Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center

Welcome

Brooker Creek Preserve is Pinellas County's largest natural area at nearly 8,500 acres. Located in the northeastern corner but extending westward to the Anclote River, the Preserve is roughly seven miles long and one and one-half miles wide and lies within the rapidly developing East Lake region of Pinellas County. Brooker Creek Preserve is a wilderness island surrounded on all sides by urban development. It is comprised mostly of pinelands and freshwater swamps and includes a significant portion of the watershed of Brooker Creek, a major input to Lake Tarpon.

Brooker Creek Preserve is not a park, but a protected natural area. Native wildlife includes bobcats, red-shouldered hawks, wood storks, coyotes, white-tailed deer, and gopher tortoises. Many of these species are abundant in the Preserve but are found nowhere else in the county. Likewise, many less common species such as the endangered Catesby lily, a variety of orchids, Bachman's sparrows, and the tiger swallowtail butterfly find refuge within the Preserve. The size and diversity of the Preserve will ensure that the great diversity of plants and animals that reside there now will have a home for future generations. Boardwalks and trails (hiking and equestrian) are currently available for public use on the Preserve.

The Preserve opens every day at 7:00 am and closes 30 minutes before sunset.