Paving the parks: Making nature more accessible in Morgan Park
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
Erosion control is provided along the new trail being built through Morgan Park.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
A Gulf Fritillary is one of many butterflies you can see along the new Morgan Park trail.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
An armadillo comes out from the brush along the trail at Morgan Park in Arcadia.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
The new multi-use trail through Morgan Park is accessible to pedestrians, joggers and wheelchairs.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
A bridge at Morgan Park crosses over floodwaters from the Peace River.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
A nonpoisonous yellow rat snake may cross your path if you hike at Morgan Park. They generally eat small mice, rats and sometimes small frogs.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
The intersection of the North Trail and the River Loop at Morgan Park was flooded in mid-October last year before the new trail was built.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
The hackberry tree is reasily recognized by the corky projections of its bark.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
A concrete mixer progresses along the path to pave the trail through Morgan Park, making it more accessible for wheelchairs.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
The purple leather flower is in the clematis family. The purple bloom surrounds the seed pod.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY CAROL MAHLER
The multi-use trail can be used by pedestrians, joggers and wheelchairs, but bicycles are prohibited.
DESOTO COUNTY — The orange metal “road work” sign seemed out of place in the grass of Morgan Park, along with a mini backhoe, and concrete forms. But I postponed my questions to walk.
Back in October, high water closed the South Trail. The bridge was dry, but the river flowed beneath and beyond. Later, the mud revealed tracks of raccoons, possums, and wild hogs. I’ve heard pileated woodpeckers, red hawks, and squirrels in the hickory and cypress trees, and have seen herons, egrets, and ibis in the shallows.
