Se7en Wetlands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Se7en Wetlands |
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 Se7en Wetlands
Location in Florida
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| Location | Polk County, Florida |
| Nearest city | Lakeland and Mulberry |
| Area | 1,640 acres (6.6 km2) |
| Established | 1987 |
| Governing body | City of Lakeland |
Se7en Wetlands is a special place in Lakeland, Florida, that helps clean water and is also a fun park to visit! It's located south of Lakeland and has two main entrances: one at Loyce E. Harpe Park and another at Lakeland Highlands Scrub.
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What is Se7en Wetlands?
Se7en Wetlands is a huge 1,640-acre area. It's a human-made wetland system designed to clean water. This special place receives all the treated wastewater from the City of Lakeland. It also gets water from Lakeland Electric and Polk County.
Se7en Wetlands has been working as a water treatment system since 1987. In 2018, it also opened as a City of Lakeland Park. The area has different types of land, including uplands, marshes, swamps, and lakes. After the water is cleaned here, it flows into the Northern Prong of the Alafia River. This river then connects to Tampa Bay.
Exploring the Park
Two of the seven wetland areas are open for everyone to enjoy. There are 8.5 miles of trails perfect for hiking. You can find two main trailheads:
- The Gopher Tortoise trail starts at Loyce E. Harpe Park. It's a 2.9-mile loop.
- The Wood Stork trail starts at Lakeland Highlands Scrub. It's a 2.4-mile loop.
People love to visit Se7en Wetlands for hiking, running, bird watching, and nature photography. To keep the park safe and clean, some things are not allowed. These include alcoholic drinks, bicycles, motorized vehicles, fires, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, hunting, trapping, horses, and all pets.
The park is open every day from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
History of Se7en Wetlands
Long ago, the land that is now Se7en Wetlands was part of the Bonny Lake Mine. This mine was used for mining phosphate, which started in 1947. The mining stopped in 1984.
After the mine closed, the City of Lakeland bought the land. They wanted to use it as a special wetland system to clean their wastewater. In 2019, Se7en Wetlands received a grant of $500,000. This money will help build a new education center for visitors.
How Water is Cleaned
When the City of Lakeland bought the land, they made many improvements. They changed the land's shape, added water control structures and pipes, and planted many wetland and upland plants.
Se7en Wetlands receives about 10 million gallons of wastewater every day. This water is gently moved into the wetlands through special ditches. Water levels are carefully controlled by structures. The wetlands also get reclaimed water from Polk County that hasn't been used for irrigation.
As the water slowly moves through Se7en Wetlands, plants and tiny living things called microbes help clean it. They remove things like nitrogen and phosphorus. The slow movement of the water also allows dirt and other tiny bits to settle to the bottom. This process makes the water much cleaner!
Amazing Habitats
Se7en Wetlands is home to different types of natural areas, each with its own unique plants and animals.
Uplands
The upland areas are higher and drier parts of the park. They are full of tall pines (Pinus), strong oaks (Quercus), colorful wildflowers, and various grasses. Here, you might spot gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), beautiful butterflies, and many kinds of songbirds.
Marsh
Marshes are wet areas where the soil is usually covered with water for most of the year. Soft-stemmed plants, like cattails (Typha), grow with their roots in the soil and their tops sticking out of the water. Marshes have lots of nutrients and a balanced pH, which means many different plants and animals can thrive there.
Lakes
Se7en Wetlands has both shallow and deep lakes. These lakes are home to many types of fish and birds. You'll also see islands in the lakes. These islands were left over from the phosphate mining days. Now, they are covered with plants and are perfect places for birds like the Wood Stork to build their nests and raise their young.
Incredible Wildlife
Se7en Wetlands is a fantastic place to see many different animals. Some common animals you might see include the American alligator, the wood stork, and the bobcat. You can find a longer list of species that live here by checking out the Se7en Wetlands project on iNaturalist.
Images for kids
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A Pig frog enjoying the wetlands.
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An Anhinga drying its wings.
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A colorful Gulf Fritillary butterfly.
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American Alligators relaxing in the sun.
