The island is made up of maritime forests, desert like dunes, and undisturbed salt marshes. The diverse habitats inside the park are home to river otters, marsh rabbits, bobcats, and a variety of native and migrating birds. Little Talbot Island remains one of the few undeveloped barrier islands in Northeast Florida.
The park features a ravine that was created over thousands of years by water flowing from the St. Johns River. In 1933, the ravine was transformed into a dramatic garden. For the most part, the original landscaping remains as formal gardens and an extensive trail system.
A series of foot trails offers the public an opportunity to walk and observe wildlife. Mud Spring trail leads the visitor on a two mile self-guided looped walk to Mud Spring Picnic Area. John's Landing trail meanders along old road beds to the St. Johns River.
The park is an island in the middle of the river and is reached via a ferry that runs every few minutes. Hammock Hiking Nature Trial offers an approximately 3 mile round trip to the large Indian shell mound at the southwest corner of the island.
Blue Spring encompasses 2,644 acres and is a popular winter home to many endangered manatees. Temperatures in the spring remain a constant 72 degrees, creating a safe haven for the manatee during the cooler months and a cooling swim for humans during the long hot days of summer.
Florida author and documentary filmmaker Bill Belleville reads selections from his new book, Salvaging the Real Florida: Lost & Found in the State of Dreams, and explains why Florida in its natural state is more beautiful and magical than any theme park or man-made attraction.
Get full-text newspaper articles from local sources here. Go to the list of Florida newspapers and choose the ones (or all) that correspond to the region of Florida you are interested in.
Natural lands in Florida are administered by many agencies, including federal, state, local, and private. Here are some of the more comprehensive websites to start your exploration:
Explore Florida's National Forests, including Orlando's own Ocala National Forest. It features large springs, spring runs, the Florida Trail, and an important black bear population. This is one of the largest tracts of natural land in the state and this website provides useful maps through the USDA Forest Service website.
Enjoy a number of outdoor recreational opportunities like boating, hunting, fishing, or watching wildlife. The Species Profiles section gives descriptions and maps of where to find a particular species like a whooping crane or a gopher tortoise.
There are many state parks in Florida and each has something unique to offer. Close to Orange County there is Blue Spring State Park. In colder weather, manatees are almost always present and easily observable in the main spring.
Explore the large tracts of land that surround the St. Johns River. Even if you don't have a boat, there are great opportunities for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and other activities. View details about each of their properties.
Learn about this private group that buys and protects environmentally sensitive lands. They specialize in preserving unique ecosystems that might escape the notice of other agencies.
Get a good basic knowledge of natural Florida with this series of books that cover Florida's plants, animals, and wildlife areas. These books have large color pictures and easy to read descriptions. Great for school reports and general information.
Enter the world of animals to find fascinating animal facts, or select plants and animals from the side bar to access a variety of useful information about nature.
Find everything you want to know about Florida wildlife from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Learn about manatees, sea turtles, panthers, and gopher tortoises.
This ecology based site has a bit of everything you need to know about nature. Follow the miraculous journey of baby sea turtles and learn fascinating facts about soil.
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Butterfly Farm
Find, collect and raise beautiful butterflies for your virtual garden. There are unlimited varieties and no two are alike. iTunes | Website
Download the full trail guide to pursue your bird watching interests. Learn the birding basics before you plan your excursion. In some places you can even borrow binoculars.
Get the renowned mapping application, Google Earth, free for your iPhone or Android.
MotionX GPS
For $.99, download maps and track your position with this popular GPS/mapping software for the iPhone. iTunes | Website
Peterson Feeder Birds of North America
Peterson Field Guides have been around for a long time and are well regarded by the birding community. Make quick and accurate identification of over 160 bird species with this free application. iTunes | Website
