Pondhawk Natural Area

This is more of a residential community pond and nearby forest than a nature preserve, which is what I was expecting, so it was a letdown. Located next to a library, you cross a bridge over this pond and end up in a forested area which contains many paved walking paths. I’m not a fan of cement walking paths, only because it means the area is no longer undisturbed, which leads to a loss of fauna and flora habitat. As a result, I did not see a single creature, not even a dragonfly.
Pets are not allowed, so this isn’t even meant to be a place to walk your dog. I saw a couple of people out here and they also left disappointed. Most of what you see in terms of flora is coontie, scrub, and pines. In terms of fauna, you may get lucky enough to see some ducks and egrets at the pond, but what bothered me most is that there was no sign of life within the natural area, not even a lizard. It felt rather apocalyptic, like something out of a sci-​fi movie.
If you live within walking distance, you might as well check it out to see for yourself, but I don’t recommend wasting your time driving out here. There are many better areas in Palm Beach County to drive to and explore, like Loxahatchee, Green Cay or Wakodahatchee and you’ll get more than enough of your fill of wildlife.