Name: Field Trip - Payne’s Creek Historic State Park
Start: 2025-01-25T09:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-01-25T12:00:00-05:00

Delve into the history of the Peace River Valley, the phosphate industry’s influence on this significant river, and its contribution to the ecological health of the region.

Phosphate mining in Florida is almost as old as the State itself. Phosphate was discovered while surveying the Peace River in 1881, shortly after the conclusion of the Seminole Indian Wars. By the 1890’s, more than 200 companies were mining this non-renewable resource in Central Florida. The discovery and subsequent mining of phosphate in the Peace River Valley has had an ever-lasting impression on the land; from the physical disruption of the river, to the construction of railways to accommodate this economic industry, which in turn shaped the development of human communities from the Heartland to the Southwest coast.
[https://www.floridastateparks.org/index.php/parks-and-trails/paynes-creek-historic-state-park](https://www.floridastateparks.org/index.php/parks-and-trails/paynes-creek-historic-state-park)

* Non-Members of FNPS may join us, but we encourage you to become a member: [https://www.fnps.org/support/membership](https://www.fnps.org/support/membership)

Although there is no charge for the walk, attendees may have to pay a park fee and also be required to sign a waiver.
\- We will begin the walk at on time\, so please do not expect the group to wait for you\.
\- If you plan to cancel for any reason\, please use meetup to do so\.
\- If we have to cancel the hike for any reason\, we will attempt to let you know by 9 pm the day before the hike\.
\- There are no on\-site bathrooms or facilities\.
\- The hike will be 1\-3 miles long over moderate terrain\. Sometimes\, it is extremely wet\, so please wear appropriate shoes\. If you do not think you can hike that distance\, please let us know\.
\- Please make us aware of any health issues you or anyone in your party may have\.
\- It is likely that we will see some wildlife\, and perhaps alligators\. In some cases\, we may walk close to alligators\. If that is a source of great concern to you\, please let us know in advance\.
\- Perhaps the biggest issue on the hike is dehydration from heat\, wind and exercise\. This can create all kinds of physical problems: dizziness\, nausea\, fainting\. We REQUIRE that everyone on the hike bring and drink their own water: at least one liter\.

**Recommended**
\- Long pants and long\-sleeved shirts for sun and/or weather protection\, as well as for walking through brush\.
\- Hiking boots or shoes with good support \(Your shoes may get muddy and wet\.\)
\- Broad\-brimmed hat for sun protection
\- Sunglasses
\- A day pack for carrying items
\- Binoculars
\- Sun lotion

Florida Native Plant Society - Serenoa Chapter

FNPS-SRQ

Travel & Outdoor

Nature Walks

Hiking

Kayaking

Nature

Walking

Native Plants

Outdoors

Chelsea Wisner dreamed of being a conservationist before she knew what to call it. Hailing from New York City, she grew up surrounded by concrete with her head buried in encyclopedias of the world’s lush ecosystems and diverse wildlife, cultivating a deep desire to experience and protect them. She pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behavior, Ecology & Conservation at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, where she graduated magna cum laude. Upon graduating, Chelsea worked her way across the country exploring different avenues of conservation, from environmental education and animal husbandry to research and endangered species management.

Florida’s outstanding uniqueness beckoned her back to permanently put down roots along the Peace River in 2018. She has been privileged to work in some of Florida’s most inimitable ecosystems: from the remnant morsels of dry prairie, to the exceptionally biodiverse Lake Wales Ridge all the way to the strand swamps and sawgrass seas of the Everglades. In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys kayaking, native gardening, doting on her dogs, and arguing about the latest and best land management practices with her husband, who is also a professional conservationist.

Field Trip - Payne’s Creek Historic State Park

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