When I first moved to Gainesville, I was a bit surprised to find so many natural areas near UF. I recall noticing a different conservation area each time I explored a new part of town and adding it to my list of places to check out. This proximity to so many parks with different types of environments is a fun advantage of living in Florida, and it is especially fun to experience the yearlong greenery. Therefore, when FMSA started thinking about how to get students together in a way that we would feel comfortable throughout the pandemic, Sarah Steele Cabrera and I decided that leading a monthly nature walk was the perfect excuse to explore these local trails and socialize outside. We put together a list of our favorites as well as those that we had been hoping to check out.
Since we began planning hikes at the beginning of 2021, we’ve had a lot of fun checking out new trails with fellow students, friends, family, and the occasional furry companion. This has been a great way to be active in the morning before the afternoon heat starts to pick up. So far, we’ve gone for hikes at:
- Turkey Creek Preserve
- Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve
- Prairie Creek Preserve
- Sweetwater Preserve
- San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park
Along the trails, we’re always on the lookout for cool critters. Often our group includes a nice range of floral and faunal expertise. Sometimes we have students studying the birds, plants, mammals, or insects that we see, and they’re able to point out things that the rest of us might not notice. There are also a few of us who have lived in Gainesville for a few years so are able to share fun finds for those that are new to the area. This is also a fun time to use iNaturalist and see if we can identify species that we’ve never seen before.
These hikes have been a great way to learn more about the wildlife in our area, as well as getting to know our fellow students better. We’re exciting to continue exploring local trails!
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