Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve
Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve, also referred to as Upper Cotee Preserve, is a 129-acre area of protected land in Pasco County, Florida. It includes 69 acres of bottomland forest by the Pithlachascotee River and the Ryals Branch, a tributary that crosses the site.[1] The park includes a Cypress tree believed to be between 200 and 300 years old, a specimen listed in the Historic Places of Pasco County.[2] It was the first property purchased through the Pasco County's ELAMP program with funding from the "penny for Pasco" sales tax.[3] It includes sandhill habitat,[3] upland mixed forest and freshwater marshes.[1] The Upper Cotee Preserve is located at 17135 Minneola Drive and includes a nature center, boardwalk and hiking trail.[4] The area provides habitat for deer, wild turkey, gopher tortoises, barred owl, red-shouldered hawks, the Florida mouse, gopher frog, little blue heron and snowy egret.[1][2]
Trail map
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Upper Pithlachascotee Preserve Pasco County
- ^ a b Pasco Unveils Upper Cotee River Preserve June 24, 2008 Adventures of a Pasco Tourist; A chronicle of the coolest places to visit in Pasco County
- ^ a b Upper Cotee Preserve (video) Pasco County Tourism Department
- ^ Upper Cotee Preserve Tampa Tribune
28°20′31″N 82°32′01″W / 28.3419°N 82.5335°W
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