The Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve gives you the chance to experience the saying of old, “The best things in life are free.” Long after Disney and Orlando changed the entire area, it’s hard to imagine what it used to be like! At the Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve you can get a genuinely unique experience that – unlike most attractions in the area – is free!
You don’t have to travel far from World [sic] Disney World and Sea World to experience nature! The preserve is located close by these attractions and contains 440 acres of pristine Florida ecology. The Vera Carter Environmental Center is a building that focuses attention on the environment with programs for children and adults. Also inside are modern displays that present the local flora and fauna in the environment.
The preserve is located around Lake Tibet-Butler, part of a chain of lakes known as the Butler Chain of Lakes. The establishment of this preserve came about through the Save Our Rivers Program which was designed to protect the watershed area around the lake. The 440 acres of the preserve is part of a purchase made by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and features habitats for animals such as bobcats and foxes. These animals are not often seen by visitors who engage in a lot of nature observation and bird watching. Four miles of trails are maintained on the preserve that are a genuine learning experience through the “learning stations” posted along the way that describe the terrain.
While most of the programs sponsored by the preserve are for all ages, the art classes offered there are for adults only. There are plenty of other programs that everyone can enjoy together too such as educational programs and hiking programs that emphasize ecosystems, plants of Central Florida, and animals. Some programs even feature outdoor sports! The preserve also uses computer-based programs to help visitors learn the most from their experience.
A great program offered (in conjunction with Florida’s other nature preserves) at the preserve is the Preserve Trailblazer hiking program. When you sign up for this program, you hike the trails at your own pace for 30 miles. When complete, you get a free Trailblazer T-shirt, as well as a great experience discovering native Florida. More information about the Trailblazer program can be found at the office located at the preserve.
To get to the preserve, take the Lake Buena Vista exit (#68) off of Interstate 4. Take C.R. 535 (also known as Winter-Garden-Vineland Road) north for about five miles. Visitors should then look to the right (east) side of the road and see the entrance. You can contact the preserve at the following address: Tibet-Butler Preserve, 8777 State Road 535, Orlando 32836.
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