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Archbold Biological Station is fortunate to own three small satellite tracts donated by long-time residents of Lake Placid. All are within a 5-mile radius of Lake Placid town, 8 miles north the Station. These mini-preserves contain habitat types not represented on the main Station property and provide access to two large lakes. Thus they protect additional examples of the natural habitats of south-central Florida and provide further opportunities for terrestrial and aquatic research.

Price Tract. [aerial view, 30 May 1997, view from N. The Price Tract is under the letters "Lake Mir" in the caption and south of Lake Mirror Drive.]
Donated by Henry T. and Helen C. Price in 1952, this 3.25-hectare tract is on the north shore of Lake Placid. The Price Tract supports several major vegetation associations as a result of its varied topography and associated soil conditions. From the highest part of the property, the land slopes down to a low muck-bottomed basin separated from the lake by a prominent berm. Xeric sand pine scrub present on the well-drained sandy soil at the highest elevation gives way to palmetto thicket and oak hammock on the slope. Relict sawgrass marsh and mature black gum swamp occupy the basin, while live oak/red bay hammock occurs on the drier berm. Beyond the berm is an open beach zone with dense herbaceous cover, and emergent aquatic plants occur along the shore. The intact topographic and vegetation gradient from the upper portion of the intraridge valley to a lake in the valley floor is a valuable feature of the Price Tract. Also, the black gum swamp, with its large buttressed trees festooned with Spanish moss, is the best example of this plant community remaining in the region. The unusually rich invertebrate and vertebrate fauna reflect the diverse habitats of the Tract.

Harris Tract. [aerial view, 25 August 1999, view to the N of the south shore of Lake Istokpoga with caladium fields in foreground. The Harris Tract is approximately under the word "Picture" in the caption and between the E-W road (CR 621) and the lakeshore.]
This 3.25-hectare property was donated to the Station in 1984 by Bert G. Harris, III. It is located on deep muck soil at the south end of Lake Istokpoga, a shallow 10,800-hectare lake at the east edge of the Lake Wales Ridge. Formerly cultivated for caladiums, the property has reverted to brushy marsh, with some red maple and bald cypress.

Watters Tract. [aerial view, 30 May 1997, view to NW. The Watters Tract is under the letters "Aerial Pictur" in the caption, indentified by the light green polygon (a marsh) ringed with dark green (trees).]
This 6.9-hectare wetland located between lakes Henry and June-in-Winter near Lake Placid town was donated by Malcolm and Jeanne Watters in 1988. The major portion of the reserve is a low grassy marsh with several small islands covered with shrubs and small trees. A canal bordering part of the marsh and connecting it to Lake Henry serves as a refuge for aquatic species when the marsh is dry. The marsh is surrounded by dense thickets of willow, wax myrtle, and Brazilian pepper, with scattered slash pines. A small live oak hammock and a patch of bayhead vegetation also occur on the Tract. The Watters Tract, located in a developed area, is a valuable refuge for wildlife.

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