The land gradually slopes from an elevation of 40
feet above mean sea level in the southeast to about 5 feet above
mean sea level at the Suwannee River. Along the river are low
bluffs (up to 15 feet high by 1/2 mile long). Roughly 20 percent
(800 acres) of the area is in the 100-year floodplain of the
Suwannee River, and approximately 80 acres are in planted pine.
Within Andrews are a variety of forest types from xeric (dry) to
mesic (moist) to hydric (wet). Within the hardwood hammock forest,
xeric and mesic communities are found side by side.
In comparison with other parts of Florida, in
Andrews few trees have been removed from the forest. Bordering the
Suwannee River and adjacent to the mesic forest is floodplain
swamp. Large sloughs parallel the river, and in some places project
inland, forming islands of river-front bluffs. Scattered throughout
Andrews are numerous sinkholes, whose banks contain a diverse
assemblage of temperate and tropical ferns.
Management
Little restoration is needed here. Andrews is
managed as a high-quality, resource-based natural area where
indigenous plants and animals are the feature attraction. The
management philosophy is to preserve and protect existing native
plant and animal communities.
Persons with Disabilities