| Pine Lake Preserve (PLP) is located in southern Lee County within the limits of the City of Bonita Springs. The 131-acre Preserve was acquired in 2000 through the Conservation 20/20 (C20/20) Program. Terry Street borders the Preserve on the north, Bonita Grande Drive on the east, the Kehl Canal on the south and Kent Road to the west.
The Preserve mainly consists of a large borrow pit lake and surrounding woods that are a mix of cypress/pine communities, pine flatwoods, oak hammocks, and floodplain swamps. The lake, especially during the dry season, provides habitat for a number of wading birds including herons, egrets, sandpipers, killdeer and black-necked stilts. American alligators have also been seen on multiple visits. During 2006 and 2007, an extensive exotic plant removal project occurred to remove the dense coverage of melaleuca trees. Additonal hydrological restoration projects are in the planning stages for this site.
Future recreational and public use activities at the Preserve will focus on hiking, bird watching and nature study. Benches placed strategically around the borrow pit will provide places for visitors to sit and view wildlife. Existing vegetation and/or plantings will provide shade and act as blinds. Although there is currently limited interest in the Preserve, the new YMCA at the corner of Kent Road and E. Terry Street may add an increased demand for recreation at the Preserve. Review the Land Stewardship Plan for more information. |
