The Legacy Initiative is now in the process of gathering petitions to place an amendment on the 2014 General Election Ballot. The amendment would dedicate for twenty years one-third of the net revenues from the existing excise tax on documents to a Land Acquisition Trust Fund which Florida desperately needs to acquire, improve and manage watersheds to improve water quality and quantity in its springs, rivers and aquifers. Dedicating existing revenues to this goal is prudent and imperative both for our economy and quality of life.

The event sponsors and several individuals donated funds which offset all costs.  In addition, thirteen local businesses and individuals donated items, ranging from original works of art to a guided kayak tour, for a silent auction which raised over $2,000 for the FWLL initiative.

Requests to attend this free event reached maximum capacity (225) within a week following its announcement.  Unfortunately, more than a hundred late responders had to be told “sorry the event is sold out.”  As attendees enjoyed beverages and appetizers provided by Bok Tower, they viewed and bid on items in the silent auction, and networked with people from different organizations and discovered much common ground.

Following welcomes to the event by Bok Tower president, David Price, and FWF director and event organizer, Bob Taylor, Senator Rick Dantzler summarized the need for Florida’s Water and Land Legacy Initiative and told the audience how they could help make it a reality  The subsequent presentation by trekkers Stoltzfus and Ward was informative and well received. As the evening drew to a close David Price reflected that bringing these diverse groups together for a common goal proved to be a successful concept and that we should make occasions like this an annual event.

Although a planning committee had spent the last three months organizing this event, everyone agrees that Florida Wildlife Director and Sierra member, Bob Taylor, was the driving force. Congratulations and many thanks to Bob.

Frances Howell-Coleman

Follow this link to find out more about Florida Water and Land Legacy Initiative and how you can help! http://floridawaterlandlegacy.org/index.php

Bob Taylor

Elam Stoltzfus and Carlton Ward

Bok Tower Gardens President, David Price

Senator Rick Dantzler

With 3,000 miles under his belt, Daniel Alvarez stopped in his home town of Tallahassee for a brief respite, before setting off to continue another 1,000 miles along the Gulf Coast to Key West and the southernmost point in continental United States. What was his starting point? The Boundary Waters in Minnesota at the Canadian border, the northernmost point in the continental United States. His journey has taken him portaging and paddling, guided by an old fur trading rout not used for 200 years, down into Lake Superior, along its borders to the Mississippi, down the Mississippi to the Gulf and along the Gulf to the Florida panhandle.

As part of his Tallahassee stop, Daniel gave a talk to family, friends, supporters and interested community members on January 21st. He provided insight into his trip so far, flushed-out stories from his excellent blog (http://predictablylost.com/), answered questions and showed off his kayak.

Beyond the thrill of adventure and the challenge of testing himself, Daniel discussed his goals of raising awareness about public spaces and the vastness still able to be explored and enjoyed. He remarked on the unique perspective that comes with seeing the landscape change by paddling, something that is often lost when we fly or drive. With his trip, Daniel has aimed to “highlight the victories, losses and ongoing battles” being fought to protect these invaluable areas.

Daniel has put his money where his mouth is, donating funds he won from a contest by Outdoor Magazine to four conservation organizations (Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, American Rivers, Gulf Restoration Network and the Florida Wildlife Federation) that work to protect stretches of his paddle. We are hugely appreciative of his gift.

Daniel’s parting words where that “everyone should take a moment to think about an adventure they want to do, then go do it. Don’t wait around for it to happen, just go!” We can only hope people follow in his lead, for then our wild spaces would be truly appreciated by all. 

Daniel Alvarez on January 21, in Tallahassee

Daniel’s kayak was donated by Necky Kayaks

On Saturday June 16th, the first annual FWF Youth Congress
was held with over 50 young adults in attendance.  College students and graduates from across the state, including IDEAS Chapters and the Student Chapter of the Wildlife
Society at UF, held a youth summit which discussed issues pertaining to Energy,
Food, Waste, Water and Ecology and sought solutions to the challenges within
the five categories, the five facilitators for the youth summit were, Chris
Castro, Samantha Ruiz, Henry Harding, Jessica Whalen and Sarah Gledhill. A call
to action was established at the end of the conference for all youth attendees
to get involved in local, state and national issues. Attendees were all present
for Saturday evening’s Conservation Awards Banquet. The group IDEASforUS had a
follow up meeting on Sunday, June 17, which was open to any interested parties
and focused on the organization of many new chapters of IDEAS on Florida
campuses and on other state university campuses.

