Patch of Heaven Sanctuary

In 1964 the Matheson family built several structures in the middle of a tropical hardwood hammock. The tropical hardwood hammock is an endemic forest to south Florida and only a small fraction of this type of forest still exists outside of Everglades National Park. It was within this forest that the Hugh Matheson Jr. family built a main house, a cabin, a gate house and a horse barn. These structures, along with the forest are now a historical site as designated by Miami Dade County. In 2008 Bruce and Joyce Chesney purchase the rundown property and have spent the last 13 years dedicated to restoring this valuable piece of Miami's history.

In 2018, Patch of Heaven Sanctuary became a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to creating habitat for wildlife through reforestation, conservation and education. POHS has taken on the responsibility of educating the public on the importance of protecting and preserving all types of natural areas. From the smallest private backyards to the grandest estates, it is our mission to educate, provide guidance, and resources for the creation, protection and restoration of important environmental spaces throughout our community. Our major goal is to create resource rich habitats for wildlife where ever we have the opportunity, while providing people with a place that provides not only necessary ecological services, but habitable spaces for people to relax, enjoy, and reconnect with Nature.