Visitors to the Emerald Trail S-Line Rail Trail now have a new resource to help them enjoy this portion of the Emerald Trail in a more interactive and informed way. GWJax intern, Alexia Maier, a student at the University of North Florida majoring in Health Science, has created a field guide that is intended to turn the S-Line Biodiversity Corridor into a public classroom for educators and visitors alike.
The S-Line Rail Link Biodiversity Corridor Field Guide derived from Alexiaā€™s time studying with the Institute of Environmental Research and Education’s Environmental Leadership Program. Alexia submitted the project in the 2022 ELP Spring Symposium and won best poster for her work.
The guide includes details about the S-Lineā€™s herb and spice, and pollinator gardens, native plants that help manage the areaā€™s storm water runoff, how to identify invasive species like air potatoes, and much more. The guide also includes various activities visitors can adopt at home, to bring the environmental innovation from the S-Line to their residential communities.
AlexiaĀ centered the Jacksonville community in her design stating, “We thought about how educators could use the guide, as well as other members of the community. I hope that it impacts the city as a whole by providing the community with an opportunity to use public greenspace to learn, play, and grow together. Most of all, I hope that it is an opportunity for members of our community to get excited about their surroundings again.”
The S-Line Rail Link Biodiversity Corridor Field Guide was produced in partnership with the City of Jacksonville with funding from TD Bank, the Arbor Day Foundation and the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board.
