Fakahatchee Strand Preserve Project

April 2024 UPDATE: Work is progressing on the renovation and creation of a completely new Boardwalk visitor center and parking area on Route 41.  The Friends of the Fakahatchee have been instrumental in this long-range planning, fundraising, and construction. Check out the Friends website:  Home - Friends of FakahatcheeFriends of Fakahatchee (orchidswamp.org)

This exciting new initiative is in the Research & Development phase since the Spring of 2012, We are looking at models and protocols for remote, weather-resistant webcams which could document the pollination of the extremely rare Ghost Orchids in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in southwestern Florida. Working with Biologist Mike Owen and others, we hope to have some experimental prototypes up and functioning soon.

September 2018 UPDATE: Our remote cameras, some of which continue to be monitored have been used by various researchers in the Fakahatchee. Those which don't work, even serve the purpose of hopefully deterring would-be orchid poachers who may think they are being photographed! Check out the Fakahatchee website for updates and consider becoming a "Friend of Fakahatchee" for regular updates, to visit, and volunteer.

2014 update: There are challenges to this project. With approximately 500 known plants known to exist, with the majority of them in Florida in the Fakahatchee,  only about 10% of them bloom annually.   It takes tremendous effort to document which ones are in bud, and when.  Some are closer to trails; other quite remote.   Some webcams have been placed at orchids without success; some equipment has been stolen despite precautions.   Placing a webcam requires solar power, and a telephone signal... but some of the locations are too far from cell towers... the Fakahatchee is wilderness, after all!

Are you interested in visiting the Fakahatchee? A trip was planned for March and July, 2015. Contact Jean Stefanik send me emails for more information... you too could become a swampwalker!