Philippe Park
Safety Harbor, FL
91 degrees Farenheit, 65% cloud coverage, little to no breeze

 Philippe Park is such named due to the man who "founded" the land in 1842. However, before him the Tocobaga Indians had used the area, and created a mound made of discarded shells that is one of the few signifiers of the people's inhabitants of the land. When Odet Philippe acquired the land, he used it as a plantation on which he introduced citrus and also cigar making to the area. The land was purchased by the state of Florida in 1948.


 While walking down a trail and sitting atop the Indian mound, our professor instructed us to observe and note the various species we saw. I was able to identify the air potato vine, cabbage palms, an "ant"-thropod, a live oak, wild coffee, pine trees, Spanish (not) moss, and banyan trees. Using a Field Guide to Florida book, I was also able to name sighting an orange sulphur barred butterfly, beggar tick's flowers, and a Palamedes swallowtail butterfly.


 A beautiful park, Philippe is not the best example of natural ecosystems at work due to it's maintenance that inhibits ecological functions. However, the park is a wonderful area for residents and guests to gaze upon Floridian flora and appreciate the long and rich history of the area.

 "Why don't I get a pretty name?" :'(