About Us and Possum Long Nature Center
Our Mission
Introduction
Location Map
Friends of Possum Long 08 Summer Schedule
Nesting Habitat
PLNC Bird List
Master Plan
Landscaping Ruth Miles House
AoMC's Mission
We are a chapter of the National Audubon Society and affiliated with Audubon of Florida. Our mission is to:
· Heighten awareness about birds and the fragile beauty of the natural environment.
· Protect birds and their habitat for the pleasure and enjoyment of ourselves and future generations.
Audubon of Martin County was founded in 1965 and is a certified chapter of the National and Florida Audubon Societies.
AoMC offers members and volunteers a variety of opportunities to become involved in our educational and environmental advocacy programs. Volunteers and members are welcome and are encouraged to step up and help with AoMC activities such as:
· Providing educational programs to interested groups throughout the community,
· Providing meaningful, science-based input as advocates for the environment at the local, regional, state and federal governmental levels,
· Providing information on legislative issues of environmental significance,
· Assisting in staffing the AoMC office and in managing AoMC properties and preserves.
Location
The Audubon of Martin County office is in the Ruth Miles house at the Possum Long Nature Center- a 6-acre urban forest of native and exotic plants the Friends of Possum Long volunteers are slowly rehabilitating from invasive plants and the damage caused by hurricane Frances in 2006.
The location is 1/4 mile East of Stuart Downtown- three blocks South of SE Ocean Blvd at
621 SE Palm Beach Road, Stuart, FL 34994 Tel: (772) 288-2637. Office hours 10am-2pm, Monday through Friday. The grounds are open to visitors every day- dawn to dusk.
Click to Expand the area.
Discover Possum Long Nature Center
Visit a Hidden Oasis in the Heart of Stuart
Audubon of Martin County members have long heard about Possum Long but may have never visited the property. If you are one of those who haven't enjoyed this green sanctuary, stop by and walk the trails, enjoy the butterfly garden and spend a quiet hour looking for the many birds who stop by for food and rest. Enjoy this pocket history of the property.
Henry David Thoreau, the naturalist, wrote in his journal on October 15, 1859, that every "town should have a park, or rather a primitive forest, where a stick should never be cut for fuel, a common possession forever, for instruction and recreation". Possum Long is Stuart's answer to this statement from long ago.
Who was "Possum Long"?
Possum was a science and agriculture teacher at Stuart's high school in the 1940's. Around 1950, he built a house on the foundation of an old barn where local children once stabled their horses. He operated a plant nursery and for years Stuart newlyweds received a plant to grow in their yards as a wedding gift from him.
The house, now known as the "Possum Long House", has long been used as a meeting place for the Garden Club of Stuart which maintains the grounds around it and has created a memory lane to honor some of its members.
How Did Possum get his name?
Several versions of how Possum got his nickname have been circulated over the years. The most popular and oft repeated tale is that he played "possum" in order to catch his students at mischief. We all know that opossums, when threatened, will pretend to be dead and when this strategy is used, predators soon lose interest and leave the animal alone.
History of the Nature Center
After Possum Long died, his daughter made his property available to Martin County Audubon for 1/3 of the appraised value with the provision that it be named for her father and be kept as a nature preserve. Later, Audubon of Martin County bought adjoining properties including the Button Hill Nursery to add to the nature center which adjoins the site of the Ruth Miles Audubon House.
The original plan for the property was to plant and identify every plant native to Florida, as well as ornamentals and exotics, that could survive in Martin County. These plantings would become a live teaching center for visitors interested in plants. Certain plants are being removed from the gardens as they are considered invasive and harmful to the environment, including Brazilian pepper, seaside mahoe and the air potato vine.
From 1973 to 1984, over 25 volunteers worked at Possum Long, held plant sales, and organized a Possum Long Week in the fall, however the property gradually became neglected. In 1999, Sibyl Milner and Susan Smyth began to work to renew this oasis in the middle of Stuart. They recruited a group of volunteers who met each Friday morning to create paths, identify plants, remove exotics and plant gardens. New voluteers are welcome; just call Susan Symth at 692-3489, Louise White at 283-4416 or the Audubon of Martin County at (772) 288-2637.
The Pesky Air Potato
Plagued by the pesky air potato? This nasty vine is everywhere, and its propagation is discouraged. It grows rapidly and climbs high into tree canopies, quickly engulfing the trees and other plants and hindering their growth. The vine can be easily identified by the brown "Potatoes" which hang from it. These roots fall off the vine and propogate the plant wherever they land. The roots have no practical use; even the indians could not find a use for the potato either as food or medicine.
Volunteers at Possum Long are working hard to eliminate this pest from the garden. Please don't propagate it on your property. Susan Symth - April 2007
More about Possum Long
Stuart News article Audubon's Possum Long Nature Center's unique 'urban forest' in Stuart. Take a video tour online. 11 30 07
Nesting Refuge
Despite the storm damage and the fact that the center is located in the midst of the most densley developed region of Martin County, wildlife seem strangely attracted to the preserve. Since 2002, two pairs of yellow crown night heron have successfully nested in the mature slash pines on the property. As of May of 2007, two pairs were back and well on their way to egg brooding while a third pair was getting a late start building a nest in an adjacent pinetree. One would be hard put to find better validation of the fact that even small-scale land rehabilitation can provide a viable habitat for wildlife. Another Pair
AoMC is a non-profit 501(3) (c) corporation dedicated to the protection of native birds and their habitat. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of Consumer Services by calling Toll-free within the State, 1 800 435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. |
