Oscar Scherer State Park

History

The park's genesis was in 1955, when Elsa Scherer Burrows, owner of the 462 acre South Creek Ranch, died. She stipulated in her will that the land was to be used only as a public park, for public recreation, and a wildlife sanctuary. It was to be dedicated to the memory of her father, Oscar Scherer, who achieved great success in the leather-tanning business. The park opened to the public in summer 1956.

In 1986, Jon Thaxton, a realtor and environmentalist, started work to protect neighboring Florida scrub jay habitat. In 1992 this resulted in 922 acre being added from the adjacent Palmer Ranch that had been among the holdings of Bertha Honoré Palmer, in large part due to the Nature Conservancy, public support, and the use of Preservation 2000 funds, expanding the park's size to 1384 acre. It was also the state's first Florida Forever land acquisition.

In September 2008, in recognition of National Public Lands Day, Lee Wetherington, a local developer and long-time park supporter, donated an additional 16.6 acre of land to the park, including the buffer property adjacent to the Willowbend subdivision (a Wetherington development), bringing the total park size to 1400 acre.

Biology

Flora

The habitats that are part of the park are pine flatwoods, scrubby flatwoods and the hardwood hammock surrounding South Creek. A variety of other plants exist within the park, like blueberry, persimmon, wild grape, cabbage palm, coontie, wax myrtle, prickly pear cacti, blackroot, beautyberry, mangrove trees and giant leather ferns (Acrostichum danaeifolium).

Fauna

Land and aquatic inhabitants include bobcats, rabbits, foxes, North American river otters, American alligators, eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi), gopher tortoises and gopher frogs.

The park is one of the few places in the state where there are enough scrubby flatwoods for the Florida scrub jay to maintain a healthy population. Other birds that can be seen in the park are bald eagles, ospreys, warblers, woodpeckers, egrets, and the great blue and little blue heron.

The 3 acre freshwater Lake Osprey has bream, bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish, among others. South Creek is brackish, so it can contain saltwater fish.

Various butterflies can be seen in the park including the zebra swallowtail whose caterpillars feed on pawpaw (Asimina).

Recreational activities

The park beaches, bicycling, boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, picnicking, snorkeling, swimming and wildlife viewing. It also has an interpretive exhibit and visitor center. The Legacy Trail, which runs on a former railroad route, also runs through and connects with the park.

References

References

1. "Living Sanibel: Oscar Scherer State Park".
2. "Oscar Scherer State Park".
3. Walker, T.. "Oscar Scherer State Park".
4. "Burrow's Legacy Included Oscar Scherer State Park".
5. "History".
6. (December 31, 2024). "Around Town - Jon Thaxton".
7. "Lee Wetherington Companies Donates 16.31 Acres of Land to Oscar Scherer State Park".
8. "Essential Info for Enjoying Oscar Scherer State Park". SagaCity Media.
9. (2016-09-12). "Oscar Scherer State Park".
10. "Oscar Scherer State Park {{!}} Visit Sarasota".
11. "Trail Closings for Controlled Burn in Oscar Scherer State Park {{!}} Friends of The Legacy Trail".
12. "Let’s Go for a Hike at Oscar Scherer State Park". SagaCity Media.
13. "Oscar Scherer State Park is both a recreational park and a wildlife preserve.".