Our Lands

Our mission is to provide sound stewardship to the County’s wild lands and opportunities for the appreciation of their intrinsic value.

Currently, the Division manages 4 Preserves and 15 Management Areas. Preserves are ecologically diverse properties with well-defined, passive public-use opportunities. Each has a management plan that has been reviewed and approved by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Management Areas do not yet have approved management plans, but are governed by individual policy documents and have limited or nonexistent public-use features. It is expected that several Management Areas will eventually become Preserves as management plans for them are developed and approved. Per County Preserve Ordinance 08-29, all flora and fauna are protected; and pets and alcohol are not permitted in Preserves and Management Areas.

Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center and the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center are managed by the Division.  These two state-of-the-art facilities offer the public environmental programs for all ages, interactive exhibits, art galleries, gift shops and exciting volunteer opportunities. 

For more information and directions to the Division and the Centers, contact us.

Brooker Creek Preserve - Brooker Creek Preserve is the County's largest natural area at approximately 8,000 acres. Located in the northeastern corner and extending westward to the Anclote River, it is comprised mostly of pinelands and freshwater swamps. Native wildlife includes gopher tortoises, pygmy rattlesnakes, red-shouldered hawks, wood storks, swallow-tailed kites, bobcats, coyotes, white-tailed deer, and many other species. It also includes a significant portion of the Brooker Creek watershed, a major input to Lake Tarpon. The award-winning Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center opened to the public in June 2004 (see photographs) , providing interactive exhibits, a gift shop, and resource center. The education center is open Wednesday from 9am to 8:30pm and Thursday - Sunday from 9am to 4pm (closed holidays). Hiking and equestrian trails, including extensive boardwalks, are currently available for public use in the Preserve. Hikers looking for a quiet place to experience nature will enjoy the 4-mile, 4-loop, Wildlands Hiking Trails located next to the Center. The Friends Trail, a 1.75-mile hiking trail, is located at the end of Lora Lane. Trail conditions vary with the season, and may result in some trails being closed.

Weedon Island Preserve - Weedon Island Preserve, including the associated Gateway Tract, is an expansive 3,000-acre region located on Tampa Bay in north St. Petersburg. It is comprised mostly of marine ecosystems with some associated uplands communities. Indigenous peoples, including those during the Weeden Island Cultural Period, occupied this site for thousands of years. A varied modern history is also part of the Preserve's legacy. Today, the Preserve protects a wide diversity of natural and cultural resources for future generations. Opened to the public in December 2002 (see photographs), the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center provides an overview of the rich natural resources of the Preserve and the interrelationship of the environment with the prehistoric, historic, and modern cultures that occupied these lands. The education center is open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am to 4pm (closed holidays) and includes a resource center and small gift shop. Visit the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center and take a virtual tour of artifacts. Hiking and canoe trails, a fishing pier, kayak rentals, and an observation tower with over one mile of boardwalks through mangrove swamps are currently available for public use on the Preserve.

Prehistoric Dugout Canoe Discovered at Weedon Island Preserve
Archaeologists recently investigated an ancient dugout canoe dating to 1,100 years ago at Weedon Island Preserve. The canoe was made of pine and measured almost 40 feet long, making it the longest prehistoric canoe found in Florida. In addition, this canoe had a raised bow for travel on open waters, and one of two ever found in a salt water bay environment. For now the canoe will remain buried until funding is in place for proper curation and preservation.

(  Indicates PDF file)

Weedon Island Preserve Visitor Guide
Weedon Island Preserve North Paddling Trail
Weedon Island Preserve South Paddling Trail
Weedon Island Preserve Management Plan

Shell Key Preserve - Shell Key Preserve was established in 2000 with the cooperation of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Designed to protect sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems, this 1,800-acre Preserve includes one of Pinellas County 's largest undeveloped barrier islands (Shell Key) as well as numerous mangrove islands and expansive sea grass beds. Shell Key has been designated as one of the State's most important areas for shorebird nesting and wintering, and it serves as an important study site for biologists trying to protect these species. It also is an important area for resource-based recreation. A balance for both uses was established by restricting public use to designated locations on the island, with a central core area for conservation off-limits to the public. Boating and beach-going activities are allowed in public use areas while camping by permit is allowed in the southern public use area of the Preserve. Pets and alcohol are prohibited at all times in the Preserve. For Shell Key Preserve rules and regulations, please review the Shell Key Preserve Visitor Guide (PDF) or see the Shell Key Preserve Management Plan Update 2007.

