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Get Away
A natural selection
At Boyd Hill Nature Park in St. Petersburg, harried city dwellers can get away from congestion and bustle and enrich their knowledge of nature through special programs.
By PAUL SWIDER
Published August 11, 2005
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[Times photo: Lara Cerri 2003]
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During a trip to Boyd Hill Nature Park in St. Petersburg, visitors meet birds and animals in their native habitat, including dozens of alligators.
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THE SCOOP: Boyd Hill, with 245 unspoiled acres, is an excellent retreat for those who want to take a walk, run or bike without traffic or pavement. If you also want to learn something, Boyd Hill is a morsel for the mind, with lots of information about the Florida ecosystem and opportunities to spot a variety of birds, flowers and animals. About 165 species of birds live at Boyd Hill for at least part of the year, including the bald eagle, fish crow and towhee.
WHAT'S THERE: Nestled in a residential neighborhood in St. Petersburg, the park has outdoor trails and indoor displays in its new environmental education center, which opened this year. For newcomers, the center is a good place to start. Its permanent display, called "Ripple Effect," showcases the park's five distinct ecosystems and shows how damage to one piece of a system affects everything else.
Outside, you can walk the uplands and mingle with gopher tortoises, or head to Lake Maggiore's shore and find one of the 100-some gators that ply its waters. Pets are not permitted.
The trails and boardwalks cover lakefront, marsh, swamp woodlands, pine flatwoods and sand scrub. The park makes water available at several points along its paths.
There's a small aviary and an affiliated facility that shows you what it was like to live in Florida during pioneer times.
The park also regularly offers programs that include bird walks, night hikes and activities for preschoolers. Tram tours are also available.
IF YOU GO
Boyd Hill Nature Park, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg. 727 893-7326. Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. $2 adults, $1 children. The best exit from Interstate 275 is 54th Avenue S. Directions are at www.stpete.org/fun/parks/ayboyd3.htm Parking is free. Trails close a half-hour before dusk.
[Last modified August 10, 2005, 13:50:09]
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