Volunteer Training

Hobe Sound's native mangrove habitat supports many endangered species.

Margo Stahl, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, trains volunteers on how to recognize natives and invasive species.

Volunteers study Hobe Sound's coastal habitat.

Old world climbing fern engulfs everything in its path.

Nathan Rudd and Mandy Tu of The Nature Conservancy provide expert instruction to volunteers.

The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge provides crucial year-round habitat to nearly 40 state and federally listed plant and wildlife species as well as for many endangered species. Species depending on Hobe Sound's scrub and coastal beach habitat include: the gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, Florida scrub jay, Florida mouse, Florida gopher frog, Florida scrub lizard, Florida pine snake, Lakela's mint, four-petal pawpaw, rosemary, several species of air plant, the West Indian manatee, sea turtles, least terns, and piping plover. The refuge also provides essential migratory habitat for an assortment of neo-tropical migrants and shorebirds.

While at least 23 plant species threaten this valuable habitat, the primary invasives include Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, Old World climbing fern, and Scaevola or beach naupaka. These invasive plants take over many of the scrub and coastal beach habitats severely interfering with nesting, germination, water quality, and the establishment of native plant communities.

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