

Every year more than 5,000 school students in coastal and marine ecology visit Gumbo Limbo with their school.You can join us in our Mission to increase public awareness of our coastal and marine ecosystems and support our educational, conservation, and research efforts by becoming a Member of Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards. The preservation of our natural environment and wildlife resources has been recognized as a national concern for all of our families. It also represents a commitment to protect our natural resources by our staff, volunteers, and the organizations that comprise the Center. Last year, more than 200,000 visitors took a break from the city bustle to enjoy a walk on our boardwalk, count the thousands of tropical fish in our aquariums, relax in our butterfly garden, or check on the patients in our sea turtle rehabilitation facility.Īs a beacon for environmental education, research, and conservation, Gumbo Limbo’s 20 acres on the protected barrier island provide refuge to many varieties of plants and animals - some rare or endangered. Founded in 1984, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is a unique cooperative project of the City of Boca Raton, the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, Florida Atlantic University, and Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards. Learn more at or follow De Soto National Memorial on Facebook at. Arborists have inspected the tree and determined it will have to be removed.ĭe Soto National Memorial commemorates Conquistador Hernando De Soto's 1539 expedition through the Southeastern United States and tells the history of the Native American tribal societies they encountered.
Buy gumbo limbo tree cracked#
The Category 2 hurricane winds of Irma cracked and twisted the trunk, bringing down a large section of the tree. A previous national champion gumbo limbo tree was lost years ago but several of its branches were planted to create new trees on the north side of the sidewalk leading to the visitor center.Īdditionally, a large gumbo limbo located at the southwest corner of the visitor center was damaged and cannot be saved. “Gumbo limbo trees will always have a place at De Soto National Memorial,” said Souder. Estimated to be eighty years old, this witness tree was present when the Colonial Dames of America dedicated the adjacent De Soto Trail monument in 1939 and is an important part of the park’s cultural landscape.

At a height of 45 feet with a circumference of 195 inches, it is the national champion tree for the species, meaning it is the largest known tree of its kind in the country. The De Soto National Memorial gumbo limbo tree was listed as an American Forests Champion Tree in 2007. “We are gathering information from certified arborists and exploring options so that we can make an informed decision before moving forward.” “The national champion gumbo limbo is an icon in the Bradenton community and we will fight to save it if we can do so in a matter that does not negatively impact the safety of visitors or their experience,” said Nathan Souder, Superintendent of De Soto National Memorial. Visitors can still access the building using an alternate trail. The National Park Service has temporarily roped off a safe zone around the tree, but because of the tree’s location, this blocks the main, wheelchair accessible walkway to the visitor center. While cables were installed several years ago to improve the gumbo limbo’s structural integrity, they have been determined to be insufficient for the weight of the threatened portion of the tree, estimated to be 25,000 pounds. Arborists inspecting the tree on Thursday discovered two cracks in the trunk, creating critical stress on the tree. – The national champion gumbo limbo tree (Bursera sumaruba) at De Soto National Memorial suffered significant damage from the high winds of Hurricane Irma.

Gumbo Limbo tree at De Soto National MemorialĬontact: Dana Soehn, 86 National Champion Tree Showing Cracks in Trunkīradenton, Fla.
