

Several other significant man-made alterations should be also mentioned. Mound, its summit offers a magnificent view of the lagoon, ocean and barrier Oyster shells constructed by Native Americans between 8 A.D. The highest point in the park is actually man-made, a 35 feet high mound of A system of ridges and alternating swales can be seen in the southĮnd of the park, revealing the location of former shorelines formed during prior geologic Mainland portions of the park consist of pine flatwoods, liveoak/cabbage palm hammockĪnd live oak scrub. This is partially due to the closer proximity to Ponce de Leon Inlet.

Also many small, intertidal oyster reefs occur in the northern portion of Hammock, mangrove and high marsh vegetation, while the southern two-thirds of the It contains numerous islands, consisting of Several characteristics distinguish the northern third of the Mosquito As aĬonsequence, there is little flushing and tides, primarily wind-driven, are measured in It is basically aĭead end sack, connected to the ocean by Ponce de Leon Inlet, 10 miles north of the parkĪnd to the Indian River by the Haulover Canal, on the western side of the lagoon. Mosquito Lagoon is about one mile wide and averages four feet deep. Wider sections of the island show where former inlets existed. Pockets of live oak/cabbage palmetto hammock occur along the shore of Mosquito Sloping and anchored by a dense growth of vegetation. The beach isīacked by a single dune ridge, averaging 12 feet in height however, in some areas, theĭune has been obliterated by storm overwash. On the east side of the island lies a sandy beach. A narrow island 24 miles in length separates the Atlantic Oceanįrom Mosquito Lagoon. Much of Canaveral National Seashore is comprised of a barrier islandĮcosystem. Additional partnerships with state and local agencies include sea grass monitoring, mosquito control, water quality monitoring and law The park is working with these agencies on numerous projects such as feral hog control, exotic plant removal, restoration of impacted wetlands, long-term monitoring of natural resources and implementation of prescribed fire. Located at the northernmost end of Kennedy Space Center, approximately two-thirds of the park is owned by NASA and much of that is co-managed with the adjacent Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Located along the "frost line", the park contains a rich and unique mixture of subtropical and temperate plants found nowhere except central Florida.ĬANA is superb example of a national park unit where interagency cooperation is paramount. Large numbers of waterfowl and wading birds utilize the Seashore as a migratory stopover and wintering ground. Three sea turtle species deposit approximately 4000-8000 nests on the beach each year. The park provides habitat for 14 federally-listed (Threatened and Endangered) animal species, ranking it second in the entire National Park Service. Mosquito Lagoon supports nationally-recognized commercial and recreational fisheries for finfish, clams, oysters, blue crabs and shrimp. The IRL is considered the most diverse and productive estuary in North America. Mosquito Lagoon, which comprises over two-thirds of the park, is designated an Outstanding Florida Water and as a part of the 155-mile long Indian River Lagoon (IRL), an Estuary of National Significance. It represents an excellent example of a relatively stable barrier beach backed by a productive lagoon The park contains 58,000 acres of barrier island, open lagoon, coastal hammock, pine flatwoods and offshore waters along the east central coast of Florida. Provide for public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment of the same". The Canaveral National Seashore was created by an Act of Congress on January 3, 1975, to "preserve and protect the outstanding natural, scenic, scientific, ecologic, and historic values of certain lands, shorelines, and waters of the State of Florida and to Year-round recreation includes fishing, boating, canoeing, surfing, sunbathing, swimming, hiking, camping, nature and historical trails. Inviting park highlights include pristine, undeveloped beach, dunes and lagoon offering sanctuary to an abundant blend of plants and animals. The park's 24 miles of shoreline is the longest stretch of undeveloped public beach on the east coast of Florida. Areal view of islands in Canaveral National SeashoreĬanaveral National Seashore is situated on a barrier island between New Smyrna Beach, Titusville, and Cape Canaveral, along Florida's Central East Coast.
