J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park…4/3/09

“I had this advantage, at least, in my mode of life, over those who were obliged to look abroad for amusement, to society and the theatre, that my life itself had become my amusement and never ceased to be novel.”

                                                                                                                                                  -Henry David Thoreau

 

Salad On the Go

 

Thoreau was often noted as feeling that a day was wasted if it did not involve a 3 to 4 hour walk. On most days I feel the same way. 

 

Giant Live Oak

 

 

Today I drove about 17 miles north into Pasco County in search of a good walk. My destination today was J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park. This wilderness park and the surrounding tracts compose approximately 18,000 acres of land (the Serenova Tract and Anclote River Tract are included in this total). It is my understanding that J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park is a joint management between the water management district and the county. The SW Water Management District describes the preserve in their recreation guide in the following manner…”The Preserve is the culmination of foresight and cooperative spirit. ” If not for this preserve I assume most of the 18,000 acres would have already been converted to single family residences, some of the gated communities may have even displayed names like ‘Cyrpress Tree Preserve ‘or ‘Pine Tree Estates’. I am grateful for both the foresight and cooperative spirit because as I drive down River Crossing Blvd it becomes evident that western Pasco county has seen extensive urban growth in recent years. The neighborhoods flanking the preserve all have signs that warn the driver of potential animal crossings.

 

Minnow Hunter

 

 

I hiked today through a number of natural communities. Pine flatwoods and scrub were the dominant upland communities. In addition the upland communities on display, the park contains around 6,000 acres of wetland habitat. 

 

Florida Land Beaver?

 

 

A short nature trail leads down to the Pithachascotee River. Along the trail I am amazed by the redwood-sized Live Oak that borders the trail’s edge. The oak before me has a dominating presence amongst the surrounding wild coffee plants clumped amongst the understory.  The trail continues to decrease in elevation as I near the river. When the trail started I was amongst slash pines and saw palmettos. After leaving the giant oak I walk a few hundred yards to what is left of the Pithlachascotee River.  A few shallow pools of water remain in this river’s floodplain. Towards the end of this trail there is a giant tree that has fallen over the river bed. I climb onto the tree with little effort, as I do so I gain a new vantage point of  activity taking place in the pool of water below me. A small snake is splashing around in pursuit of about a dozen minnows who are held captive by the drying pools of water. I stand on the log for what feels like a brief eternity.  At this moment I hear the silence that comes with solitude. Silence is sometimes the only healing factor that remains in our hurried society. Silence  as it often happens in my current setting is interrupted by a passing plane making an aerial ruckus. Sometimes it feels as if there is not 10 minutes that passes in the wilderness where you have the luxury of not hearing a combustion engine or a honking horn. I spend the rest of the day exploring other segments of the park. 

 

Pithlachascotee River

 

 

Before returning home I make one last stop at Key Vista Park. I was rewarded with picture perfect views of the gulf (minus the smoke stack to the south). 

 

Key Vista Park