Take time to teach the kids about the birds and the trees

In our busy, mall-and-movie-theater world, it is increasingly difficult to find opportunities to expose our kids to nature. But it's not impossible. Florida provides many excellent and varied natural environments to explore. Try a weekend nature tour to nearby Naples, where although development is rapidly expanding the population, residents approved a $100 million bond issue to buy and protect native lands. So today's toddlers will still be able to see what a wild forest or wetland looks like, panther babies and black bears will have somewhere besides the zoo to live, and passing birds will continue to roost in the treetops. Protecting the tree canopy helps keep the land cool and the air fresh, too.

The Audubon Society recognized those values more than 40 years ago when members bought acres of land, now called Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, near Naples. Audubon has constructed a boardwalk for visitors to learn about some 200 species of birds who pass by what is now the largest stand of old cypress in the nation. Children and adults can learn all about the ecosystem of the Everglades and surrounding area in a uniquely designed video presentation before taking the 2.5-mile walk or a shorter version of the trail. Wheelchairs are provided for those unable to walk, and the handrail was carefully constructed so that it does not obscure the view from a passing chair.

Fun at the Beach (and Golf, Too)
The Ritz-Carlton Beach and Golf Resorts -- both in Naples - offer special programs for children. At the new golf resort, kids can golf with their parents, or partake of special-occasion teas in the afternoons. Or they can join the Ritz-Kids program at the beach resort.

Children visiting the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort can spend hours watching colorful tropical fish - caught just offshore - flutter about their wall-sized tank in the hotel nature center, where ecologist Mark McManus conducts nature studies and tours of area parks and beaches. Guests can follow a self-guided nature tour of the grounds to learn more about native plants and trees. Another great beach spot is Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area., along the shore of the barrier island. The park offers a long row of beach with picnic areas, showers and an observation tower. We sat on a bench under the sea grape trees watching the sun set over the shoreline. A bald eagle agreed that the view was good, and rested awhile in the tall pine trees above us.

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			Additional spots to savor Naples' natural environment

If you'd rather fish in the deep sea, you can rent a boat or find a fishing guide at Wiggins Pass Marina. Captain Rob Modys specializes in offering fishing trips for kids and their parents on his 18-foot charter. Modys will take anglers, shell seekers and scenic routers to the barrier islands of the Gulf of Mexico including Sanibel, Captiva and blessedly undeveloped Cayo Costa State Park.

Or, if you're comfortable behind the wheel of a boat or at the paddles of a canoe or kayak, you can chart your own path through the mostly peaceful waters along the southwest coastline. Those who wish to explore the shell mounds may choose to travel with Estero Bay Boat tours for information about the area's earliest inhabitants, the Calusa Indians.

An airboat more your speed? Ann and Ski Olesky have offered airboat tours of Lake Trafford since 1976. This 1,500-acre Everglades lake is still surrounded by wilderness. The couple live on the lake with their own reptile menagerie and exotic birds. The tour costs $30 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under, but Ski Olesky says they offer half-price for "locals."

Animals Up Close
If a canoe tour through the mangroves has more appeal, visit the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where kids get in free the first Saturday each month. The small museum and nature center offers environmental history, workshops and classes for those interested in learning how to protect the natural environment. Trail hikes and boat tours introduce visitors to wild flora and - if you're lucky - a little fauna. A gift shop provides educational materials for later.

Feel more like a walk on the wild side? Visit Caribbean Gardens: The Zoo in Naples. One of the best things about family-owned Caribbean Gardens is its stance on environmental issues. Unlike some animal showcases that seem more interested in exploiting wild animals solely for profit, the keepers at Caribbean Gardens go to great lengths to educate visitors about the importance of preserving and protecting endangered species and habitats around the world. Resources are offered throughout the Safari Canyon presentation, encouraging guests to take information home and join the ranks who can make a difference for the future of animals, plants, the earth and humans.

After the show a walking tour of the 52-acre garden planted in 1919 takes visitors past several outdoor enclosures, where African wild dogs, zebras, hyenas, lions, cougars, leopards, kangaroos and alligators live. Board the Primate Expedition Cruise on Lake Victoria to view the island huts and habitats of a variety of chimpanzees, monkeys and apes, living pretty much as they would in their natural homes.

Trish Riley is a freelance writer who specializes in health and the environment. She lives in Sunrise.