Nature Walks along the trails at Fort De Soto Park

Free one-hour guided nature walks are offered along six different trails each Saturday and Sunday, except holidays. Visitors at the park will be absorbed in the abundance of history, natural beauty and the complexity of the ecology not immediately apparent to the occasional beachgoer. Emerging from the wealth of bird life, sea life, wild life and plant life is the majestic tapestry called Fort De Soto Park. The largest park within the Pinellas County park system, the park consists of 1,136 acres made up of five interconnected islands (keys). These keys are home to beach plants, mangroves, wetlands, palm hammocks, hardwoods and scores of native plants. Each of these species plays a vital role in the preservation and protection of the natural environment. The park is also home to beaches that provide refuge to the loggerhead sea turtles and more than 290 species of birds. 10 to 11 a.m. Fort De Soto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde. For more information, call (727) 552-1862; www.pinellascounty.org/park.