Nature Park to grow by 187 acres

HUNTER'S GREEN -- The city of Tampa is devoting 187 acres in the shape of an elephant tusk to a future nature park that will connect with Flatwoods Wilderness Park in Hillsborough County.

The site, purchased last year for $3-million as part of Hillsborough County's Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program, runs along the northern border of Interstate 75, east of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

City architects have detailed plans, which will include a hiking trail throughout the west side of the property that links up with the Flatwoods Trail Loop. Flatwoods, the 3,700-acre swamp and forest, is directly north of the city's park.

In addition, architects want to build restrooms, picnic shelters, a small parking lot and a 1,200-square-foot nature center.

"It's a beautiful site," said Ross Ferlita, director of the city's parks department. "The goal is to eventually offer education sessions in an outdoor setting."

The site will devoted to passive recreation, such as hiking, biking and walking. There will not be any athletic fields.

The city will likely perform a controlled burn to keep vegetation in the area healthy and reduce the potential for a larger fire, Ferlita said. Engineers will perform the burn late this year or in early 2003.

The New Tampa Nature Park is the city's largest green space in New Tampa. The addition increases the city's total park space in the area to 525 acres. However, only 108 of those acres are active parks, which include baseball diamonds and football fields.

-- John Balz can be reached at (813) 269-5313 or at balz@sptimes.com

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