Nature Coast

The **Nature Coast** is a region of the U.S. state of Florida.  It is made up of the Big Bend (Florida) area of the western coast and includes Citrus, Dixie, Hernando, Jefferson County, Pasco County, Levy County, Taylor County, and Wakulla County counties. This area of Florida is southern culturally, with the Deep South culture reaching to Levy County with the lower southern end (Pasco, Hernando, and sometimes Citrus county) often considered part of the Tampa Bay Metropolian Area. Pasco County is sometimes considered part of the Sun Coast.

## The history of the Nature Coast

The history of the name "The Nature Coast" goes back to 1991 as part of a marketing campaign to attract vacationing people to the nine county area, the name "Nature Coast" caught on quickly and describes the area previously known as the "Big Bend" of Florida.
St. Petersburg Times article, St. Petersburg Times - Feb 23, 1994

## Wildlife and nature

Common activities in this area are hunting, fishing, boating, bird watching, and nature hiking. Snorkeling spots are found in the rivers along the Nature Coast. Also diving and Manatee tours, predominate in areas such as Crystal River, Homosassa and Homosassa Springs.

The Nature Coast is also home to wildlife such as deer, wild pigs, roseate spoonbills, alligators, raccoons, opossums, snakes,  great blue herons, egrets, turtles and countless others, including at least 19 endangered species.

## Additional information and facts about The Nature Coast

The NatureCoast covers 8 different counties and 1 partial county (Dunnellon is a part of Marion County). It encompasses .
There are also 50 Golf Courses located within these counties

#### Citrus

- • Crystal River Archaeological State Park
- • Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
- • Crystal River Preserve State Park
- • Hitters Hall of Fame
- • Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
- • Lake Rousseau
- • Ted Williams Baseball Museum
- • Withlacoochee State Trail
- • Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins State Historic Site

#### Hernando

- • May-Stringer House
- • Weeki Wachee Springs
- • Nature Coast Botanical Gardens

#### Jefferson

- • Letchworth Mounds

#### Levy

- • Cedar Key Museum State Park
- • Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve
- • Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge
- • Fanning Springs State Park
- • Manatee Springs State Park
- • Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park
- • Goethe State Forest
- • Devil's Hammock Wildlife Management Area

#### Marion

- • Rainbow Springs State Park

#### Pasco

- • Pioneer Florida Museum

#### Taylor

- • Forest Capital Museum State Park

#### Wakulla

- • Bald Point State Park
- • Bradwell Bay Wilderness
- • Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
- • Ochlockonee River State Park
- • San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park
- • St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
- • Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad Trail State Park

## References

- Robert Painter, Writer & Photographer (1995)
- information provided from State Of Florida and Department of Tourism (2006)
- Literature from the Homossassa State Park, brochures and pamphlets (2005-2007)
- Citrus County Chamber and Naturecoast Chambers Of Commerce including information and literature provided by: Cedar Key Chamber, Citrus County Chamber, Dixie County Chamber, Dunnellon Area Chamber, Greater Dade City Chamber, Greater Hernando County Chamber, Perry-Taylor Chamber, Wakulla County Chamber Historical Wakulla County Courthouse (records and information), West Pasco Chamber, Citrus County Tourist Development Council, Levy County Development Authority and Economic Development Council, Hernando County Tourist Development Council, Wakulla County, Taylor County, literature and information (2004-2006)

## Other websites

- http://www.nmia.com/~allwayst/Florida'sNatureCoastSteinhatchee.html
- http://naturecoastcoalition.com/index.htm  The Visual Spectrum (Publishers)