Special To The Citizen

East County Water Control District (ECWCD) will hold a nature tour of Harns Marsh by East County on Wednesday, December 3 at 8:30 a.m. 

Nestled between Sunshine Blvd. and Buckingham Air Park, the 578-acre preserve, known as Harns Marsh, is one of Lehigh Acres’ best kept secrets, says Carla Ulakovic, a community project specialist with the ECWCD.

A ghost trail still tells a tale of where the Orange River once meandered through a 59-acre cypress head.

Designed in 1981 by ECWCD, Harns Marsh is one of the area’s major stormwater retention/detention facilities. Its purpose is to eliminate, or at very least reduce, flooding of its downstream neighbors along the Orange River during a major storm. 

During the Nature Tour, Cathy Olson, Conservation 20/20 Senior supervisor for Lee County Parks and Recreation, and ECWCD staff will assist participants in spotting and identifying wildlife while explaining the operation and importance of Harns Marsh.

Nature Tour participants are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes while exploring Harns Marsh on a two-mile walk. The event is open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend.

 To get to the site, head head north on Sunshine Blvd., turn left on Olive Avenue, N., left on W. 38th Street and continue west to the Marsh entrance.