Northeast Everglades Natural Area: Connecting Public Lands for Nature-based Tourism

About the Program

Category: Transportation (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

In 2011 and 2014 respectively, Palm Beach County, through its Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM), completed construction of the Bluegill and Pântano trails within a network of trails and blueways know as the Northeast Everglades Natural Area (NENA). NENA links over 165,000 acres of conservation lands in northern Palm Beach County and southern Martin County and 13 activity-education centers located either within a conservation land or within the surrounding communities. At the center of this network is a major regional park – the county’s Riverbend Park – which serves as the “hub” for nature-based recreational activities within the NENA footprint. NENA’s Pântano Trail connects Riverbend Park with Jupiter Farms, a large rural-residential community, and a county natural area inaccessible by any public road. The Bluegill Trail connects Riverbend Park to another residential community, a city park and a paved path that serves additional suburban developments. These routes are completely independent of any road and, in fact, cross a large area not traversed by any road. ERM coordinates with more than 20 agencies and organizations to develop NENA trails and blueways. By using existing features such as canals, canal banks and old roads to traverse and link conservation lands, NENA serves as both an alternate transportation route and an ecotourism destination. Users can plan outdoor adventures of greater length and duration than possible if confined to any one of the individual properties within NENA.