1st Annual FWF Youth Congress on June, 16; IDEAS Summit on June, 17. Photo by Lou Kellenberger.

Pictured: (Front) Katie Price, Samantha Baraoidan, Samantha Ruiz, Jessica Whalen, Rachel Hessling, Bri Jones (Middle) Manley Fuller (FWF President), Alicia Hines, Moe Corbett, Steven Carrion, Jacques Werleigh, Danielle Rudley, Andrew Kamerosky, Senator Lee Constantine, Chris Castro, Rosanna Gill, Erin Condon, Mark Grafton, Jaryn Thorndike, Sarah Owen Gledhill (FWF NE FL planning Advocate) (Back) Danny Gwynn-Shapiro (FWF Publications Editor), unknown, Shan Kasal, Sean Ehrlich, Arturo Romero, Henry Harding, Zak Marimon, Governor Bob Graham, Jessica Pirkey, Clayton Ferrera, Alex Saunders, Dan Schreiber, Paige Espy, Cassie McCrae, Ryan Harrigan, Dylan Scott, Jeff Rood, Hunter Miller.

By Preston Robertson

The Federation held its 2^nd Annual Kids’ Fishing Event at the FWF River Preserve on the Ochlocknee River on October 6. With perfect weather, happy children and even some laughing parents, the outing was a success. Supplied with free fishing poles courtesy of Fish Florida, the kids took to the dark water of the river, fishing for bream, catfish and bass. A couple of two-pound large mouths were caught and released (after some picture-taking). Several of the kids caught their first fish ever, and many enjoyed simply begin out in the woods. It was wonderful to see children enjoying themselves without a video screen in front of them. They got wet, dirty and sweaty and got a look at the beauty of the real Florida.

Notable events included having a four-foot alligator come up on the river bank and a tussle with a large channel catfish that resulted in both mother and daughter going into the river. The catfish got away.

We hope that all participants not only enjoyed themselves, but got an appreciation of our woods and waters. These youngsters may well be the conservation leaders of tomorrow.   

 Many volunteers from FWF helped make the day enjoyable. Many thanks to Pat Pearson, Jay Liles, Tessa Kleck, Danny and Jake Gwynn-Shapiro, Neal George and Karl Humm.

Riley (top) and Julia (bottom) Julia: “I’m gonna catch a fish this big!”

Following a telephone conversation with Bob Taylor, she agreed that the Dead River which flows from Lake Russell in the Disney Wilderness Preserve into Lakes Hatchineha and Cypress would be perfect for these boxes. This stream, which is part of the upper Kissimmee chain of lakes as it existed prior to the canal building actions of Hamilton Disston, meanders through many acres of cypress swamp and marshland much of which is now managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFMD). It retains most of its earlier charm and is ideal wood duck habitat.

Unfortunately, extremely low water levels and excessive amounts of hydrilla, blocked our first attempt to install these nesting boxes. Bob’s skiff bogged down completely and water levels at that time were even too low for the airboat which SFMD latter agreed to supply. Finally, in August summer rains raised the water level. Ayounga Reddick and Vincent Matera, land managers at SFMD, with their airboat transported three nest boxes, the necessary tools and our FWF crew to a perfect site near where our late colleague, Richard Coleman, had been killed in a tragic airboat accident in 2003. The crew consisted of Richard’s widow, Frances Howell Coleman, his son-in-law, Ben Selser, and Bob Taylor

While Frances and Bob “supervised” from the safety of the boat, Ayounga, Vincent and Ben (on the ladder) braved wet feet, alligators and cottonmouths to install the boxes.

Box number one now in place

Box number two now ready for tenants.

Box number three. Note from the high water line on this ancient cypress how much the water level has fallen, due largely to our recent drought conditions.

Job complete; Frances, Bob, Ayounga and Vincent are now headed for home. Not to worry, Ben is taking this photo, and has not been devoured by a huge gator.

Loading the SFMD airboat up for departure.

   FWF is grateful to Diane Haddick for sponsoring these boxes and to SFMD and to its land managers, Ayounga Reddick and Vincent Matera, for making it possible to install these boxes.  They plan to install predator shields and will see that these nests are appropriately monitored.

   Ayounga also told me that this part of the “northern everglades” contains many dozens of excellent sites for additional nesting boxes and that they would be glad to help in their installation should others, like Diane Haddick, wish to sponsor them.

