FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 3, 2015

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us 

HIKE THE TRAILS FOR THE HOLIDAYS 
AT THE GTM RESEARCH RESERVE

~Step out of everyday living into the sights and sounds of nature~

 A family hikes one of the GTM Research Reserve trails.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Enjoy free guided trail and beach explorations this holiday season at GTM Research Reserve's Ponte Vedra Beach and Marineland sites or visit the reserve’s Environmental Education Center.

"The GTM Research Reserve is a wonderful place to visit during the holidays," said Michael Shirley, director of the reserve. "The Environmental Education Center provides a unique indoor activity that is especially popular with children, while the outdoor trails provide a great way for everyone to experience Florida's beautiful natural environment.”

Encompassing almost 74,000 acres of estuary and uplands, the reserve offers nearly 10 miles of trails for walking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, dog walking, nature viewing and picnicking. Horses and leashed pets are allowed on the Guana Ponte Vedra Beach trails and dogs are allowed on the Marineland trail. 

While enjoying free guided trail and beach explorations, visitors have the opportunity to see aquatic wildflowers, a tidal salt marsh estuary (where the river meets the sea), great blue herons, snowy egrets, storks, roseate spoonbills, pelicans, owls, deer, gopher tortoises, mussels, clams and oysters. If hiking on your own, maps are available in the Environmental Education Center and at the GTM Marineland field office.

There are five northern trails located near Guana Dam in Ponte Vedra Beach in St. Johns County. The southern trail at the River-to-Sea Preserve borders the town of Marineland at the northern tip of Flagler County. The trails are open daily 8 a.m. until sunset. There is a $3 parking fee per vehicle at the Ponte Vedra Beach site.

For more information, call 904-823-4500 or click here to make a reservation for one of the free guided explorations. For directions to the trails and the Environmental Education Center, click here.

About GTM Research Reserve

The GTM Research Reserve is one of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves across the nation focused on researching, educating and protecting the natural biodiversity and cultural resources within the estuary. It is managed by Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Coastal Office, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Environmental Education Center is located at 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 32082. For more information about the GTM Research Reserve, please call 904-823-4500 or visit www.gtmnerr.org.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/1288ee5