By-Line: Julie Murphy, Flagler County Government
Flagler County Land Management invites a limited number of residents to its guided tour series called a “Walk in the Park.” The next walk will be held at Princess Place Preserve in an area that is called the Sandhill Section.
This tour begins at 9 a.m. sharp on April 16 and is limited to eight (8) registrants. Participants are asked to arrive a little early (8:45 a.m.) for the safety briefing, and additional details about the two-hour hike. The hike is described as “easy” – on sandy trails and service roads.
Forestry Supervisor Ralph Risch will guide the walk.
“In this hike, we will look at overgrown sandhill habitat that has become upland hardwood hammock, and restored, healthy sandhill, a unique and increasingly rare Florida habitat due to fire suppression and conversion to citrus,” Risch said. “We will examine the plant species typical of sandhills, such as wiregrass, turkey oak, and longleaf pine, and discuss some of the animals that can be found there. This includes the striped newt, for which Princess Place Preserve and the adjacent Pellicer Conservation area are the third largest population in the world based on the number of breeding ponds these threatened amphibians use. Additionally, many spring migrant birds will be there as they stop to forage on their way north.”
Participants who register (an account must be created) – and sign the two waivers: liability and photo/video release – will meet at 8:45 a.m. at the park’s equestrian parking area, roughly 1.25 miles from the entrance. Registration is open through April 15.
Those who are participating should:
- Expect a two-hour hike
- Bring a personal water bottle for hydration
- Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes
- Use sunscreen and insect repellent as preferred
- Bring binoculars for enhanced bird-watching
Directions:
- Go north along Old Kings Road from Palm Coast (currently, the exit to Old Kings off U.S.1 is closed, so use Old Kings from the south instead). Or, take the Matanzas Woods Parkway east from U.S. 1 and then north on Old Kings Road.
- At the Princess Place Preserve sign, turn east into the preserve.
- Drive east about one mile to the open gate through the wooden fence and go through that gate.
- Drive about another ¼ mile and the equestrian parking area will come up left/north side – park there.
