Weedon Island Preserve

Weedon Island Preserve
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
View of the preserve from top of observation tower
Weedon Island Preserve is located in Florida
Weedon Island Preserve
Weedon Island Preserve
Location within Florida
LocationPinellas County, Florida, US
Nearest citySt. Petersburg, Florida
Coordinates27°50′42″N 82°36′07″W / 27.84500°N 82.60194°W / 27.84500; -82.60194
EstablishedJune 13, 1972
Governing bodyPinellas County Park Department
Weedon Island Preserve
NRHP reference No.72000347[1]

The Weedon Island Preserve is a 3,190-acre natural area situated along the western shore of Tampa Bay and located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It is an estuarine preserve composed of upland and aquatic ecosystems, including mangrove forests, pine/scrubby flatwoods, and maritime hammocks, and is home to a variety of native wildlife. The preserve is also a designated archaeological area, with several shell mounds identified on the property that provide evidence of early peoples who inhabited the land for thousands of years.

On June 13, 1972, Weedon Island Preserve was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In 1974, the state of Florida purchased Weedon Island and its surrounding islands, which were officially opened for public use in December 1980. In 1993, the state created a lease agreement with Pinellas County to manage and maintain the preserve. The county's Department of Parks and Conservation Resources presently manages the area.

Weedon Island Preserve's name is derived from Tampa doctor and amateur archaeologist Leslie Washington Weedon.[2]

Recreational activities

The preserve offers 4.7 miles of nature trails for hiking, with 2 miles of boardwalks and paved, ADA-accessible trails, and the remaining 2.7 miles as natural trail loops. The 3,000-foot Tower Boardwalk trail leads visitors to a 45-foot-tall observation tower. Three additional observation platforms along the trails offer opportunities for bird and wildlife viewing and are ideal for photography.

In addition to hiking, the preserve maintains a 4-mile, self-guided canoeing/kayaking loop called the South Paddling Trail. The path weaves through mangrove tunnels within the preserve and has access points to the bay. Visitors interested in exploring the paddling trail may bring their own vessels or take a tour.

Other activities available include fishing from the pier at the end of Weedon Dr. NE and picnicing at any of the designated picnic tables.

Panorama of mostly scrubby swamp, with various buildings/structures visible on the horizon.
View from observation tower. Visible items on horizon, from left to right include: downtown St. Petersburg, Florida; WGES (AM) Antenna; Bartow Power Plant; downtown Tampa, Florida; MacDill Air Force Base; Big Bend Power Station.

Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center

The Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center opened in December 2002 with the support of the Friends of Weedon Island and is run by Pinellas County Government. The center focuses on the natural, cultural, and archaeological history of the preserve.[3] The Exhibit Hall features interactive displays on the unique wildlife and habitats found on Weedon Island and the ancient and present-day history of the preserve.

A 40 feet (12 m) dugout canoe found in the Weedon Island Preserve and believed to be a Manasotan artifact. It is estimated to be 1,100 years old.[4]

Ecosystem

The Weedon Island Preserve ecosystems are majority wetlands, including mangrove swamps, with 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) of upland habitat.[5] Flatwoods are represented with pine and scrub, as are coastal hammocks,[6] coastal berms and anthropogenic shell mounds.[7]: 1–5 

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ↑ The Weedon Island Story (PDF) (3rd ed.). 2005.
  3. ↑ http://www.weedonislandcenter.org/ Weedon Island Center, accessed January 21, 2008
  4. ↑ "1,100-Year-Old Prehistoric Canoe Found in Pinellas County, Florida" (PDF). Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Ecosystems". Discover Paradise in Pinellas County. Pinellas County. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Weedon Island Preserve Visitor Guide" (PDF). Pinellas County Government. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "The Weedon Island Story" (PDF) (3rd ed.). Tarpon Springs, Florida: Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management, Environmental Lands Division. April 2005. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
Wikimedia Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Weedon Island Preserve.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.