Conservatory Park in Sarasota

Our October 22nd field trip will take us to Conservatory Park in Sarasota. Conservatory Park is a 55 acre Manatee County park with a focus on outdoor and nature-based recreation. Manatee County purchased the property in August 2004 with assistance from the Florida Communities Trust under the Florida Forever Program. Trails take visitors through wooded areas with a stop overlooking a large lake. State-of-the art physical fitness stations are found throughout the park. Because the park is surrounded by residential homes, Conservatory Park provides a sanctuary for migratory and year ‘round birds. Walking is easy with most of the trails shaded by live oaks and sabal palms.

Because parking is limited here, it is recommended that participants car pool at our new North Carpool Location at the Kings Highway Wal-Mart parking lot across from Culver’s Restaurant (385 Kings Highway). Meet here at 7:00 a.m. Travel time to this park will be approximately 1 hour. Participants should bring the usual accessories: water, sun lotion, binoculars, head cover, and cameras.

Directions to Conservatory Park: Leaving our new North Carpool Location, we will travel I-75 north to University Parkway (Exit 213), traveling west on University Parkway to Whitfield Avenue (stop light), right (North) on Whitfield Avenue  to Timber Lake Drive, left on Timber Lake Drive to Desoto Woods Drive, left On Desoto Woods Drive which ends at the parking lot.

Time-permitting, following Conservatory Park (which shouldn’t take more than 1 ½ hours), an optional stop will be made at Celery Fields located at 6893 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota, FL.  A former flood-control project, the Celery Fields has deep lakes and exceptional birding habitat, attracting hundreds of species (bald eagles, wild turkeys, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, snow geese and Peregrine Falcons) throughout the year. This site is reached by heading south on I-75, exiting I-75 at Fruitville Road (Exit 210), traveling east to Coburn Road, then south to Palmer Blvd., then driving east to 6893 Palmer Blvd.

For additional information, contact: Larry Behrens (941) 204-1708