Thursday, May 6, 2021

Estero Island Garden Club visits Lovers Key



On May 4, 2021, members of the Estero Island Garden Club had a private viewing of the new Welcome and Discovery Center at Lovers Key State Park in Bonita Springs, Florida. Lovers Key is a 712-acre Florida State Park located on Lover's Key and three other barrier islands—Black Island, Inner and Long Key. Lovers Key State Park has it all: 

--swimming in the Gulf of Mexico along the 2 ½ miles of sugar-sand beaches; 
--bicycling or hiking on the 5 miles of wooded trails; 
--kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding in the 2 ½ mile estuary; 
--fishing from the bridges inside the park or from the shoreline of the beach; 
--reserving a campsite for an overnight or extended stay; 
--getting married in a picturesque setting of natural beauty.


Welcome Center

From the outside, the Welcome Center is drop-dead gorgeous. It is very sleek and modern, but the delicate pillars, meant to represent mangroves,  belie the capacity of the center to withstand the winds of a category 5 hurricane. The center was ten years plus in the developmental stages.  Throughout inception to realization, the driving force of the park has always been stewardship of our natural resources


Welcome Center


Welcome Center

Underneath the building are an outdoor classroom, a picnic area and gardens.


Outdoor classroom, where members of our group assembled before the tour


Bonnie in the outdoor classroom


Our docent for the Garden Club visit was volunteer Louise Kowitch, Education Coordinator for Friends of Lovers Key. The official opening of the Welcome Center is May 15, but our club was given the opportunity for a sneak peek beforehand.



Garden with botanical plant names displayed beside each plant


Garden with trellises for climbing plants


Our group observing the garden


Carol and Ethel on the garden path



Ethel and wooden tortoise sculpture


Alligator at the foot of the up ramp to the Welcome Center


Alligator sculpture in front of the graceful pillars


The up ramp continues around three tall pillars


The up ramp continues with the parking lot in the background


The up ramp rounds the corner
 

Louise welcomes our members to become Friends of Lovers Key, which is the organization responsible for supporting and preserving the park, as well as for bringing the Welcome Center to fruition. 


There are also programs offered at the center which promote environmental education and stewardship. During the summer,  Lovers Key offers day camps exploring Florida’s coastal ecology for youngsters ages 6-17. 


Members of our group in the community room

The interior of the Welcome Center has a community room, restrooms and an interactive education room, containing exhibits showcasing the park’s flora and fauna. 


Paula and Bernadette in front of artwork


Crocodile partially submerged


Katie, Ethel and Margaret in the community room


Interactive map of the state park in the education room


Ginny in front of a future exhibit


Beach critters display


Shell display


Bobbi and Sienna


Gift shop artwork


Egret photo in gift shop


Gift shop pictures of sea life


Wooden sculpture in the gift shop


Panoramic view from a corner of the education room

For more information on program offerings or to become a volunteer,  visit: www.friendsofloverskey.org