Brooker Creek Preserve 
* Public
Use
*
Hiking
There is a 1.75 mile loop nature trail that originates at the south end
of Lora Lane. This trail meanders through pine flatwoods, mesic hammock,
and along cypress swamps. The trail is marked periodically with red topped
posts. You must stay on the red marked trail. We recommend you wear sturdy,
closed-toed shoes while hiking on this trail. This trail is open from
dawn to dusk and takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
*
Guided Hike
along a trail that is not otherwise accessible to the public. These guided
hikes occur every Saturday at 9:00 AM. The hike is usually 3 miles or
more and extends through pine flatwoods, hammock, cypress swamp, and floodplain
forest. To register, just call us at 727-453-6900.
*
Horseback riding
There are two trails, a one mile loop trail that originates at the south
end of Lora Lane and an 8-mile loop trail that is accessed off Old Keystone
Road near the Upper Pinellas Youth Sports Complex. Parking is available
at both trails.
*
Environmental Education Center
- (coming in 2003).
*
Habitat Restoration
* Highway Department
Mitigation Projects
* Channel A Restoration
Funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water
Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program. Completed.
* Channel L Restoration
- SWIM Project. Status: planned; project will commence in 2002.
* Channel F Restoration
- SWIM Project. Status: planning consultant hired.
* Mount Brooker
Restoration - Mitigation project. Large scale removal of clay
"mountains" and restoration of natural habitats.
* Ongoing exotic
species removal program
Nuisance exotic species, like the Brazilian pepper and Australian Pine
pictured below, often out compete our native vegetation. Our native animals
are not particularly well adapted to these species and our overall natural
diversity declines. We aggressively try and remove these undesirable species
as they are discovered. Because the seeds of many of these nuisance exotics
are dispersed by wind, water, or wing (birds), exotic species removal
is a never-ending process.
* Sandhill restoration
- removal of oaks to restore appropriate vegetative structure for sandhill
community.
*Prescription
Burns
There
are three pyrogenic (fire dependent) community types at Weedon Island
Preserve: pine flatwoods, scrub, and scrubby flatwoods. Each requires
a varied burn regime: flatwoods typically burn every 2 to 7 years, scrub
every 25 years, and scrubby flatwoods every 2 to 5 years.
*Ecological
Monitoring