 Bob Taylor

Dr. Bob Taylor, District V Director for the Florida Wildlife Federation, builds the nest boxes in his shop in Lake Hamilton, Florida, with the help of his dedicated volunteers.  The Federation covers the cost of the lumber and Dr. Bob provides his workshop and services free of charge as his way of raising funds for the organization.  To purchase a nest box and make a donation to the Florida Wildlife Federation, please visit the website: www.fwfonline.org, and click the photo in upper right corner to go to further information and an order form.   The nest box will be shipped to you directly from Dr. Bob’s workshop, or you can ask him to place a nest box in an appropriate location at one of the many lakes in Central Florida.  (To send him an email, please write to:  rta33851@aol.com.) 

While not directly related, recent news of a planned passenger rail service linking Miami and Orlando certainly drew our interest. As the most populated and traveled parts of our state, we know all too well the impacts traveling have on the land and wildlife of central and south Florida.

Each year, highly endangered Florida panthers suffered numerous fatalities due to collisions with automobiles.

Recent proposals by Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) though may help alleviate this road congestion that causes so many deadly encounters between man and wildlife.

Approximately 50 million people per year travel between Orlando and Miami according to the company, which has a long history dating back to Henry Flagler and the construction of the first land route to Miami. In response to the demand for travel between Orlando and Miami, the costs to travel by car and other factors, FECI is launching an ambitious effort to offer passenger rail service between the two metropolises by 2014.

Much of the feasibility for the rail service lies in the fact that FECI owns the track and right of way along the coast. The company is building the line’s final link between Cocoa and Orlando to complete the route. Future plans call for service to Jacksonville and Tampa, linking a huge bulk of Florida’s population to passenger rail.

Besides providing a comfortable and cost-effective travel option (…approximately 3 hours total), the All Aboard Florida line will include stops and access to airports, seaports and commuter rail systems in Orlando, West Palm, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

Trains will cruise at around 80 mph and integrate well with FECI’s existing freight lines. Cabins will include coach and first-class options as well as WI-FI.

Anyone on the go can certainly appreciate that!

(See an infographic from All Aboard Florida below)

Economically, the new line is expected to create thousands of quality jobs, something our state has certainly suffered from a lack of in recent years. According to FECI, over 6,000 construction jobs will be required along with over 1,000 permanent personnel for operations.

Taxpayers and citizens of Florida will also realize benefits in terms of reduced road maintenance and construction costs and will not bear any financial risk.

In terms of Florida’s environment though, we consider this a big step forward in the history of our state.

Not only does this service have the potential to reduce congestion on highways, pollution from car exhaust and reduced chance of fatal encounters with wildlife, the All Aboard Florida line can serve as a spur for redeveloping areas of south Florida that superhighways left behind long ago.

We’re delighted and encouraged by this news of a privately funded and operated passenger rail service coming to Florida.

We wish FECI the best of luck in its endeavors and look forward to taking that first trip in 2014.

The lionfish is a popular saltwater aquarium fish with distinctive maroon (or brown) and white stripes, fleshy tentacles above the eyes and below the mouth, and an imposing fan of prickly venomous spines. Having no teeth, lionfish swallow their prey whole. It’s been said their stomach can expand up to thirty times. In warm climates like the Caribbean, they reproduce frequently – every four days -- year-round.

It is no surprise to Florida saltwater fishermen, divers
and many conservationists that the lionfish has quickly become a top predator
in many coral reef environments and is continuing to spread throughout the
Western Atlantic, Bahamas, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. They can be found
as far north as New York state in the summer, as far south as Venezuela, and as
far west as Louisiana. They have formed fast growing colonies almost everywhere
they have expanded their territory. Unfortunately, additional aquatic
environments may also be affected.

In an article published online in June 2011, Recent invasion of a Florida estuarine
system by lionfish, Florida International University researchers documented
the first lionfish invasion of an estuary by capturing 211 lionfish in the
Loxahatchee River between August 2010 and April 2011. Several of the smallest
fish were found more than 3 miles upstream from the Jupiter Inlet suggesting
that small juveniles may settle well into estuarine systems. In a curious
finding, all of the fish were found around man-made structures along the river
bank — docks, sea walls, submerged debris; none were found in natural shoreline habitats such as seagrass beds, sand bottom and mangroves.

