Lake County is one of the many areas of Florida that have become victim to urban sprawl. Still, among all of the subdivisions and strip malls, there remain places where Old Florida in its natural state can still be found.
Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area is one of those places. At 5,000 acres, it's a great place to go hiking, bike riding, or bird watching. There are miles of trails and roads that can be explored on foot, observation towers for wildlife viewing, and driving paths on which vehicles are allowed on certain days.
The Area
Emeralda Marsh is a unique ecosystem. It's primarily a seasonally wet prairie, but it is also dotted with hardwood hammocks and open ponds and lakes, providing great wildlife habitat. The area is managed by the St. Johns Water Management District and is periodically burned by prescribed fire to help eliminate unwanted vegetation and promote new growth and ground cover. It's located in northern Lake County, in between Highway 44 and Highway 42 on the east side of Lake Griffin. Access to the area can be gained off Emeralda Island Road, County Road 452, and North Treasure Island Avenue.
What You Can See
Birds are the primary wildlife that draw people to this area. During the cooler months, waterfowl including wood ducks, teal, whistling ducks, and coots are abundant. Wading birds such as ibises, herons, and egrets can be seen year-round. Bald eagles and ospreys are also there throughout the year, dive-bombing fish in the open waters. During the spring and summer, swallow-tailed kites will be circling up high, chasing dragonflies. Red-shouldered hawks sit patiently in the live oaks, waiting for mice, snakes, and rabbits to venture out in the open. Alligators, of course, can be seen in all of the ponds and sunning themselves of the sides of the ditches. Even in the early-morning and evening hours, you can spot deer and wild hogs feeding out in the marsh.
When visiting during warmer weather, be sure to come prepared with a quality bug repellant. Also, be careful while exploring on foot. There is no shortage of snakes, including water moccasins and rattlesnakes, on the area.
The Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area is also open to waterfowl hunting on certain days during the winter months. Dates and information about the hunts can be found by going to myfwc.com/hunting and clicking on "Wildlife Management Area Brochures."
Renick Seanor - Graduated from the University of West Florida in August of '09, recently moved from Pensacola to Leesburg, Florida to work as a forest ...
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