Originally opened in 1992, The Back Woods at MOSI contain an unusually large variety of plant and animal communities for its limited acreage in its urban setting. Included are a sink hole and populations of protected gopher tortoises among communities of pine flat woods, turkey oak sandhills, oak hammocks, and wetlands. In 1995, The Back Woods was renovated with $150,000 funded using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the "Save the Manatee" and Florida panther license plates to enhance the existing nature trails. Highlights include: An access trail for multi-able accessibility, an authentic Seminole Indian Chickee shelter/nature classroom that acts as a window to the wetlands, brochures available in English, Spanish, and German, cassette players and an audio tour, "Ecology to Go" tool boxes containing head sets, binoculars, microscopic viewers, field guides, and identification cards.
Florida Legacy Initiative
In April 2008, MOSI participated in Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative. The Legacy Initiative is a habitat conservation program developed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in order to protect and restore Florida’s rich habitats. MOSI got involved by organizing a class project with their Homeschool Environmental Science class. The Middle School class identified MOSI’s Back Woods as a habitat of high priority and decided to learn more about it. The class researched Florida habitats and focused on locating a keystone species, the Gopher Tortoise, in the Back Woods. The class located potential burrows and mapped them.
This Initiative is the beginning of conservation and restoration efforts for MOSI's Back Woods. To get involved in Florida's Legacy Initiative, please call (813) 987-6342. Learn more about Florida’s Wildlife Legacy Initiative.
Originally opened in 1992, The Back Woods at MOSI contain an unusually large variety of plant and animal communities for its limited acreage in its urban setting. Included are a sink hole and populations of protected gopher tortoises among communities of pine flat woods, turkey oak sandhills, oak hammocks, and wetlands. In 1995, The Back Woods was renovated with $150,000 funded using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the "Save the Manatee" and Florida panther license plates to enhance the existing nature trails. Highlights include: An access trail for multi-able accessibility, an authentic Seminole Indian Chickee shelter/nature classroom that acts as a window to the wetlands, brochures available in English, Spanish, and German, cassette players and an audio tour, "Ecology to Go" tool boxes containing head sets, binoculars, microscopic viewers, field guides, and identification cards.