Jacksonville, FL (February 2, 2017) Have you heard of our great local city park, the Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve?
Date of Acquisition: April 30, 2001: Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve (2,007 acres); December 13, 2004: Inholding/Donation (24 acres) Cost: Julington-Durbin Creek: $16,561,815
Funding Source: Julington-Durbin Creek (LA# 1990-011): The District and the City of Jacksonville (City) each contributed 25% of the purchase funds and the Board of Trustees for the Internal Improvement Fund for the State of Florida (State) contributed the remaining 50%. The District holds 25% title to the property and the State holds the remaining 75%.
Management Partners: The District and City are co-managers. The District is responsible for natural and cultural resource management and the City is responsible for public access and recreation management. The City and District work together on all management issues as necessary. A cooperative agreement has been executed.
The Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve is more than 2,000 acres contained by Durbin and Julington Creeks in southern Duval and abuts St. Johns County. Tucked behind a shopping center and hidden among sprawling condominium complexes, a slice of uncultivated land provides a serene setting in an area booming with development.
The Preserve is located on a peninsula formed at the confluence of Julington and Durbin Creeks and has approximately nine miles of shoreline along the two creeks. The peninsula is a long sandy ridge that grades into floodplain swamp and marsh along the creeks’ shores. The uplands are dominated by sand hill along the crest of the peninsula grading to mesic flatwoods along the flanks of the ridge. This area is accessible for a large and diverse population of passive recreation users. Activities allowed on site include hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, bicycling, canoe/kayaking, and nature study. Hikers can choose from several trails with varying distances. The preserve is also home to many native and exotic species of plants and animals. Known wildlife at the preserve include bald eagle, osprey, gopher tortoise, bobcat, turkey, deer and numerous species of wading and songbirds. Manatees seasonally swim in both creeks
Since its acquisition in 2001, the city has added a parking area, hiking paths, park benches and a bridge to encourage city residents to visit the preserve. The preserve is now accessible on Bartram Park Boulevard off of St. Augustine Road. Recently, QR codes were placed on signs for access to trail maps from cellphones, and a video was made to gain exposure for the preserve.
Address: 13130 Bartram Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32223
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