Walks and Field Trips

Walks and Field Trips

Field Trip, Sunday, April 28, 2019 Green Swamp West , 9 am - 12 pm
 (note the date change because of Easter)


We will walk through a shady area of the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Green Swamp West Tract.  This will be a walk of about 2.5 miles over relatively easy terrain and should take 2-3 hours.  The walk will be through a pine flatwoods and upland hammock. The Green Swamp has a large diversity of plants and insects.  There is something to see in every month on this trail.  Blueberries and huckleberries abound, and they should be ripe in April.  Blackeyed susan, Coreopsis, Piriqueta, Clematis baldwinii, Polygalas and other wildflowers are expected.

Rudbeckia in Green Swamp West by Janet Bowers

Janet Bowers will be the informal leader, she has visited many times since May 2018 when she went on a Heartland Chapter field trip there.   Here is a link to the website for the Green Swamp West Track.  This is an area we have not visited as a chapter so it will be something new to see.  A SWFWMD map for Green Swamp West can be downloaded from https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/green-swamp-west-tract.

We will meet at the McNeil entrance located off SR 471.  To find it from northern Hillsborough County, go east from Zephyrhills on CR. 54 and then south on US 98, or from southern Hillsborough, head over to Lakeland via I-4 and go north on US 98.

 SR 471 goes north from US 98On SR 471, Pass Colt Creek State Park (east side of road) and cross the Withlacoochee River.  Parking is on the left just after the bridge and the "Welcome to Sumter County" sign.

Wear long pants and close-toed shoes.  Insect spray is recommended for deterrence of ticks and flying annoyances.  Bring water.  Hat and sunscreen are recommended.  No bathroom facilities.  

Contact :   Tina (Mable C) Patterson, SNPS secretary ,  [email protected] or

 305-298-6381 , call or text (please leave name and message)

Please contact Tina for more details if you plan to attend.

 

Lettuce Lake Native Plant Walks 2019 Schedule

Suncoast sponsors native plant walks at Lettuce Lake Park on the first Saturday every month except July, August and December.

These walks are designed for park visitors who want to learn about Florida native plants.  We do a slow stroll pointing out the native plants that the park supports.

Walks begin in the Visitor Center at 9 am. After a short presentation, we leave from the native plant garden and walk the trails and boardwalk.

For a pdf of the flyer and schedule, click on the link below.

http://suncoast.fnpschapters.org/data/uploads/native-plant-walks-2019.pdf