Rye Preserve - Upper Manatee River and Florida Scrub ecosystem: Meet at the picnic pavilion prepared to ford the shallow Rye Branch creek. Discover the ancient history of the Florida Scrub community, and the more recent pioneer settlement as we visit the Rye Family Cemetery.

    Directions to Rye Wilderness Park: Take SR 64 east: 4 mi. east of I-75 to Rye Rd.

      Turn north on Rye Rd. and proceed about 4 miles. You will go over Manatee River (small bridge) Entrance to Rye Wilderness Park is on right just past bridge.

      (Do not be confused by the brand new development with the same name, "Rye Wilderness," about 3 miles down Rye Rd. Continue past this subdivision to the bridge.)

Felts Audubon Preserve - This 30-acre preserve on the corner of Experimental Farm Road & 24th Avenue East in Palmetto was passed on to the Manatee Audubon Society by Otis Felts upon his death in 2002. The Audubon Society is restoring it to its natural ecosystems and planning to use it as an environmental education center.

Coquina Baywalk at Leffis Key - This bayside restoration park is now the newest Manatee County Conservation Land. Join us for a walk through the mangrove forest and look for osprey, fiddler crabs and migratory birds!

Duette Preserve - This tour focuses on local "Vanishing Ecosystems": Florida scrub and Florida dry prairie. This is a restoration project in progress and provides a wonderful opportunity to see "before and after" efforts to preserve these special systems. This park is located about 26 miles East of I-75. Meet at Rye Wilderness Park and we will carpool to Duette Preserve.