Brooker Creek Preserve

It stopped raining but the temperatures hadn't gone all the way back up, so we decided to take advantage of the clear day and cooler weather and hit a local preserve for a look at Natural Florida. We went to Brooker Creek Preserve which has a neat combination of marshy swamplands and oak forests.

At approximately 8700 acres, Brooker Creek Preserve is the largest natural area in Pinellas County. It consists primarily of forested wetlands and pine flatwoods. Bordered by dense urban development, the Preserve provides both a unique refuge for native flora and fauna as well as an opportunity for citizens to explore the natural beauty of wild Florida.

The Preserve also serves to protect a significant portion of the Brooker Creek Watershed. A complex of hiking and equestrian trails provide visitors an opportunity to explore the Preserve’s many ecosystems.  

This is what the area would look like if it were natural and undeveloped. Of course, what it mostly looks like is subdivisions and shopping centers but it's nice to get a look at Florida in the raw!