Lyonia Preserve trail map
Click the numbered locations on the map for specific trail information.

Welcome to the Lyonia Preserve at Section 16
Volusia County has dedicated this 400-acre parcel to provide visitors a chance to see and learn about one of Florida’s original and unique landscapes.

A major goal of Lyonia Preserve was to restore the scrub plant community to the conditions similar to those that existed here before human intervention, providing suitable habitat for scrub dependant animals. In a natural scrub ecosystem, fire maintains the ecosystem and prevents any one plant from dominating. Prior to restoration, sand pines and oaks dominated this area and thus, there was a lack of diversity. By utilizing a variety of methods, the re-growth of the sand pines and oak were minimized and this restoration area is being managed for scrub plants and scrub dependant animals.

The restored scrub ecosystem that you are about to enter is unlike any found in North America. This is a last remaining relic of a time in which the scrub of western North America was distributed east to the Atlantic Ocean. Over time, climatic changes isolated this habitat from the western scrub, leaving only a few pockets of scrub remaining in Florida. Other important scrub areas in Florida are found in the Ocala National Forest, the Lake Wales Ridge and in coastal areas.

As you enter the Preserve, observe the height of the tall sand pines and density of the oaks. This is an example of what the site looked like before the restoration.