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A wooden bridge is suspended in Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka, where there will be an Ocala to Osceola Expidition kickoff later this month. -
A map of the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor is pictured. -
Positively Putnam FL
Hiking, biking and nature enthusiasts are set to gather at Ravine Gardens State Park to celebrate the new designation of Putnam County as a Florida Trail Gateway Community and wish three military veterans well on their four-day journey to raise awareness of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
On Feb. 19, several nonprofit organizations, including North Florida Land Trust, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, the Florida Trail Association, Friends of Ravine Gardens, as well as sponsor and business management firm Calhoun International, plan to fete Palatka’s role in supporting the hiking experience on the Florida Trail for the O2O Expedition Kick-Off and Gateway Community Celebration. Ravine Gardens Park entry fees will be waived so more members of the community can attend the event at Ravine Gardens State Park, 1600 Twigg Street in Palatka.
As part of the celebration, attendees will learn about the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation’s “Ocala to Osceola: Operation Connect, Protect, Restore” Expedition (O2O Expedition) and meet the Air Force veteran trekker Joe Howard, Army veteran and trekker Austin Jenkins and Coast Guard veteran Brandie Dziegiel, before the trio begins a four-day journey to raise awareness of the corridor.
The veterans will explore the O2O Wildlife Corridor, a 100-mile, 1.6-million-acre landscape of public and private lands that connect the Ocala and Osceola national forests.
Attendees are invited to arrive early for a short, guided tour of Ravine Gardens at 11:30 a.m. before the lunch and festivities begin at 12:30 p.m. The event is free with park entry being covered by the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation & Florida Trail Association for attendees.
The veterans are expected to make another stop in Palatka on Feb. 21 for an Accessibility Trail Mixer at Wetlands Preserve, a local tree farming operation. David Jones, founder of SportsAbility Alliance, will share information and demonstrate how disabled veterans and others with mobility issues can gain access to the Florida Wildlife Corridor through accommodation devices.
To reserve a spot for the main event, go to https://www.nflt.org/2023/02/02/expedition-kick-off-and-florida-trail-association-gateway-community-celebration-february-19th/. For more information, contact Maureen Vicaria at 803-842-1445 or maureen@floridawildlifecorridor.org.