We've returned to the concrete trail and we turn left, away from the parking lot and toward the heart of Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area. At the end is an observation platform overlooking this wet prairie. What is a wet prairie? It's land that's wet (of course) but covered in water only a portion of the year — three to seven month. The land is higher in elevation than a depression marsh, but lower than pine flatwoods. The wet conditions keep slash pines from taking over, and under natural conditions, periodic fires keep cyprus trees at bay. The result is a diverse mix of grasses, sedges and other that thrive in the wet conditions. We return to the trail, which is now much narrower and natural surface. Onward.
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