There's something special about hiking through nature, taking in the sights and sounds of the wilderness. Unfortunately, as more and more people enjoy the great outdoors, nature trails are becoming eroded and damaged. It's important to take care of these trails so that future generations can enjoy them too.

Here are some tips for maintaining nature trails:

1. Do your part to avoid trail degradation. Be conscious of your impact when you're hiking and take care not to damage the vegetation or disturb wildlife.

2. If you see trash on the trail, pick it up and dispose of it properly. We all have a responsibility to keep our trails clean.

3. If you come across a damaged section of trail, take the time to fix it. Even something as simple as filling in a pothole can make a big difference.

4. Help out with trail maintenance projects. Many trails are maintained by volunteer groups, and they always need help. Whether you donate your time or money, every little bit helps.

By following these tips, we can all do our part to keep nature trails beautiful and enjoyable for everyone.

By using a company that knows what they are doing when maintaining the trail like, Orlando Excavator Contractors or Florida Excavator Contractors for those elsewhere in the state, we will have trails for generations to come.

Essentials

• A Water Bottle
               Dehydration Happens Quickly in the Florida Sun !

• Sun Tan Lotion
               A Good 30 SPF Sunscreen is Essential
• Insect Repellant
                I Recommend a Combination Sunscreen/Insect Repellant Lotion
• Wear Comfortable Cotton Clothe
               It is Best if You Wear Long Sleaves and Long Pants Because of Insects
               and To Prevent Getting Scratched by Trees Branches.


• Wear Sturdy Walking or Hiking Shoes and High Socks
              Many Times, the Foot Trails are Rugged or Overgrown with Roots and
              Understory Plants

Equipment

Metal Detectors

• Camera
  • Digital Cameras: Extra Batteries, Memory Cards, Zoom and Macro Lenses
  • Other Cameras: Zoom Lense is Essential for Birds and other Wildlife
                  Macro Lenses are Used for Close Ups Like Flowers or Insects.
                  Wide Angle Lenses are Used for Landscape Shots.
                  A Tripod Might be Useful .
                  Lens Cleaner is Needed Often Out in the Field.
                  Don't Forget Extra Film !
• Binoculars
              Great for Bird Watching.
• Your Favorite Referrence or Wildlife Identification Book
               For a List of My Favorite Guides
• Pen and Paper To Jot Down Notes and Thoughts
• A Walking Stick
               This Can Also be Used to Clear Away Spider Webs that are Always
               on the Trail in Front of You.

General   

• Walk Slowly and Quietly
           Most Wildlife Will be Scared Away With Load Noise. The
           Quieter You are, the More You Will See.

• Stop Often
           You Would be Surprised How Much You Can Miss!
           Look To Both Sides, Look up, Look Down.

• Look Closely
           There May be a Camouflaged Animal or an Interesting Plant.
           Small Insects May Be on the Trees or Under the Boardwalk.
• Listen Carefully
           The Rustling of Leaves Means There is Wildlife Close By.
           A Distant Woodpecker Could be Heard Tapping.
           Listen to Wood Stretching as the Trees Sway With the Wind.
           The Sound of Water Means There is a Stream Nearby.
           Hear the Insects and Birds Calling to Each Other.
• Take in the Scents
            Take Time to Enjoy the Natural Air.
           Experience the Woody Scent of a Swamp.
           Enjoy the Scent of a Nearby Flowering Plant.
• Touch Your Surroundings.
           Feel the Different Leaf Textures.
           Explore the Trees and the Various Barks.
• Sit on the Boardwalk and Relax.
           This is My Favorite Part ! You can Look All Around You
             and Listen, Hear, and Smell Everything.
           Escape From Everyday Stress and Anxiety.
           There is a Great Sense of Peace Out in the Middle
           of A Nature Trail !  

Insects

• Insects Are Very Interesting to Watch. The Variety in Shape
           and Color is Amazing ! From a Spiders' Web to a Scavenging
           Beetle, Insects are All Over Nature Trails.
• To find Insects, Sometimes You Have to go Hunting
  • Dead Trees
           Beetles, Ants, and Other Burrowing Insects are Found in Dead
            Tree Trunks or Fallen Branches.
  • Under Leaves and Tree Branches
           Many Insects Prefer the Shade and Protection Under Leaves.
  • In and Around Air Plant Roots
           The Roots of Air Plants Provide Cover and Moisture for Insects.
  • Near Flowers
           Butterflies and Various Beetles Feed on the Nectar of Flowers.
  • On the Waters' Surface
           Several Aquatic Beetles and Spiders Can be Found Near or 
            On Water.
• Many Beetles, Caterpillars, and Butterflies are Attracted to Specific
           Host Plants. Look For Their Favorite Food Plant and You'll
           Probably Find Them !
• High Speed Film is Recommended When Photographing Insects Because
           of Their Fast Movements
• Macro Lenses are Essential to Get Good Close Up Shots

