Named after a cattle ranch that once existed on this property,
Circle B Bar Reserve. This property was purchased to protect the
floodplain of the lake and to restore the Banana Creek marsh
system. Much of property was converted to pasture, but remnant
wetland communities can be found along Banana and Saddle creeks.
Largest remnant natural communities are oak hammocks and various
forested wetlands, primarily found in northeast corner of property.
Ongoing restoration projects for the Banana Creek marsh system,
which runs through the center of the property, and for an area of
scrub on the southern portion of the site will restore much of the
original hydrologic function of the lands. The scrub restoration
will benefit the numerous animals that utilize both wetlands and
uplands during various phases of their life cycles.
While hiking the trails you may see a variety of birds,
including bald eagles, wood storks, great blue herons and many
other wading birds, as well as vistas across Lake Hancock and
Banana Creek Marsh. Take a walk along the banks of Lake Hancock and
you will see many alligators.
The new Polk’s Nature Discovery Center opens November 1,
2008 and will provide information and discovery opportunities about
Polk County’s unique water, wildlife and wilderness
resources, as well as the associated cultural heritage and
nature-based recreation opportunities on environmental lands in
Polk County. The Nature Discovery Center will have several
amenities including picnic pavilions, wildlife observation viewing
platforms, boardwalks and several multi-use trails. The Reserve is
open daily, year-round, from 6:30 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Standard Time
and until 8:30 P.M. during Daylight Savings Time. Dogs are no
longer allowed in the preserve because of the number of alligators
present. This area may become wet during the rainy season.
Don’t forget the insect repellent and water. Be careful and
enjoy the area. Be advised that there are always risks associated
with visiting nature preserves.
This geocache is a part of the Trek Ten Again
in 2009 program. Participation in that program, while a lot of fun,
is not required to log this cache here. Trek Ten Again in
2009 marks the second year of the Friends of the Parks
Foundation’s call to explore the outdoors in Polk County.
Five new nature trails have been added to the program’s
original ten trek locations throughout Polk County. Each nature
trail includes geocaches with a self-inking stamp like the one
you’ll find in this cache for validating your visits to at
least ten of the featured trails. You can choose which ten trails
you visit, and of course you may trek all 15!
New game cards, which participants stamp and return to be
entered into the year end prize drawings are available at the
Friends of the Parks website. Validated game
cards must be mailed by October 5, 2009 to be eligible for
prize drawings and a certificate of completion. Trek Ten Again in
2009 maps, game cards and other information about each of the
featured nature trails may be downloaded from the Friends of the
Parks website. Check out our
Profile for more details. The Friends of the Parks Foundation
has formed an alliance with the annual Water Wings & Wild
Things event to host our 2009 Trek Ten Again Grand Finale
Celebration and subsequent kickoffs at Circle B Bar Reserve.
GRAND FINALE OCTOBER 31, 2009 - BE
THERE!
This cache was placed with the assistance of
the
Florida
Geocaching Association