10 Jacksonville Nature Facts

1. Jacksonville locals enjoy over 300 public parks, the largest urban park system in the United States.

2. Much of the Jacksonville area’s shoreline sits among maritime forestland.

3. The mouth of the St. Johns River opens at Jacksonville’s Northeastern edge and winds through the urban core.

4. Hundreds of indigenous species call the St. Johns River home, including dolphins, herons, alligators, and anhingas.

5. Manatee activity is often reported in Jacksonville’s canals, especially during the spring.

6. The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens, located in East Arlington, encourages native plant species to grow and thrive on the land of a former strip mine.

7. Throughout the Jacksonville marshlands, dozens of launching points exist for paddlers of all disciplines.

8. Kids love the Tree Hill Nature Center’s museum and trails.

9. Jacksonville nurtures a strong bird-watching community along the Great Florida Birding Trail.

10. In the fall, migratory right whales are often spotted in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville’s Beaches.