ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The Florida Trail Association and the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department are co-hosting a National Trails Day hiking event Saturday, June 4, 2011, from 9 a.m. to noon. Families, scout groups and other members of the community are invited to attend the event. Attendees will meet north of the City of Alachua in the Mill Creek Preserve parking lot located on the south side of County Road 236 one-quarter mile west of the intersection of County Roads 241 and 236, and should bring: water, bug spray, a hat, hiking shoes and a camera.
The hike is lead by Florida Trail Association’s executive director, Dennis Miranda and Alachua County Forever Staff. Before the hike, Dennis Miranda will discuss the benefits of hiking including, wellness, and nature observation among other passive uses. Chris Bird, Director of the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department will give a brief presentation on the Alachua County Forever Program, Mill Creek Preserve and the importance of conservation lands.
The 1,230-acre Mill Creek Preserve was the first property acquired through the Alachua County Forever Program. It was acquired with matching funds from Florida Communities Trust, a state program funded through the Florida Forever Bond. The preserve includes beech magnolia slope forest, baygalls, seepage and blackwater streams, pine flatwoods and one of the southernmost populations of American beech trees and beavers.
Click here for the Mill Creek Preserve Brochure.
The Florida Trail Association is a non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to construct, maintain and manage trails throughout the state of Florida.
For more information, contact Alachua County Land Conservation Biologist, Sandra Vardaman at 352-264-6803 or smvardaman@alachuacounty.us, or Rachel Raddatz at 352-378-8823 ext. 7005 or rraddatz@floridatrail.org.