Friends of the Carlton Reserve 1800 Mabry Carlton Parkway Venice, FL 34292

Click for information

Here's what we've seen in the Reserve most recently in one of our ten trail cameras. Click image to pause or enlarge.

See a larger selection from our nearly 11,000 pictures here.

See what's blooming in the Carlton Reserve this season.

Photos by Steve Keddell

Friends of Carlton Reserve is planning to have a regular meeting on the first Tuesday (4^th) in December at the picnic pavilion at 4:30. Russ Johnson will send out a tentative agenda and reminder a few days before the meeting which will be posted here. Please mark the date in your calendar if you can attend.

"Sarasota"

the swallow tail kite

from the Carlton Reserve

is now wintering in South America. Here is its current location.

Click to enlarge

Carlton Reserve Update

1. Volunteers in the Save Our Native Florida Bromeliads Program relocated a fourth cage in which to sequester select plants to protect them from an invasive Mexican weevil until they can produce seeds.

2. Ten wildlife monitoring trail cameras remain in service 24/7. Since 2001, over 10,000 images of animals have been entered into a database. Click here to view gallery

3. Sarasota, the name given to a swallow tail kite from the Carlton, was outfitted with a satellite tracking device and departed for Brazil on Aug. 3. It is currently in the Yucatan.

4. New YOU ARE HERE maps are being readied to assist bikers, hikers and riders. They will be located at key locations as soon as conditions permit placement.

5. Volunteers and Friends who contributed during the Patterson Giving Challenge earned the Friends of the Carlton an extra $675.

New Carlton Reserve history pages:

Turpentine and Windy Sawgrass

Have you seen trees marked like this in the Carlton Reserve?

New photo gallery on turpentine and pine tar production: part of the Carlton Reserve's history.

Click here

New MacroPhotography Gallery

by Randy Stapleton

Surviving Fire: in Florida Scrub

16 min. film from Archbold Biological Research Station

Central Florida Backyard Bird Identification

Who knew?

The lowly palmetto (serenoa repens) may be as much as 10,000 years old!

Click here to read Florida Native Plant Society "Palmettos" issue

Spring comes to Who-ville

Great Horned Owl Chicks in the Carlton Reserve

Photo by Art Smith

Click photo to enlarge

Wonder who's watching when you're on that solitary walk?

Stan Teague photographed these secret sharers.

See other snapshots from the Reserve here.

Carlton Friends and Volunteers Honor

Bob Branson & Family

Photos by Jean-Louis Dumaine

Black Skimmers of Lido Beach

Latest and last of Darryl Saffer's Florida Field Journal films for the Education channel.

A Place To Call Home: Carlton Reserve

Debbie Blanco, Steve Christian, Randy Hurley

interviewed on WWSB Ch. 7, June 12, 2017

See what's coming to a park near you soon. Preview of coming attractions:

Sarasota County Parks Master Plan (download)

Debbie Blanco interview at Carlton Reserve cabin on WTSP:

Female Panther & kittens sighted north of Caloosahatchee River

Click Bike Venice Florida for great regional biking information!

A Catbird Reflects on

Wildlife Viewing Wildlife In the Carlton Reserve

photo of by Dave Cottrill

Click on photo to enlarge

PETS

T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve, protects Sarasota County's water supply and habitat for wildlife. It does not permit pets. Pets are permitted elsewhere on leash in 71 parklands and off leash in 5 others. Click Here for list.

The FWC believes a female panther has crossed the Caloosahatchee River, the first in more than 40 years--great news for the long term prospects for the endangered animal's survival.

Read more here

See more photos here

Need a Wilderness Break?--check out Darryl Saffer's new Field Journal episode: Wyoming Wild

E.O. Wilson explains why parks and nature are really good for your brain: Washington Post

So when the Washington Post asked Wilson what he thought about the mechanism by which these environments relax, rejuvenate and restore people. His answer was simple but pretty sweeping at the same time.

“Instinctively, without understanding what’s happening, they know that in certain wild environments, they have come home.”

The images below were captured by a trail camera before, during and after a prescribed burn to reduce fire load--note the immediate return of wildlife.

Click here for latest additions to

The Florida Field Journal

by Darryl Saffer

Carlton Reserve Featured in Sun Gondolier June 2016. Article by Beth Donofrio.

Go to News Page

Video of Leucistic (half white) Buck in Carlton Reserve.

Darryl Saffer video news:

The Evil Weevil part 3 now airing on the Education Channel, You Tube

Wildlife Photography: second in a web series on You Tube.

Notebook sketch of Oscar Scherer State Park: Florida Field Journal

"Not Long Ago," a FL Field Journal video is being screened Feb. 14, 2016 in Gainesville: Cinema Verde Environmental Film Festival: schedule

Saving the Giant Air Plant

Bromeliad Weevil Report to Florida Council of Bromeliad Society

by Dr. Teresa Cooper, UF Entomologist

February 2016 more info

Darryl Saffer has given voice to one of our own-- Grandmother Oak located in the Carlton Reserve

CLICK HERE

Darryl Saffer video essay on MRSP

Not Long Ago

Guess who turned up for the first time (confirmed) in the history of the T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve ? CLICK HERE

Dr. Mary Jelks on Myakka River State Park

oral history project Slideshow

Groups move to protect state parks

Petition: PARKS IN PERIL video:Payne's Prairie

Evil, The Weevil! part 2

Mexican invasive insect threatens bromeliads

see Darryl Saffer's latest FL Field Journal filmed in the Carlton Reserve

Starring Donna Day, Dr. Theresa Cooper and Mike Owen, click here

Photo by Darryl Saffer: Hummingbird Clearwing

You never know what's waiting for you in the forest. . .Check this out

Carlton Reserve featured in Harbor Style magazine: Seeking Serenity p. 78-88

(Excellent article overall but here are some corrections/clarifications)

Need a natural escape vacation? check out Florida's Coastal Dune Lakes

Teaching Cats To Dog Paddle? or Crossing the Caloosahatchee

Drone "Overview" of Piggy's Revenge Biking Event 2015

Debbie Blanco on recent panther sighting in Carlton--TV 10 news

Herald Tribune's Tom Becnel rides SCORR's Boldly Go Trail in Carlton Reserve

Check out Jean-Louis' latest encounter with reptiles.

Friends of Carlton members and staff recently attended a Symposium on the Florida panther hosted by UF College of Law Conservation Clinic, GreenLaw, Florida Sierra Club and the Center For Biological Diversity.

Florida Panthers May Move Farther North in State

It's Gone!! The Tucker's Camp Trailer retires.

Click here for gallery. Russ organizes Sarasota County volunteers to help Bill Lemons and his crew remove (permanently) Tucker's Camp trailer for restoration in Indiana.

Want to Hear a Panther? Click here.

Caught on camera in Carlton Reserve Dec. 2001 Track cast on display in visitor's cabin

Carlton Feb. 2010, View footprint in visitor's cabin

We are a 501(C)3 community support organization whose mission is to support the parks and natural lands of Sarasota County, Florida.

With 24,565 acres on the state protected "wild and scenic" Myakka River, the Carlton Reserve has over 90 miles of trails and nearly 40 square miles for wilderness recreation: