Collier Seminole State Park Camping Trip

This past Memorial Day weekend, my family decided to take a two and a half day RV camping trip to Collier Seminole State Park. The park is unique with a variety of different habitats and ecosystems. Mangrove swamps, salt marshes, and pine flatwoods surround the area. Day one of the trip was to kayak up the Blackwater River. The river winds through the mangrove swamps and was full of wading birds: Roseate Spoonbills, Herons, Egrets, and Cormorants. Saltwater Crocodiles and the commonly known American Alligator swam across the river into large "cavelike" openings beneath the mangrove roots. Fish were also plentiful. Snook, schools of mullet, rolling baby Tarpon, and Seatrout infested the waters and sandbars. While paddling the majestic river, I can only imagine the importance of the mangrove swamps and the interconnected Florida ecosystems. The large fish in the sea depend on the mangrove swamps for spawns and nurseries; Alligators and other reptiles protect their hatchlings in the salt marshes; the wading birds also nurture and protect their hatchlings in the mangrove forests and prairies; and the deer and other larger mammals graze and thrive in the pine flatwoods. Viewing these natural areas always reminds me of the importance of conserving our natural resources and protecting its wildlife. I'm always happy to see families visit our wild places to introduce Florida's natural beauty to their children. It's very important families these days try to create a good impression of the Florida wetlands and other areas to their children, so we can enjoy these lands for future generations.