The Trailblazer

On Sunday March 6, Ethan D. completed his Eagle Scout project at the Upper Tampa Bay Trail Con servation Park with the guidance of Ranger Kevin Anderson. The project went smoothly, and five bat houses were installed successfully. A partnership between the Conservation & Environmental Lands Management (CELM) and Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local troops was established to help build skills and encourage leadership in the youth of our community in effort to beautify and improve conservation parks and preserves. CELM staff determine needs that can be accomplished as Eagle Scout projects. A list is distributed to scouts who complete a volunteer application. Once it is determined which site and project will best fit the scout, then the scout is paired with a site coordinator. This pairing allows the boy scout to learn how to collaborate to achieve a goal. Each scout is responsible for the planning of the project. Once the project is approved, the scout must gather the materials, then...

Conservation & Environmental Lands Management (CELM) partners with Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local troops in effort to beautify and improve conservation parks and preserves. This partnership allows the boy scouts to complete their final projects with mentoring from CELM staff and earn the highest advancement ranking in scouting, Eagle Scout. The partnership is beneficial to CELM because it saves staff the time and resources that are provided by the scout. All resources for the project must be obtained by the scout. Staff from conservation parks and nature preserves provide a list of potential projects based on the needs of the site. Boy Scouts submit a volunteer application online to determine where they would like to volunteer and are provided the list of needs and locations. The scout then selects the site and is connected with site staff for scheduling. Once the project is approved by both CELM staff and BSA leadership the project is in motion. In January and February, multip...

In honor of World Wildlife Day, we thought we'd share some of the wildlife that is home in Hillsborough County. But you won't have to search hard to find signs of life, these spectacular creatures can be viewed throughout Hillsborough County at your nearest Hillsborough County Conservation Park or Nature Preserve . In 1987, Hillsborough County leadership thought it prudent to conserve land, waterways, and  wildlife   thus ensuring that these resources were preserved for future generations to enjoy. Because of the wisdom of our community leadership, wildlife thrives in our backyards. Here is a sampling of 10 mammals, reptiles, birds and fish you may encounter in the untamed, undeveloped lands of our County: 1. Alligator Alligators are large reptiles that can be found in fresh and brackish water throughout Florida. Adult alligators have 80 teeth. Females can grow to reach up to 10 feet in length and on average weigh 200 pounds. Their male counterparts grow larger with an averag...

Even if you go hiking, riding, bird watching or kayaking in our conservation parks, you may not have had the opportunity to speak with our staff. Just under 120 staff members staff and manage Hillsborough County's Conservation parks, which are spread out throughout our county. This is an opportunity to meet and learn about the people who work hard to keep the County's conservation parks thriving and beautiful for all to enjoy. Our staff do everything from mowing and fence construction to prescribed fire, invasive species removal, ecological restoration, guided programs and more! This month's staff spotlight is Park Ranger Terrell "Terry" Brownlee. He began working at Conservation & Environmental Lands Management on 11/22/2002. Before coming to work for Hillsborough County he worked in a window plant. When Terry came to the department, being a Park Ranger was a very sought after job. It seemed to draw talented applicants with pride in their abilities. There was...

Even if you go hiking, riding, bird watching or kayaking in our nature preserves regularly, you may not ever get a chance to talk to our staff. Just under 50 staff members manage Hillsborough County's over 64,000 acres of nature preserves, which are quite spread out. We want to give you this opportunity to meet and learn about the people who work hard to keep the County's nature preserves healthy. Our staff do everything from mowing and fence construction to prescribed fire, invasive species removal, ecological restoration, guided programs and more! This month we asked Travis Parker, an Environmental Technician at Bell Creek Nature Preserve, to give us some insight into his position and what conservation means to him. Here's what he had to share with us!    Travis joined Hillsborough County's Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department on May 11, 2020, as an Environmental Technician. Previously he worked for the City of Greensborough and Gilford Count...

It’s an amazing sight – a helicopter swoops low with a bucket dangling from a long line. On the ground, a wildfire crackles, running quickly through the grass. Suddenly, the bottom of the bucket splits, dumping 100 gallons of water directly onto the flames. The fire wavers, weakens, and then dies! Helicopter pilots working with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Tampa are trained to use this technique to aid in the suppression of wildfires. Helicopter buckets (sometimes referred to as Bambi buckets) can be used to pick up, transport, and drop water onto an active wildfire. This helps slow down the fast-moving front of the fire when the fire is too big, or spreading too quickly, for firefighters on the ground to safely attack. The availability of this resource is incredibly valuable to Florida’s wildland firefighters, but using a 75 gallon to 115 gallon bucket dangling from a helicopter isn’t easy – it requires lots of practice with live fire. Pilots must learn e...

The Hillsborough Greenways Committee is comprised of local citizens, local government staff, and other stakeholders, and exists to help guide implementation of the County’s Greenways Master Plan. The Committee meets quarterly, with occasional additional special meetings. Receive updates and offer feedback on various Greenways related topics and help set funding priorities among pending Greenways projects. Membership includes local citizens, representatives of local governments, and utility company representatives. The committee has 12 citizen seats, which are presently filled, but each seat also has a designated alternate who may participate in meeting discussions and may also cast a vote if the primary member is absent. The committee presently has multiple openings for alternate seats, including several at-large seats as well as seats representing particular trail use interests including hiking, equestrian, natural resources and others. Service as an alternate is a great way t...