Plants

• A Variety of Plant Life Can Be Found in Nature Centers.
           Trees, Shrubs, Vines, Ferns, Aquatic and Air Plants, Wildflowers
           Moss, Orchids, Etc !
• Each Different Habitat You Visit Will Have Different Groups of Plants.
           For Example:
           - Coastal Areas Will Have Salt Tolerant Dune Plants and Mongroves.
           - PineWood Forests Will Have Slash Pines and Shrubby Understory .
• Different Plants Can Be Found in Different Places
  • Ferns
            There are Many Different Types of Ferns in Florida. They Vary
             in Frond Characteristics, Size, Shape, and Color.
  • Trees
            Depending On Where You are, Different Trees Predominate.
            Cypress Swamps Will Have Cypress Trees and Maples.
            Mangrove Forrests Will Have Mangrove and Pond Apples.
            Take Note of the Different Bark and Leaf Textures.
  • Vines and Shrubs
            These Type of Plants Usually Produce Brightly Colored Fruits
            and Berries. Many are Fragrant.
  • Aquatic Plants
             Some Aquatic Plants are Tiny and Stay on the Surface
             of the Water.
             Some are Large and Produce Flowers Like Water Lillies.
             Ferns Can also be Aquatic.
  • Airplants
             These Include Bromeliads, Spanish Moss, Orchids, and the Various
             other Quill Leaf Pines.
             Most Air Plants Have Beautifully Colored and Unusual Blooms .
  • Moss and Lichens
             These May Seem Plain and Boring at First but When Looked at
             Close up, They are Very Detailed and Amazing ! They Can be
             Very Colorful and  Have Many Different Shapes and Textures.
  • Wildflowers
             Wildlfowers Can Be Found Anywhere You Go.
             They Can be Very Colorful and the Variety is Almost Endless
             in Florida.
• Macro Lenses are Recommended When Photographing Close Ups of
          Flowers or Leaf Structures
• Wide Angle Lenses are Good for Large Trees

Animals

• To Be Able To See Animals, the Main Thing To Remember is
          To Walk Slowely and Quietly
• Animals Can Be Found in Many Places
  • Alligators
          May Be Found Anywhere in Nature Parks in South Florida !
          They Prefer to Stay Near Water or in Swamps But are Seen
          Frequently Basking in the Sun.
  • Snakes
          Seen Hiding Under Plants or Rocks. Some Stay Near Water Like
          the Brown Water Snake.
  • Turtles
          Usually Found In or Near Water. Some Land Turtles Like the
          Gopher Turtles Crawl Into Dugouts They Build.
  • Lizards
          Found in Trees, Under Foliage, or Even on the Boardwalk.
          They are Really Qick and Will Usually Take Off When Spotted.
  • Frogs
          Usually Seen Near Water or Hiding in Foliage but I Have Seen
          a Few Right on the Boardwalk.
  • Crabs
          In Mangrove Areas, Fiddler and Mangrove Crabs are Common Sight.
          They Can Be Seen in the Mud in Coastal Areas. Land Crabs
          Go Farther Inland and Make Holes in the Sand to Hide.
  • Birds
          Bird Watching is A Favorite in Nature Parks. With a Good Set of
          Binoculars or Zoom Lense, Birds are Seen in Trees, Swamps, and
          Open Marsh Areas.
  • Squirrels and Raccoons
          These Guys Can be Seen in Trees and Scavenging for Crabs on Land.
  • Bigger Mammals
          Use Caution if You Spot a Florida Panther, BobCat, or Wild Boar.
           Remember to Keep Your Distance and Respect These Wild Animals.
• Most Parks Have "Sightings" Notebooks at the Nature Center Offices or
           Building. Check These Out to See Where Wildlife Has Been Sighted
           by Other Visitors and Park Employees. 

General

• No Pets Allowed

• No Food or Drinks Allowed (Except for a Water Bottle)
• Do Not Litter
• No Collecting Allowed
            This includes Flowers, Plants, Leaves, Animals, Rocks, Shells, or any
             other part of the Natural Landscape.


• Stay on Trail
            Do Not Jump off Boardwalks into Protected Areas.
            Do Not Leave Foot Trails .
• No Trapping or Harming of Animals Permitted
• No Cooking or Campfires
• No One is Allowed on Trails Before Opening or After Closing Time
• Enjoy Your Time out There and Watch Some of the Best Trail Cameras Videos on Youtube

Children

• Stay With Your Children
             Do Not Allow Them to Run Too Far Ahead Alone.
• Watch What They Put in Their Mouths
              Many Fruits and Berries are Poisonous.
• Watch What They Touch
               Some Plants and Animals or Insects are Harmful.
• Make Sure They Do Not Wander Off
• Make Sure They are Well Hydrated and Protected From the Sun
• Dress Them Appropriately With Protective Clothing and Shoes

Plants

• Do Not Eat Any Berries, Fruits, Nuts, etc. That You Find
                  Many are Poisonous or Will Make You Sick.
                  Some Animals and Birds Can Eat Poisonous Berries That Humans Can Not.
• Teach Children Not to Eat Anything They Find
• Do Not Pick or Eat Any Mushrooms
                  Some are Poisonous and They Are Difficult to Identity.
• Stay Away from Members of the Carrot or Parsely Family
                  They Resemble Water Hemlock Root Which is Poisonous.
• Even Safe To Eat Plants Should be Avoided
                   You May Be in a Polluted Area and Plants Can Accumulate Toxins.
• Many Plants and Plant Leaves are Poisonous
                   Some Include Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Oleander, and Elderberry.
• Many Plants with White, Red, or Yellow Sap Are Poisonous or Irritating to the Skin
                   This Includes Some Cacti Species.

Animals

• Do Not Pick up or Touch Insects, Caterpillars, or Small Animals or Reptiles
                    They can Bite, Be Poisonous, or Irritate Your Skin.
• Do Not Let Your Children Pick Up Any Animals or Insects
                    Always Watch Them.
• Do Not Feed Any Animals
                    They May Be Startled or Become Aggressive and Bite or Scratch You.
• If You See a Wild Animal on The Trail, Do Not Try to Get Too Close
                    Use Your Binoculars and Keep a Safe Distance.
                    Remember That These Animals are Wild.
• Do Not Wear Strong Perfumes or Creams Inside the Nature Parks
                    Some Insects Like Bees or Wasps May be Attracted to the Scents in Orlando