Ft. Clinch State Park & Egans Creek Greenway

This trip will be led by members of the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks; Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry; City of Fernandina Beach; The Nature Conservancy, Northeast Florida Program; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation; and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

This group will tour historic Ft. Clinch and then learn about the invasive Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, which introduces a fungus into redbay trees, causing a fatal disease called Laurel Wilt. Then, travel through the park property to observe how management practices have kept invasive plants to a minimum.

Next, the group will drive to see adjacent private properties along the outer fringe of Ft. Clinch State Park where they will see examples of non-native invasive plants common to NE Florida and learn about developments in partnering with private landowners on controlling invasives. Then, off to walk the Egans Creek Greenway where attendees can hear from experts on the control of invasives. While touring the Egans Creek Greenway, attendees will also be led through a plant identification walking tour, which will describe an assortment of native plants and non-native invasive plants.

Ft. Clinch, named for General Duncan Lamont Clinch, is one in a system of permanent coastal fortifications once planned by the federal government. Construction of Forth Clinch began in 1847. Confederate forces occupied the fort briefly during the Civil War until the largest amphibious landing at that time by the United States military overtook the fort for the Union. Far from major battles of the war, soldiers' duties included fort construction. Garrisoned for only a few more years, the fort became obsolete, not able to withstand destruction by new weapons. It was placed on caretaker status in 1869. In spite of its obsolescence, Ft. Clinch was called to duty again during the Spanish-American War (1898) and was used during World War II as a communications and security post.

A part of the park system since 1935, Ft. Clinch is one of the most well-preserved 19th century forts in the country. During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps began preserving and rebuilding many of the structures of the abandoned fort. The park is named for the fortress made of almost five million bricks that guards the entrance to Cumberland Sound. Attendees will surely satisfy their taste for history and historical architecture.

The Egans Creek Greenway, located on the northern end of Amelia Island, Florida, was opened for public use in the summer of 2000 as an undeveloped park for passive recreational use. Funding for land acquisition was provided by Florida Communities Trust and the City of Fernandina Beach. It consists of over 300 acres of protected lands running north to south along Egans Creek, managed by the City of Fernandina Beach. Its grass-covered roads are suitable for walking and bicycling and its environment exhibits a variety of natural wildlife and vegetation.