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Natural Area Teaching Laboratory

Natural Area Teaching Laboratory

a boardwalk running through a cypress swamp
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  • Rules for Using NATL
  • Users and Uses
  • Audio Tours
  • QR Trail

Nature Trails

On your next trip along NATL's nature trails, consider listening to one of our Self-Guided Audio Tours. These tours were recorded by former NATL team members and are a great way to learn about the four ecosystems found within the conservation area. 

The map below of NATL-west includes four of the areas with complementary tours: Upland Pine, Old Field, Upland Hardwood Forest (Hammock), and SEEP. The black lines are routes between trailheads and between the Cultural Plaza and trailheads. Kiosks are positioned at entry points to the trails. Each kiosk has a panel with information appropriate to that portion of the trail system.

A map of the natural area teaching laboratory

The public and university community are encouraged to explore the four distinct habitat types accessible by NATL's nature trails. Three of the trails feature NATL's upland ecosystems: Upland Pine, Old-Field Succession, and Upland Hardwood Forest [Hammock]. The fourth trail features the Stormwater Ecological Enhancement Project [SEEP] and has a 500ft elevated boardwalk across this ecologically engineered stormwater retention basin.

Each upland trail is approximately one-quarter of a mile and takes 5-15 minutes to trip--a good lunchtime stroll. The SEEP trail loop is about half a mile. There are picnic tables in Natural Area Park and all trails are easily accessible from there or from the Cultural Plaza with its museums and Camellia Court Café.

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Entomology and Nematology Department
1881 Natural Area Drive, Steinmetz Hall | Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 273-3901

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