March 10th – Myakka Park On Monday we visited Myakka River State Park, one of the oldest and largest parks in Florida. The river itself is designated a Wild and Scenic River. The park is a wildlife sanctuary, not a zoo or a botanical garden, so it is not outwardly beautiful, and animal sightings are not guaranteed. We took both the guided boat tour and the tram tour and we learned a lot about the native plants and animals as well as the history of the area. Originally, the 28,000-acre tract was a fertile prairie, ideal for cattle ranching. Today, due to various factors, most involving human intervention, the area is quite different. So now the State of Florida has several programs in place to either reverse the changes or at least maintain the status quo.
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