The Circle B Bar Reserve is an area of protected lands in Polk County, Florida. Comprising 1,267 acres (5.13 km2) at 4399 Winter Lake Road (SR 540) near Lakeland, it is managed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), which co-owns it with the Southwest Florida Water Management District.[1] The park was purchased in 2000 for $7.4 million using funds provided by an environmental lands acquisition referendum approved by voters in 1994.[2]
Circle B Bar Reserve
Entrance to the Circle B Bar Reserve from the Fort Fraser-Circle B Bar connector trail.
Polk's Nature Discovery Center, completed in 2008, features interactive displays about the plants, animals, and ecosystems of the reserve. The center serves as the focus of environmental education programs and explorations for families, school groups, teachers, adults, and other visitors. Construction began in 2007, consisting of four buildings totalling 16,000 square feet at a cost of $6.4 million.[3]
The preserve has been designated as a Great Florida Birding Trail site, a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Sites are selected for their excellent birdwatching, wildlife viewing, or educational opportunities. Circle B Bar contains 3.5 miles (5.6 km)s of unpaved hiking/biking trails[5] and is connected to the paved Fort Fraser Trail by the 0.6-mile paved Fort Fraser-Circle B Bar Connector Trail, which runs from Lakeland to Bartow.[6]
References
^. Southwest Florida Water Management District. November–December 2008. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
^Palmer, Tom (10 March 2007). "Ground Is Broken for New Nature Discovery Center". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
^Palmer, Tom (10 March 2007). "Ground Is Broken for New Nature Discovery Center". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
^Circle B Bar Reserve Southwest Florida Water Management District
circle, reserve, area, protected, lands, polk, county, florida, comprising, acres, 4399, winter, lake, road, near, lakeland, managed, polk, county, board, county, commissioners, bocc, which, owns, with, southwest, florida, water, management, district, park, pu. The Circle B Bar Reserve is an area of protected lands in Polk County Florida Comprising 1 267 acres 5 13 km2 at 4399 Winter Lake Road SR 540 near Lakeland it is managed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners BOCC which co owns it with the Southwest Florida Water Management District 1 The park was purchased in 2000 for 7 4 million using funds provided by an environmental lands acquisition referendum approved by voters in 1994 2 Circle B Bar ReserveEntrance to the Circle B Bar Reserve from the Fort Fraser Circle B Bar connector trail Location within FloridaLocationPolk County FloridaNearest cityLakelandCoordinates27 59 24 N 81 52 00 W 27 9899 N 81 8668 W 27 9899 81 8668 Coordinates 27 59 24 N 81 52 00 W 27 9899 N 81 8668 W 27 9899 81 8668Area1 267 acres 5 13 km2 www wbr swfwmd wbr state wbr fl wbr us wbr recreation wbr areas wbr circlebbarreserve wbr htmlPolk s Nature Discovery Center completed in 2008 features interactive displays about the plants animals and ecosystems of the reserve The center serves as the focus of environmental education programs and explorations for families school groups teachers adults and other visitors Construction began in 2007 consisting of four buildings totalling 16 000 square feet at a cost of 6 4 million 3 Circle B Bar Reserve is named after the cattle ranch that once occupied the restored wetland site It was purchased to help maintain the Banana Creek marsh area home to an array of birds such as white ibis roseate spoonbills sandhill cranes and bald eagles along with other wildlife like alligators bobcats snakes gray squirrels river otters and wild hogs 4 The preserve has been designated as a Great Florida Birding Trail site a program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Sites are selected for their excellent birdwatching wildlife viewing or educational opportunities Circle B Bar contains 3 5 miles 5 6 km s of unpaved hiking biking trails 5 and is connected to the paved Fort Fraser Trail by the 0 6 mile paved Fort Fraser Circle B Bar Connector Trail which runs from Lakeland to Bartow 6 References Edit District Joins in the Grand Opening of Polk s Nature Discovery Center Southwest Florida Water Management District November December 2008 Archived from the original on 4 June 2016 Retrieved 11 May 2016 Palmer Tom 10 March 2007 Ground Is Broken for New Nature Discovery Center The Lakeland Ledger Retrieved 11 May 2016 Palmer Tom 10 March 2007 Ground Is Broken for New Nature Discovery Center The Lakeland Ledger Retrieved 11 May 2016 Circle B Bar Reserve Southwest Florida Water Management District Circle B Bar Reserve Retrieved 4 April 2016 Palmer Tom Hikers and Bikers Can Choose Among Paved Unpaved Trails Retrieved 4 April 2016 External links EditCircle B Bar Reserve page at Polk County website Circle B Bar Reserve page at the Great Florida Birding Trail website This Florida protected area related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article about a location in Polk County Florida is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Circle B Bar Reserve amp oldid 1050830557, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
