Kiplinger Nature Preserve

Kiplinger Nature Preserve is a 164-acre natural area that spans the northern two-thirds of a mangrove-fringed island in the South Fork of the St. Lucie River, offering nearly three miles of riverfront. The preserve was created in 1994 after being acquired from the Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. and the Kiplinger Foundation, Inc. In 2020, an additional seven acres were donated by the Kiplinger family.

The preserve features a variety of ecosystems, including sand pine/scrub oak, pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods, freshwater bay gall wetland, and mangrove-dominated tidal swamp. It is home to diverse wildlife, including the Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Golden-Silk Spider, raccoons, alligators, and other native species. Visitors can also enjoy a 1-mile walking and bike trail that winds through the preserve. In 2022, the county improved the parking area and landscaping, added invasive vegetation control, and introduced a Chickee pavilion.