What is happening to Florida's "protected" wetlands? "This is an exhaustive, timely, and devastating account of the destruction of Florida's wetlands, and the disgraceful collusion of government at all levels. It's an important book that should be read by every voter, every taxpayer, every parent, every Floridian who cares about saving what's left of this precious place."--Carl Hiaasen "Pittman and Waite pulled the lid off federal and state wetlands regulation in Florida and peered deep into the cauldron of 'mitigation,' 'no net loss,' 'banking,' and the rest of the regulatory stew. For anyone interested in wetlands generally, and in Florida environmental issues in particular, this is an eye-opening, must-read book."--J. B. Ruhl Since 1990, every president has pledged to protect wetlands, and Florida possesses more than any state except Alaska. And yet, since that time Florida has lost more than 84,000 acres of wetlands that help replenish the water supply and protect against flooding. How and why the state's wetlands are continuing to disappear is the subject of Paving Paradise. Journalists Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite spent nearly four years investigating the political expedience, corruption, and negligence on the part of federal and state agencies that led to a failure to enforce regulations on developers. They traveled throughout the state, interviewed hundreds of people, dug through thousands of documents, and analyzed satellite imagery to identify former wetlands that were now houses, stores, and parking lots. The result was an award-winning series, "Vanishing Wetlands," of more than twenty stories in the St. Petersburg Times, exposing the unseen environmental consequences of rampant sprawl. Expanding their work into book form in the tradition of Michael Grunwald's The Swamp, Pittman and Waite explain how wetland protection has become a taxpayer-funded program that creates the illusion of environmental protection while doing little to stem the tide of destruction.

While polar opposites in many ways - hip college town versus retiree mecca - both Gainesville and Ocala, only 35 miles apart, share a love of the outdoors. Student clubs from the University of Florida hike the same trails as Volksmarch groups from the Villages, enjoying wilderness immersion in the Ocala National Forest and scrambles on rugged terrain along the Cross Florida Greenway. With several hundred miles of trails throughout the region to choose from, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala helps you find the best. Authored by Florida hiking expert and long-time Ocala resident Sandra Friend, with 40-year Eagle Scout and Florida Trail Association life member John Keatley, this handy guide provides a fresh perspective on the region's ever-expanding array of hiking trails. Find urban places for reflection like Sholom Park, a carefully manicured woodlands in a retirement community, and Bivens Arm Nature Park, surrounding a marsh in Gainesville; both feature inspirational quotes and places to relax along their trails. Explore the vast longleaf pine flatwoods of the Ocala National Forest on the Florida Trail near Lake Delancy and the shady swamp forests of Goethe State Forest along the Big Cypress Trail. See more alligators than you've ever seen in your life in the home of the Gators along the La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Covering more than 35 hikes across a three-county region, all within an hour's drive of either city, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala gives you a reason to get outdoors now. Hikes are rated and highlighted according to their strengths from five perspectives: scenery, trail conditions, good for children, difficulty, and solitude. Author recommendations for best hikes in other categories - including wildlife watching, ancient trees, Florida Trail segments, geology, kid-friendly, and dog-friendly hikes - make it easy to choose an adventure at a glance. Add in Sandra Friend's extensive knowledge of habitats, wildlife, wildflowers, and local history, and you'll be glad to have Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala as your guide to exploring the region's outdoors.

A guide to the best scenic day hikes and overnight trips along the state-spanning Florida Trail, this book helps readers of all backgrounds and experience levels plan an adventure exploring natural Florida.

Florida visitors are often surprised by both the beauty of its trails and by the great variety of its landscapes. Although Florida doesn't have any mountains, it does offer trails with views of everything from beaches and bluffs to prairies and wetlands. In this comprehensive trail guide, you'll find some of the best, most beautiful trails in Florida. Many of the trails were converted from unused railroad corridors to become some of the best multiuse rail-trails in the state. In this guidebook, experts from Rail-to-Trails Conservancy present their final list of the top trails and rail-trails in Florida, selected from more than 100 in the state. In addition to details about each trail, Rail-Trails Florida also provides information about trail amenities, including restrooms, parking facilities, and water fountains.

Now in its third edition in six years, our award-winning guidebook to the Florida National Scenic Trail provides comprehensive end-to-end coverage of more than 1,400 miles of hiking in Florida, a must-have for planning a long hike on the Florida Trail.Mileage charts, overview maps, and descriptions of significant waypoints along the trail let you sit and plan a day hike or a short backpacking trip as well.356 pages, 106 maps. Wholesale discount available. Contact us through watulapress.com

Hiking South Florida and the Keys features thirty-nine of the finest trails the region has to offer, from wet cypress swamps to dry pinewood forests. Four sections—Short Family Hikes, Day and Overnight Hikes, Long Haulers, and Walking the Florida Keys—comprise this user-friendly guide. M. Timothy O’Keefe shares his top hikes in twenty-three prime areas, including Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Jonathan Dickenson State Park, Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and National Key Deer Refuge. Each hike includes all the information you need to make the most of exploring South Florida and the Keys on foot. Look inside to find: • Hikes suited to every ability • Directions to the trailheads • Comprehensive trail descriptions, maps, and elevation profiles • Mile-by-mile directional cues • Difficulty ratings, average hiking times, best hiking seasons, and elevation gain/loss for every featured hike • Area-specific tips on safety, hiking ethics, plants and animals, preserving the environment, and more

From the Prairie Creek Preserve to Rainbow Springs State Park, Gainesville and Ocala are polar opposites in many ways, but both offer much for those that share a love of the outdoors. With several hundred miles of trails throughout the region to choose from, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala helps you find the best. Authored by Florida hiking expert and long-time Ocala resident Sandra Friend along with 40-year Eagle Scout and Florida Trail Association life member John Keatley, this handy guide provides a fresh perspective on the region's ever-expanding array of hiking trails. Covering more than 35 hikes across a three-county region, all within an hour's drive of either city, Five-Star Trails: Gainesville & Ocala gives you a reason to get outdoors now. Hikes are rated and highlighted according to their strengths from five perspectives: scenery, trail conditions, good for children, difficulty, and solitude. This handy guide makes planning your trip easy and enjoyable!

This completely revised and expanded edition features nearly fifty hikes among the 2,500 miles of trails that crisscross Florida from the Panhandle to the Keys.

Published in cooperation with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, these regional destination guides to U.S. rail-trails examine particular states & regions, highlighting the most popular trails, those that provide the greatest recreational opportunities, & others of special interest.