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Babcock Ranch hosts Trails Day hike

By CHUCK BALLARO 4 min read

With Babcock Ranch's concentration on environmental consciousness, it stands to reason that the town with countless walking trails to explore would be the perfect place to hold a National Trails Day hike.

Dozens of people came to the Dr. Bill Hammond Trail Head at the William & Mary Ann Smith Sports Complex on June 7 to take a 2-mile hike and learn about nature and how we must continue to live in harmony with it or risk losing it.

The Nature Walk & Talk hike was led by the town's Environmental Conservation Manager & Wildlife Biologist, Christina Kontos. She said our most precious resource is our environment.

"It about bringing people out to connect with nature and learn more about the habitat and wildlife here," Kontos said. "Conservation begins with education and that's when appreciation occurs."

People got to see the native flora and fauna during the two-hour event in the hot summer sun. Kontos was there along the way to answer questions, stopping along the way in a shaded area to share some anecdotes on numerous topics.

Kontos showed participating hikers the bat houses along the route, which are important for mosquito control, and said if one species is lost, it knocks the entire food chain and environment out of whack.

She also said that while many people are scared of species such as bears, panthers, hogs and gators, many of these animals are also afraid of us.

"Alligators are especially active this time of year. They are out looking for mates and fighting for territory," Kontos said.

Kontos also discussed the town's hog program, where they hunt for the animal in the preserves and typically capture more than 1,000 per year, which are released to a farm where the animals are eventually slaughtered and used for food.

Among the most important topics Kontos talked about was controlled burnings, which are essential to keeping species alive and to keeping the area from burning out of control due to lightning and human error.

"Controlled burns are well planned, months in advance, so that animals in the burn area can escape. Many animals rely on the burns for small vegetation and because they help increase the bug population," Kontos said.

Kontos said conservation efforts are working. When she was a child there were about 30 panthers left in the wild. Thanks to genetic restoration and creating walkways for them across highways to reduce fatalities, there are now around 230, which also helps control the hog population.

Many of those along for the hike enjoyed it. Ali McGuire, who lives in Babcock Ranch, said it was very informative and that she will continue to use the trails here.

"I was going out and trying to get a walk in on a new trail. I hadn't heard of this one, but now I'll be coming back to it every other day," McGuire said. "I learned a lot about the prescribed fires. You can smell them before you see them here. The guide was very knowledgeable."

Marge MacLennan, who as one of the first 300 residents in Babcock Ranch could be considered a pioneer, said it was a great walk.

"It was very informative. I thought I knew a lot, but I found out I didn't know anything. I've been on parts of this trail, but not all of it," MacLennan said. "I liked the information on the bats and how important they are to the ecosystem."

Built in harmony with the environment with sustainability, preservation and restoration as key design features, Babcock Ranch has a trail network that will expand to more than 100 miles of greenways, recreational trails and walking paths.

The town is committed to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and coexisting with the land's natural inhabitants, including the more than 30 indigenous species found in the area.

Babcock Ranch's National Trails Day hike joins the American Hiking Society's nationwide movement that encourages communities to get outdoors, celebrate a shared commitment to the environment, and become trail stewards on any trail, anywhere.

­NFMNL

This story appears in the latest issue of the North Fort Myers Neighbor Living magazine, available at locations throughout North Fort Myers.

Starting at /week.