can only survive in protected areas like it.

Photo courtesy of Seminole County

The entire Spring Hammock Preserve complex is located north of Orlando, right on the edge of Lake Jesup, and contains several creeks including Solider and Gee, which run from the lake and spread throughout the preserve into many smaller streams and brooks. These waterways bring vital hydration to the many hammocks and swampy areas of the preserve, and create conditions for hydric hammocks: an ecosystem unique to central Florida. Hydric hammocks are low areas with poor drainage that remain moist throughout most of the year and usually support tree species such as water oak, red cedar, red maple, hackberry, hornbeam, black gum, and needle palm.

Fifth grade students across Seminole County get to see these conditions up close with the annual “Mud Walk” hosted by the preserve’s Environmental Center, a rite of passage remembered fondly by locals who attended the OGFN recognition ceremony.

Spring Hammock Preserve marks Florida’s 11th old-growth forest to join the Network and the first to join from Seminole County. With 280 forests in the Network spread across 39 states, we hope you will visit one of these gems in the future and soak in the beauty of mature and old-growth forests!