Plant Hike To Explore the Floodplain Forest and Swamp
The woods surrounding the Santa Fe River are home to a highly diverse plant kingdom. On Saturday, March 3, as part of RiverFest 2018, Colette Jacono, PhD, a botanist and plant ecologist, will discuss this and more as she leads participants on a short hike through a low-lying hardwood forest and swamp adjacent to the Santa Fe River.
The hike is one of many RiverFest 2018 events sponsored by Our Santa Fe River, Inc. this spring. Jacono will share her specialization in aquatic and wetland plants as she explores a north Florida mesic hammock on a 1.5-mile hike along the Santa Fe River. The hike will begin at 9 a.m. at Rum Island Park, located off C.R. 138 between High Springs and Fort White. This event is limited to 20 people and the cost is $20 to benefit Our Santa Fe River, Inc.
Participants will search for flowering herbs of early spring, learn the common and uncommon hardwood trees, and recognize the diversity of flowering shrubs that flourish in this fire-free habitat. Springtime ground covers of lilies, ferns, violets and sedges will pave the path to springs and sloughs where otters may be seen foraging for breakfast. Learn how to recognize tree species such as pop-ash, elm and hornbeam that characterize a community that is in many ways part of the river itself.
Our Santa Fe River, Inc. is a North Florida non-profit organization comprised of volunteers. All proceeds are used to educate and advocate for the river, springs and aquifer. Tickets to this event and other RiverFest events, which include education canoe/kayak paddles and an afternoon of original music about the Santa Fe River, can be purchased here.
Don’t wait! Get your tickets now!Contact:
Sharon Yeago
RiverFest Event Chair
Our Santa Fe River
(352) 256-8115
SharonYeago@gmail.com