Alum Bluff, located in Liberty County, has been named Florida’s first State Invertebrate Paleontological Site and is now the ninth State Geological Site in the state. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced this designation, highlighting Alum Bluff as an important geological and paleontological location.
The bluff stands about 120 feet above the Apalachicola River within The Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve. Erosion at the site has revealed layers of fossil-bearing limestone, sand, silt, and clay. According to DEP, Alum Bluff contains some of the most diverse and well-preserved fossil deposits found in the southeastern United States.
“Alum Bluff is the tallest natural exposure in Florida and one of the few places where you can see four different geological formations,” said Florida State Geologist and Florida Geological Survey Director Guy “Harley” Means, P.G. “Each formation contains clues, like diverse and well-preserved fossil assemblages, that help geologists interpret Florida’s geologic history over the past 18 million years. Geologists have been studying the strata exposed at this important site for more than 100 years, and we are still learning new things about it.”
The area also features steep-sided ravines known as steepheads that provide habitats for plant and animal species dating back to the last ice age.
“When The Nature Conservancy acquired the property, now known as Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve, in the 1980s, we named it for the unique geologic features, the bluffs and ravines, that motivated the organization to protect this landscape,” said The Nature Conservancy’s Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve Manager Catherine Ricketts. “After decades of restoration and management work to conserve the preserve’s biodiversity, The Nature Conservancy is proud to continue to support and protect Florida’s natural heritage with these designations for Alum Bluff from the Florida Geological Survey.”
State Invertebrate Paleontological Sites are intended to protect locations containing rare or scientifically significant invertebrate fossils. State Geological Sites highlight areas that allow visitors to learn about local geology as well as its connection to ecosystems and cultural history.
DEP encourages visitors at Alum Bluff to follow Leave No Trace principles by staying on marked trails, removing all trash, and not disturbing natural or cultural features.
A dedication ceremony was held at Alum Bluff where Guy “Harley” Means presented an official designation plaque to Catherine Ricketts. Attendees also participated in a boat tour along the Apalachicola River for views of Alum Bluff’s formations.
State law allows for such sites to be designated by Florida’s state geologist if they are deemed significant for scientific study or understanding of geological history. Other recognized sites include Jennings Bluff Tract; Torreya State Park; Falling Waters State Park; Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park; Florida Caverns State Park; Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park; Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park; and Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park.
