Parks

When COVID-19 forced Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to close its gates for two months, the nonprofit lost critical revenue during its busiest months. The Zoo is now asking for the community’s help to recover through the ZOO-A-THON, which aims to raise $250,000 in donations by Sunday. “Many people are surprised to learn how expensive it is to maintain our day-to-day operations, even after we closed to the public on March 14. We still had to feed and care for our animals daily, as well as employ the dedicated staff who worked through our closure. We were closed during our busiest …

  If you’ve ever dreamed of beachfront living with a swim-up bar, 40-foot waterslides, and unique restaurants and entertainment all in your backyard, you just might be in luck. Crews completed the process of filling in the crystal-clear in northern St. Johns County on Monday, July 23, 2018. The 14-acre lagoon contains 37 million gallons of water and will serve as the anchor for the Beachwalk development off CR-210. Developer John Kinsey tossed a ceremonial final bucket of water into the lagoon where residents will soon enjoy swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding or relaxing along the 100-foot wide white quartz beach. Kinsey …

Remember being nine? Third grade was a magical time of discovery, before the rigors of fractions in the fourth grade, when butterfly wings wore straight pins and quartz crystals shaped many girl’s wedding imagination. It’s a building time that should be in every child’s educational experience. You can still lasso rainbows when your eyes are wide open. The has welcomed third grade students from Duval County schools for field trips for many years. These students get a hands-on experience of the work they do in the classroom. They get to investigate and see, first hand, concepts such as the difference …

After the last few years’ renaissance, inquiring minds have been wondering what is in store for Hemming Park’s future. We thought it was best to hear the update from our friends at Hemming Park directly…  Jacksonville’s Oldest Public Park Gets A New Facelift During a Collaborative Beautification Project IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE Friends of , a nonprofit organization, was contracted by the in 2017 to manage its oldest public park. Since inception, placemaking projects were implemented along with scheduled amenities and programming. Significant improvements continue to be made, including friendly and visible ambassadors and dedicated security, the addition of two stages for entertainment, moveable tables and chairs, an …

By Hallie Stevens, Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation, Inc. Dutton Island is really two Timucuan Trail parks: Dutton Island I (Dutton Island Preserve), managed by the and Dutton Island II (Dutton Island Park and Preserve expansion), managed by the . Both preserves consist of unspoiled salt marsh, pine flat woods, scrub, and live oak hammocks. The western edge of Dutton Island I is bordered by the . Eagles are commonly seen while fishing on the pier at the north end of the island. A curiosity at Dutton Island II are the random birdhouses along the hiking trails, high up in the trees. Dutton …

We are extremely fortunate to live in an environment ideally suited for getting off your couch potato butt and get actively involved. Few other places offers the variety of resources being offered here in Jacksonville. Our mayor has just announced his new Journey To One – Every One In Every Zip Code Lives Well designed as a citywide health initiative to provide, strengthen and bolster initiatives that improve personal and community health throughout Jacksonville. Improving health is a journey. There are adventures in fitness waiting for you whether it be bicycling, hiking, paddling or strolling the many trails that abound …

The 2017 at is always an amazing event with so many people from all ages, stages, and walks of life represented. For the last 16 years Tree Hill has truly enjoyed being able to put this Festival on for the Jacksonville community. And, for the last 16 years it has been a butterfly festival. Why the focus on butterflies? For this month’s article, Tree Hill wanted to highlight some of the amazing features of butterflies and why we dedicate an entire festival to them. Butterflies go through metamorphosis, the Greek word for transform or change, beginning as an egg and …