CAMPING PERMIT

Mobbly Bayou Preserve - Located at the north end of Upper Tampa Bay, the Preserve encompasses a wide diversity of upland and coastal plant communities. The 396-acre Preserve is managed through an interlocal agreement with the City of Oldsmar, which is responsible for the management of two recreational areas. Amenities include hiking trails, picnic pavilions, restrooms, an observation platform, and fishing pier. The City of Oldsmar is planning to construct an education center at the north end of the property. Upland, intertidal, and subtidal communities in the bayou have suffered significant environmental distress due to dense urbanization. Approximately 200 acres are targeted for restoration and enhancement of coastal communities using funds provided by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management, and City of Oldsmar Parks and Recreation Department. Two major goals are to restore the hydrology of the bayou's tidal creek system and to enhance the degraded wetland and upland vegetation communities by removing exotic species and planting native species.

Managed Lands

Allen's Creek Management Area - This Management Area is approximately 33 acres in size and is subdivided into two parcels that lie on either side of Belcher Road in Largo. The western parcel is dominated by mangrove tidal swamp while the eastern parcel was restored in 2005 through cooperative efforts with the Southwest Florida Water Management District's (SWFWMD) Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program, the City of Largo, and Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management. It is not uncommon to spot manatees and mixed flocks of wading birds in the shallows.

Alligator Lake Management Area - Located near Safety Harbor and connected to Old Tampa Bay, this Management Area is approximately 53 acres and includes two wading bird rookery islands. The once tidally-influenced creek system was dredged and filled to create the lake we see today. A restoration project is being conducted to benefit wading bird rookeries and improve upland and wetland communities.

Anclote Islands Management Area - Since 2000, nearly 160 acres of environmentally sensitive salt marsh, mangrove islands, and upland communities along the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs have been purchased by Pinellas County, using Endangered Lands funding generated by the “Penny for Pinellas.” The Anclote Islands protect important wildlife habitat between the Gulf of Mexico and Brooker Creek Preserve.

Cabbage Key Management Area - Located in Tierra Verde, this Management Area is nearly 340 acres of mangrove swamp, coastal hammock, and oligohaline ponds. It provides a refuge for many species of migratory and colonial birds. The mangrove-fringed coastline surrounded by seagrass also provides critical habitat for native fishes and invertebrates.

Cow Branch Management Area - Located at the southwestern end of Lake Tarpon, this 86-acre Management Area consists primarily of cypress swamps with some upland hardwood forests. The northern portion of Cow Branch Creek, which flows between Lake Tarpon and Lake St. George, is included within this Management Area. The parcel supports one of the County's best examples of a mature swamp forest and protects many important wetland resources.

East Lake Management Area - This nearly 24-acre property was donated to the County in 1987 as conservation land. The parcel supports forested wetlands with artificial ponds and canals nestled among several residential communities west of East Lake Road.

Joe's Creek Management Area - Nearly 200 acres of pine-dominated uplands and coastal estuaries are protected within this Management Area. Located near the north end of Boca Ciega Bay in St. Petersburg, several major restoration projects have improved past disturbances, removed invasive plants, and improved hydrology.

King Islands Management Area - This approximately 25-acre Management Area consists of two small islands and surrounding waters, and is located in the intra-coastal waters south of the Dunedin Causeway. Although the plant species found on the islands are predominantly exotics, these islands support roosting Brown Pelicans and a number of shorebird species.

Lake Seminole Management Area - This tract occurs along the northeastern edge of Lake Seminole and is not connected to the County's Lake Seminole County Park.

Lake Tarpon Management Area - Located on the northeastern shore of Lake Tarpon, this Management Area consists of 42 acres of high-quality forested wetlands. This area protects mature a freshwater swamp, supporting very large specimen trees that offer hints about the extensive old-growth once common in the area.

Lake Tarpon West Management Area - The smallest Management Area at 3 acres, it is located on the western shore of Lake Tarpon. This area protects forested wetlands and other natural communities.

Long Branch Management Area - This 15-acre forested tract occurs along Long Branch Creek at its mouth into Tampa Bay in Clearwater. Large oaks line the tidal creek and significant estuarine areas protect fisheries and wildlife resources. This Management Area also helps improve water quality in this area of Tampa Bay.

Mariner's Point Management Area - Purchased in 2000, this ecologically diverse 76-acre parcel is located in south Tarpon Springs along the Gulf of Mexico. Excellent examples of coastal pineland forests sloping toward mangroves and salt marshes exist here.

Ozona Management Area - At 8 acres in size, this Management Area protects coastal forests and estuaries, and represents a resource of cultural and historical importance.

Travatine Island Management Area - Located at the extreme north end of Boca Ciega Bay near Redington Shores, this Management Area is slated for restoration to improve coastal natural resources. It supports diverse salterns and associated natural communities.

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