The Trailblazer

  Winter months are some of the best times to get outdoors here in Florida, but also some of the most stressful. Between various holidays, travel, social events, work, family, and a myriad of other things - finding the time and inspiration to get outside can be difficult.  But time spent outside is so good for us as it is mentally and physically stimulating and can benefit our well-being. We put together a list of exciting activities you can try this winter to get outside.  We hope they give you some inspiration to try something new this season! Volunteer! Want to get involved this winter? We have so many opportunities to volunteer! Early December, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program is hosting the  Tampa Bay Debris Derby , an annual event where teams get as much trash and debris out of the Tampa Bay as possible - and win prizes doing so.  The main event and weigh in is at EG Simmons Conservation Park.  In January, we're hosting our annual " Spruce Up T...

You can't hit the trails and collect your rewards without being registered for the Hiking Spree! Let's get you started with this quick and easy guide.  To register for the Hiking Spree, you'll want to have a webtrac account already made, and all of your family members added into your household. To see how to do that, see our " Adding Family Members " guide (which also includes information on creating an account).  Once that's done, you'll go to the Hiking Spree event . A link to that page can also be found on the " Registration and Trails List " page.  Click on the grey box where is says "Hiking Spree." You'll see more event information drop down.  At the bottom of that information box, click the box under "Add To Cart. "  A pop up box will show up on the bottom of your screen.  Click "Add to cart." A screen will appear where you will click the box for every household member you want to register for the Hiking Sp...

Once you've created a webtrac account and added all your family members , you're set to start registering for events and programs! Our guided hikes, swims, paddles, classes, and other programs can be found here: CELM Ecotourism Events  At the activity or event you wish to join, and while you’re logged in, click “ Add Selection to List ” At the bottom of the page a bar will pop up, click “Add To Cart” You’ll select all household members you wish to buy tickets for, then “Continue.” It may ask you further questions, like if you want to subscribe to our newsletter. Make those selections, press “ Continue ” and it will take you to the Shopping Cart and you’ll be able to proceed with check out!

 In order to register multiple people in your family to the Hiking Spree, guided hikes, or other events at once, you'll need to add them to your family on WebTrac. Creating a New Account and Adding Family First, you'll need to create an account. If you already have an account, skip these first steps. You'll click " sign up " and begin creating your account.  Once you have added all of your own information, you'll see " Additional Family Members " is empty. Click the " Add New Family Member " button at the bottom. You'll enter the new family member information for the new member. Repeat this process for all members of your household.  Once all members are added, click "continue " and your household will be complete once you verify the registration. You'll be able to add event tickets for all household members now easily.  Adding Members to an Existing Account Already have an account? No problem! Log into WebTrac.  You'l...

  The cooler weather is approaching – are you ready to get back on the trail? The tenth annual Hillsborough County Hiking Spree features new trails, new prizes, and new opportunities to get out and explore all that Hillsborough County has to offer. What is the Hiking Spree? The Hiking Spree is a collaborative effort between Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management and Parks and Recreation departments. It is meant to highlight our unique outdoor spaces throughout the county. It is one of the largest and longest running events Hillsborough County does annually. This five-month event encourages people to discover new places to hike, learn more about conservation, and be active outside. The hikes chosen for the Hiking Spree are at Neighborhood Parks, Conservation Parks, Nature Preserves, and at other sites in Hillsborough.  The wide variety of sites to is curated to give everyone a chance to complete the Hiking Spree and have a great time, regardless o...

Anyone who has spent enough time in Florida knows that our native ecosystems are unique. We casually talk about encounters with reptiles that walked among the dinosaurs, or flying insects that evoke feelings of vintage horror films. Florida is a treasure trove of the weird and wonderful, and one group of species helps lead the way. They yield sticky tentacles, grow hairs, and set traps. Sometimes resembling species from another planet, they seem to defy the rules of ours. I'm speaking, of course, of Florida's carnivorous plants. Florida is home to approximately 30 species of carnivorous plants, more than any other state in the U.S. The most notable feature of carnivorous plants is their diet, which consists of live prey. You may be asking yourself why a plant would evolve this way. Carnivorous plants are freshwater wetland species that thrive in wet, acidic soils which are low in nutrients. They can be found in habitats such as bogs, floodplain forests, and swamps. They make u...

The northeast corner of the county, where Hillsborough brushes past the Pasco line, Blackwater Creek Nature Preserve is a quietly impressive property that stands steady through a landscape that has changed less than most. At more than 2,000 acres, the preserve is not the largest property in the ELAPP system, in fact it is dwarfed by its 12,000+ acre neighbor Lower Green Swamp, but it holds a distinction of being one of the least disturbed preserves in our vast county. I was privileged enough to be given a tour of the property by Land Management Specialist Rebecca Winch, and Land Management Coordinator Stephen Raymond, during one of their many prescribed burns on the property. They explained to me the unique history of the site: “It is one of the least, if not the least, disturbed nature preserves in Hillsborough County... they didn't clear cut everything, grade it out, and then plant everything over with Bahia grass” explains Rebecca. “That means it still has a lot more plant b...