One disturbing conclusion by the FIU team: “On coral reefs, invasive lionfish have been shown to reduce recruitment of native fishes by nearly 80% over a 5 wk period (Albins & Hixon 2008); similar predation rates in estuaries could have major, yet undocumented, effects, particularly for species that rely on estuarine systems as nursery habitat. The continued presence of lionfish in estuarine nursery habitats may threaten the early life
history stages of a number of commercially, recreationally, and ecologically
valuable fish species . . . “

Look, but don't touch! Although not fatal to humans, the dorsal, anal, and pelvic spines of lionfish can deliver a painful sting, as well as cause headache, vomiting, and respiratory distress. If you are stung by a lionfish, seek medical attention immediately. Learn protective procedures at a local workshop or derby. Anyone not properly equipped should not handle the fish. If caught on a rod and reel, hold the lionfish over a cooler or bucket and cut the line. (Photo credit: Stephen Vives)

Lionfish are native to coral reefs in the South Pacific and Indian oceans and are not known to have any native predators or parasites. They are often described as gluttonous feeders and voracious predators, feeding on some of society’s most economically-important species like small reef fish, snapper, grouper and shrimp.  For this reason conservationists, fishing groups, divers and others have banded together
to try to slow down this onslaught. Bounties, fish derbies and development as a
food source have all been attempted to try to stem the spread of lionfish
territory.

Belize had a bounty program until it ran out of money, and many fish derbies have been held in Florida and the Caribbean. Last year the Palm Beach Lionfish Derby brought in 700 lionfish; a tournament in Abaco, Bahamas brought in close to 3,000 in one day; and the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) together with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary had three lionfish derbies that removed 1,518 lionfish from the Keys. These derbies are not only fun, but contribute to scientific research; help to
raise awareness among fishermen and diving enthusiasts; and teach safe handling
and collection practices. Some even include cooking classes.

Attempts are also being made to develop local food markets. Lionfish taste similar to snapper, are high in Omega 3s and lionfish cookbooks are now available. Bermuda has even developed the slogan “Eat `em to Beat `em”.

Scientists hope that over time predators will learn to
consume lionfish and their population will level off. Until then, you can help
by educating yourself about these creatures, by attending a derby, or just by
asking your local seafood restaurant to serve lionfish on their menu.

REFERENCES

For more information on lionfish, safe handling
practices, derbies in Florida and the Bahamas, and REEF workshops: http://www.reef.org/programs/exotic/lionfish

Buy the Lionfish Cookbook at http://www.reef.org/catalog/cookbook

Lionfish Biology Fact Sheet: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/factsheet.html

FIU Document: http://www2.fiu.edu/~laymanc/PDFs/Jud%20et%20al.%202011%20Estuarine%20Lionfish.pdf

VIDEOS

To watch a portion of the documentary Lionfish, the Beautiful Outlaw, by Paul
Cater Deaton: http://www.paulcaterdeaton.com/music-28.html
To see the full program check your local PBS station listings.

Changing Seas:
Alien Invaders: http://video.wpbt2.org/video/1979166369
Major funding provided by the Batchelor Foundation.

FWF Life Member Lou Kellenberger shared an excellent photo and information about the Florida Manatee.

West Indian manatees are large, gray aquatic mammals with bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They have two forelimbs, called flippers, with three to four nails on each flipper. Their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee’s closest relatives are the elephant and the hyrax (a small, gopher-sized mammal). Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal. The West Indian manatee is related to the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the dugong, and Steller’s sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in 1768. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds.

Habitat and Range:
Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas — particularly where seagrass beds or freshwater vegetation flourish. Manatees are a migratory species. Within the United States, they are concentrated in Florida in the winter. In summer months, they can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, but summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are more common. West Indian manatees can also be found in the coastal and inland waterways of Central America and along the northern coast of South America, although distribution in these areas may be discontinuous.

Behavior:
Manatees are gentle and slow-moving animals. Most of their time is spent eating, resting, and traveling. Manatees are completely herbivorous. They eat a large variety of submerged, emergent, and floating plants and can consume 10-15% of their body weight in vegetation daily. Because they are mammals, they must surface to breathe air. They may rest submerged at the bottom or just below the surface of the water, coming up to breathe on an average of every three to five minutes. When manatees are using a great deal of energy, they may surface to breathe as often as every 30 seconds. When resting, manatees have been known to stay submerged for up to 20 minutes. Manatees can swim up to 20 miles per hour in short bursts, but they usually only swim about three to five miles per hour.

