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2 comments about Wild About Florida: South Florida.

1. Travel writer, photographer and author Kathleen Walls together with her photographer husband Martin have put together Wild About Florida: South Florida describing some of the wild and natural havens to be found in South Florida. The guide divides itself into seventeen counties located on the East and West Coasts of Florida.
   
   Beginning their journey with Monroe County, the authors explore the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park that offers six miles of backcountry trails winding around lush hardwood hammocks. In Collier County we are informed that the jumping-off point for canoe trips through the ten thousand islands is the Gulf Coast Park Area.
   
   The Miami-Dade area is home to Homestead which is the gateway city to Everglades National Park and there is also the Biscayne National Park, a unique park where ninety-five percent is underwater. John U. Lloyd Beach State Park in Broward County offers its visitors a protected barrier-island ecosystem where sea turtles can safely lay their eggs. Running through much of Lee County is the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail that is designed for kayakers and canoers. You will also find in this same country Gasparilla Island State Park- one of the county's barrier island parks. The authors point out that their favorite attractions in Charlotte County is the Babcock Wilderness Adventures that "combines fun of a safari with the learning opportunities of a working ranch and throws in a lot more for good measures." It is in Hendry County that we discover Billie's Swamp Safari which gives visitors a glimpse of the Seminoles' Big Cypress Reservation.
   
   A rare free campground that allows RVs is to be found in Glades County's Indian Prairie Campground and if you are looking for a primitive campground where you will be assured of a great deal of wildlife as well as huge swarming mosquitoes, check out Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail Culvert. Palm Beach County is where you will discover John B. MacArthur State Park that according to the authors is a treasure trove for the nature lover. You will also find the Palm Beach Zoo in the same county.
   
   St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park that is only accessible by boat is found in Martin County is a good place to observe the beach flora as many different types grow in abundance. Sarasota County is where Mykka River State Park protects one of Florida's most diverse ecosystems.
   
   These are only a sampling of the many parks and settings that are mentioned in Wild About Florida: South Florida. In addition to the abundance of material presented, color photos are sprinkled throughout enlivening the book's contents. There also exists a useful table at the end of the book containing the name of each venue, its website, phone number and amenities offered.
   
   Although Wild About Florida: South Florida covers a great deal of turf, a major drawback is the absence of a table of contents, index and maps of the various areas described. I also found that instead of having subheadings describing the assortment of venues, the authors present their material as a non-stop stream of descriptions that run into each other making it at times difficult to detach one venue from the next. Perhaps a good editor would have spotted these shortcomings and rectified them before the publishing of the book.
   
   Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures



2. Florida is filled throughout with a diverse natural beauty. "Wild About Florida: South Florida" takes as its particular focus the southern tip of the peninsula and the home of the Florida Everglades. Authors Kathleen and Martin Walls have written a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide that includes the gorgeous waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the vast in variety and beautiful plant life of the whole region, and so much more. Acting as an effective and informative travel guide which is enhanced with full color photos, "Wild About Florida: South Florida" is a must for any nature lover planning a visit to the region in the future.

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