Wild Life and History at the Levy County Courthouse

The new display in the lobby of the Levy County Courthouse will present a different slant on Levy County history. The Levy County Clerk`s Office has teamed up with Ranger and Education Specialist Pam Darty from the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges to present a Centennial exhibit.

The National Wildlife Refuge System will celebrate 100 years of wildlife conservation on March 14th and to commemorate the event, our local refuges will present an exhibit featuring a storyline of the Refuge System and historic pictures of Levy County`s refuges. The first national refuge was established at Pelican Island, Florida by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903.

The Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1929. The refuge is approximately 800 acres and comprises 13 offshore islands around the City of Cedar Key. The islands range in size from one to 165 acres. One of the largest colonial bird nesting sites in north Florida is located at Seahorse Key. White ibis, brown pelican, several varieties of heron, and egret, as well as bald eagle and osprey nest in the refuge.

Established in 1979, the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge covers 52,935 acres in Dixie and Levy Counties. The Refuge occupies lands along the lower reaches of the Suwannee River beginning at Yellow Jacket Landing and continuing for 20 miles south to the mouth of the river. The refuge then stretches along the Gulf of Mexico northward 10 miles almost to Horseshoe Beach and southward to Cedar Key.

There are more than 535 National Wildlife Refuges which are entrusted with the duty of protecting wildlife and the varied habitats needed for their survival.

In addition, rangers provide environmental education, interpretation and wildlife-dependent recreation aimed toward the protection of the natural and cultural resources of our nation.

We invite you to stop by the Levy County Courthouse, 355 S. Court Street, Bronson and enjoy the new display.

Rangers from the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge posed for a picture at the Friends and Volunteers of Refuges (FAVOR) Annual Meeting held Saturday, March 1 in Cedar Key. Pictured left to right are: Steve Barlow, Biologist; Mike Mitchell, Asst. Refuge Manager; Pam Darty, Public Use and Education Specialist; and Lynn Larson, Forester. Pam is holding a baby Brazilian Free Tail bat, one of the very special visitors to the Refuges.

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