Lifespan, Mortality, Population: West Indian manatees have no natural enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. As with all wild animal populations, a certain percentage of manatee mortality is attributed to natural causes of death such as cold stress, gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia, and other diseases. A high number of additional fatalities are from human-related causes. Most human-related manatee fatalities occur from collisions with watercraft. Other causes of human-related manatee mortality include being crushed and/or drowned in canal locks and flood control structures; ingestion of fish hooks, litter, and monofilament line; and entanglement in crab trap lines. Ultimately, loss of habitat is the most serious threat facing manatees in the United States today. There is a minimum population count of 4,480 manatees, as of January 2011.

Breeding and Reproduction:
The reproductive rate for manatees is low. Manatees are not sexually mature until they are about five years old. It is believed that one calf is born every two to five years, and twins are rare. The gestation period is about a year. Mothers nurse their young for one to two years, during which time a calf remains dependent on its mother.

Conservation:
The Florida Manatee Recovery Plan was developed as a result of the Endangered Species Act. The recovery plan is coordinated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and sets forth a list of tasks geared toward recovering manatees from their current endangered status.

In October of 1989, Florida’s Governor and Cabinet directed the state’s wildlife agency to work with 13 “key” manatee counties in Florida to reduce injuries and deaths. These 13 counties were: Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Collier, Dade, Duval, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Sarasota, and Volusia. Over the years, these 13 county governments have worked with the state to develop site-specific boat speed zones to reduce the likelihood of watercraft collisions and to implement comprehensive manatee protection plans (MPP) for each county. Other conservation measures deemed important to saving manatees include: research addressing biology, mortality, population and distribution, behavior, and habitat of manatees; implementation of management plans; posting of regulatory speed signs and levying of fines for excess speeds in designated areas; manatee education and public awareness programs; and public acquisition of critical habitat and creation of sanctuaries.

SMC’s Role:
Save the Manatee Club’s mission is to protect endangered manatees and their aquatic habitat for future generations. To achieve this mission, we work to: increase public awareness and education; sponsor manatee research, rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts; and advocate for strong protection measures, such as boat speed zones and sanctuaries. SMC also supports research and conservation efforts for other sirenian species around the world.

Source:  Save the Manatee Club

Tip@MyFWC.com to report fish-and-wildlife law violators or boating under the influence. 

If you are like most Florida anglers and boaters, you enjoy your time on the water. It’s an opportunity to get close to nature and break the routine of work, school or retirement. The peaceful challenge of trying to find, attract and catch your piscatorial prey is made possible, in part, by the scientific management and conservation laws that sustain sport fish populations. The goal is for everyone to be able to share in the pleasure and to provide a sustainable harvest.

So when you see someone threatening those resources by damaging habitat, polluting the water, using illegal gear, taking more than the bag limit or keeping undersized fish, you probably wish you could do something. Well, you can. You have several options, but the newest, most real-time option is to silently send a text message to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Conscientious anglers and boaters can text Tip@MyFWC.com (standard usage fees may apply).

“The text-messaging option makes it more convenient for the public,” said Col. Jim Brown, director of the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement. “We also hope it will make Wildlife Alert even more effective in catching poachers and other violators.”

Being able to do so quickly and efficiently is crucial. Cell phones, and now texting, help get information to a conservation officer while the possible crime is still ongoing. Once a report is initiated, FWC dispatchers can respond via text message to the reporting party to gather additional details.

Other Ways to Report a Violation
Over the years the Wildlife Alert Reward Program has helped the FWC catch thousands of violators. Boaters and anglers can call 888-404-FWCC (3922), or simply dial *FWC or #FWC (depending on service provider). Violations can also be reported online (MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert).

How Wildlife Alert Works
When submitting information it is important to include as much information as possible, such as the specific violation and the location. Don’t forget to include　physical descriptions of violators and vehicles, license tag numbers, etc. Such details are important to ensure an officer can respond effectively.

Callers and online reporters may remain anonymous; they do not have to provide their names or email addresses, and they will not be required to testify in court. A confidential code number is provided, so you will be eligible for a reward, either by text, email or calling 888-404-FWCC. Trained dispatchers handle Wildlife Alert contacts 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

When people’s information results in an arrest, they may become eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Many conservation-minded people don’t even claim the reward because helping get the violators off the water or saving a life by reporting unsafe boaters, including boating under the influence, is reward enough.

