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An Alligator on the LoxahatcheeImage via Wikipedia

Earth Day Ecotourism

I took a cruise on the Loxahatchee River with my family yesterday, and it was delightful. Not only was the weather perfect, but it combined Florida eco-tourism with research, two of my favorite activities. The Loxahatchee is accessed at Jonathan Dickinson State Park at Hobe Sound, and the tour boat was a shallow draft pontoon model which could navigate the shallower parts of the river. Even so, it was lower than it will be when the summer rains come, so we couldn't go into all the tributaries. But we did see a number of gators, turtles, mullet jumping, blue herons and ospreys nesting with their young.

I love the parts of Florida that are too often overlooked by tourists who only know about Disney and Miami. There's a big beautiful state out there, and I hope some--but not too many--tourists will take advantage of all that our parks and natural areas offer.
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