Circle B Bar Reserve

Circle B Bar Reserve
Map showing the location of Circle B Bar Reserve

Location within Florida

Location Polk County, Florida
Nearest city Lakeland
Coordinates 27°59′24″N 81°52′00″W / 27.9899°N 81.8668°W / 27.9899; -81.8668Coordinates: 27°59′24″N 81°52′00″W / 27.9899°N 81.8668°W / 27.9899; -81.8668
Area 1,267 acres (5.13 km2)
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/circlebbarreserve.html

The Circle B Bar Reserve is an area of protected lands in Polk County, Florida. Comprising 1,267 acres (5.13 km2) at 4399 Winter Lake Road (SR 540) near Lakeland, Florida, the area is managed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). It is jointly owned by the BOCC and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Polk's Nature Discovery Center, completed in 2008, features interactive displays about the plants, animals and ecosystems of the reserve. The center serves as the focus of environmental education programs and explorations for families, school groups, teachers, adults and other visitors.

Circle B Bar Reserve is named after the cattle ranch that once occupied the site. It was purchased to help maintain the Banana Creek marsh area. The preserve is home to an impressive array of birds such as white ibis, roseate spoonbills, sandhill cranes and bald eagles along with other wildlife like alligators, bobcats, snakes, gray squirrels, river otters and wild hogs. It underwent a wetland restoration effort.[1]

The preserve has been designated as a Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) site, a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Sites are selected for their excellent birdwatching, wildlife viewing or educational opportunities. Circle B Bar contains 3.5 miles (5.6 km)s of unpaved hiking/biking trails[2] and connects to the paved Fort Fraser Trail, which runs from Lakeland to Bartow.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Circle B Bar Reserve Southwest Florida Water Management District
  2. ↑ "Circle B Bar Reserve". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Palmer, Tom. "Hikers and Bikers Can Choose Among Paved, Unpaved Trails". Retrieved 4 April 2016.

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.