The real beauty of the program is that violators – through court fines – are the ones who pay the reward money. When a violator is found guilty, the judge can require a portion of the fine to be paid into the Wildlife Alert Reward Fund. So, in effect, violators are paying people to turn them in.

Wildlife Alert’s 13-Member Committee
The highly successful Wildlife Alert Reward Program has been around for more than 30 years and is administered by a 13-member committee appointed by the FWC’s executive director. The committee meets at least twice a year, oversees the program and determines the reward amounts. There are two members for each of the FWC’s five geographic regions, and one member each representing Audubon of Florida, Florida Wildlife Federation and Unified Sportsmen of Florida. Each member serves a two-year term and may be reappointed by the executive director.

The Chair of Wildlife Alert since 2009 has been Jenny Brock, Regional Director of the Florida Wildlife Federation’s Northwest Region and also Region Four Director of the National Wildlife Federation. Ms. Brock noted that “Wildlife Alert makes our wildlife officers more efficient. Florida is a big state and we can all help protect our outdoor resources by contacting Wildlife Alert when we see known or suspected violations.”

Wildlife Alert is Not Just for Fishing Violations
You can also report illegal hunting; destruction of the resource such as the cutting of trees or trash dumping; sick, dead, injured or tagged manatees or marine turtles; commercial trafficking of wildlife; or the killing of an endangered or threatened species.

Concerned Citizens Can Directly Assist the FWC by Calling:

• Angler Tag Return Hotline: 800-367-4461.
• Fish Kill Hotline: 800-636-0511.
• Horseshoe Crab Nesting Activity: 866-252-9326.
• Manatees: Report sick, dead, injured or tagged manatees: Wildlife Alert 888-404-3922.
• Marine Turtles: Report dead or injured marine turtles: Wildlife Alert 888-404-3922.
• Oil, Fuel or Hazardous Material Spills in Florida Waters: 800-320-0519.
• Red Tide Status Line: (Toll-free inside Florida only) 866-300-9399. Outside Florida – 727-552-2448.
• Waterway Markers – Missing or Damaged: 866-405-2869.
• Nuisance Alligators: 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
• Burmese Pythons, or other exotic reptiles: 888-483-4681.

For additional listings, and online contact forms for many of these reporting activities, visit  MyFWC.com/Contact.

Protecting fish, wildlife and ourselves is everyone’s responsibility. Reporting those who misuse our wildlife resources or endanger lives by operating vessels while intoxicated is one way we can all help. Through Wildlife Alert and these other programs, ordinary people become the eyes and ears of the FWC, keep costs down, help conserve our resources and keep outdoor enthusiasts safe.

Additional contributions by Katie Purcell –the FWC’s public information coordinator for its Division of Law Enforcement and by Claudia Farren – FWF’s Communications Consultant.

But visiting Torreya State Park just west of Tallahassee is sure to change this perception.

Courtesy of Florida Park Service

Nestled along the Apalachicola River in Florida’s Panhandle, Torreya is a one of a kind place for outdoor enthusiasts and all of those who enjoy the natural wonders our state offers.

But the hills are just one part of the splendor. In the fall months, you can also catch a glimpse of some tremendous colors – views you would have to drive several hours to see in the mountains.

The park itself offers many activities to get you out and about.

Miles of hiking trails for instance will take you to some out of the way spots overlooking the Apalachicola. And let’s not forget – trekking up and down those hills is sure to give you quite the workout. Hiking at Torreya a few weeks ago gave me some much needed exercise that felt rejuvenating.

The park’s name – Torreya – comes from a rare tree that’s only found along the Apalachicola River.

Besides a good hike, many visitors also come to the park to enjoy bird watching and wildlife viewing. In fact, over 1,000 species of birds have been spotted in the confines of the park. And as we said before, hardwoods provide some of the most splendid fall colors around.

The park is also home to the Gregory House – a fully-furnished plantation home that was built in 1849 and moved to its current location at the park in the 1930s. Torreya State Park in fact was developed in the 1930s as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC.

If your plans allow you to stay overnight, I certainly suggest it. A full-facility campground is available along with what’s known as a YURT, or a “Year-round Universal Recreational Tent.”

To an old-fashioned camper like me, this was a site indeed.

But if you’re the type who likes to really get out there, Torreya’s trails offer plentiful primitive camping opportunities.

Located 13 miles north of Bristol along the Apalachicola, it’s easy to get to Torreya from both I-10 and the town of Bristol. If you’re looking for something that’s especially unique for the Sunshine State, Torreya State Park will not disappoint.