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Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails

WELCOME !

THE JOHN GOLDEN MEMORIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PAVILION
& ECO-ADVENTURE OUTFITTERS CENTER

Hello and welcome to the UNF Wildlife Sanctuary, a great place to relax, enjoy nature or exercise. We have three well-marked trails (Goldenrod, Blueberry and Red Maple Boardwalk) which traverse UNF property and start near Parking Lot 100. Lake Oneida is an 18 acre freshwater lake with a large picnic area, an island and a bridge which is popular for fishing and wildlife viewing. Our office is dedicated to enhancing balanced use of our natural areas on campus through recreation, exploration, education and research. UNF students, checkout the Eco-Adventure link for all the services we offer to you! The Eco-Adventure Program is a big area of growth in our Department. We have expanded camping gear checkout and hope to bring a Ropes Course to Campus soon! Drop us a line and let us know how the Eco-Adventure Program can better serve you. Please enjoy it and be safe.

Vision
Conscious People in Nature Understanding the Value of a Healthy Environment.

Mission
We support University objectives by offering experiences that cultivate awareness of the natural world.

Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails:

  • Open: Daylight Hours, 365 days per year
  • Groups: Call Ahead
  • Picnic Areas: First Come First Serve
  • Visitors: Enjoy Natural Areas at Your Own Risk, Follow All Posted Signs
  • Campus Police (904) 620-2800
  • Safety: Walk or Run in Pairs, Note Red Numbered Posts Along Trails
  • Camping: Community or UNF Groups by Permit Only
  • Campfires: Not Allowed on Ground, Grills for Cooking are Acceptable
  • Report: Interesting Visitors or Wildlife
  • Habitats: Sandhill, Freshwater Lake, Seepage Slope, Pine Flatwoods, Cypress Swamp and more…
  • NOT PERMITTED: Dogs, Bikes, Motor Vehicles, Horses, Plant or Animal: Collections, Releasing or Harassment, Weapons, Camping

Rules of UNF Water Bodies:

  • Call UNF Police Department to Check-In, 620-2800
  • No: Swimming or Diving
  • Harassing Wildlife
  • Plant or Animal Collection or Releasing
  • Fishing:
  • Allowed in all Lakes on Campus
  • Catch and Release Only
  • No Live Fish Bait -- Shiners, etc.
  • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission License Regulations Apply
  • Daylight Hours Only
  • Dispose of Fishing Line and all Trash Properly
  • Boating:
  • No Gasoline Powered Motors, Electric Motors Acceptable
  • Personal Floatation Device Required for Every Person Be Prepared,
  • Watch the Weather

History
Named in for the Distinguished UNF Professor Robert W. Loftin, the trails at UNF continue to foster his memory while protecting over 500 acres of natural habitat. Today three trails are open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. Trail highlights include our Red Maple Boardwalk, the Blueberry Trail and the Goldenrod Trail. Encouraged by campus planner Hilton Meadows, the first President of UNF, Thomas G. Carpenter applied to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for campus designation as a state protected Bird Sanctuary to control hunting around campus. This designation continues to protect hundreds of acres and millions of organisms on UNF campus.

In 1973 campus faculty, students and staff joined hands with community groups to build 12 miles of Nature Trails surrounding campus. Today the remaining trails are complemented with interpretive education signs and are maintained for environmental education, research and low impact recreation. In 1977 UNF applied to the National Department of the Interior and was granted membership as part of the National Recreation of Trails system. UNF maintains that status to this date with 5 miles of trails. With over 500 acres of natural lands within the nature trail system and hundreds more surrounding the university, the University of North Florida has one of the best natural assets of any Florida university. All policies and regulations are designed to protect the integrity of this site.

Website Highlight:
Jacksonville Shells and Naturewww.jaxshells.org
Great Photos of Local Jacksonville Flora and Fauna by Bill Frank Photos part of a Molluskan survey of North East Florida

All programs begin with a discussion about what is a Wildlife Sanctuary, an explanation of the rules of the Trail, and what we will be doing during the program. All programs have an accompanying worksheet and last about 120 minutes. A large picnic area and restrooms are available, program fees range from $4 -- $6 per student, no charge for adults. These fees go directly back into our operation. Don't see what you need? Call us we can customize a program to better serve you. Scholarships available for Title 1 and 75% or more F/R lunch.


Colors and Shapes of Nature
Grades: Pre-K, K, 1
This ranger-guided program encompasses a short hike and a sit-down presentation. On the hike, children use a picture checklist to identify common natural items. During the sit-down presentation, students learn about plants native to northeast Florida and discover how animals may use these plants. Students also receive specimens of plants to use in counting, feeling and smelling.


Insects and Others
Grades: 1, 2, 3
This program starts out with a hike during which students view several insect habitats. After the hike, they visit an outdoor lab with six hands-on stations. These activities illustrate the basics of insect ecology, anatomy and behavior.


Wild Neighborhoods
Grades: 2, 3, 4, 5
By visiting different habitats at UNF we can compare and contrast the differences. This introduction to Ecology focuses on examples of how plants and animals interact and make a living in different habitats. Sites include a shallow lake margin, seepage slope, thicket, cypress swamp, Sandhill, and a "mystery."


Plant Adaptations
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6
During a one mile hike student will observe plants growing in their natural habitats. We discuss what physical and/or physiological adaptations allow plants to thrive in challenging environments. The lab activity includes examining a carnivorous plant and a seed dispersal activity.

Ecology
Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
On this 1.5 mile hike, students will observe various examples of symbiotic relationships; mutualism, parasitism and commensalism. In addition, they will take measurements in several habitats and determine their relative biological diversities.
Nature’s Detectives
Grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Students work in small teams to collect data and discover who created the tracks in the sand box. We discuss identification, various habitats, gait patterns, conservation of energy and presentation skills.