By Kara Pound
Photos courtesy of the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department
American architect and educator Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
Luckily for those of us living in St. Johns County, nature is all around us. We are literally surrounded by rivers, canals, the ocean and various other waterways. We have flora, fauna, wildlife, sea life, a thriving parks system, and miles upon miles of white sandy beaches.
“One of my passions is connecting people with the wilderness,” says AyoLane Halusky, Parks Naturalist with St. Johns County’s Parks & Recreation Department. “I find that when people experience an emotional connection with the natural community, there is an understanding and kinship with the Earth that develops.”
Halusky is one of two Parks Naturalists with the county and has held his current position since 2013. Along with his fellow Naturalist Kelly Ussia, who came onboard full-time in 2017, the duo is in charge of creating, organizing and hosting a variety of programs (most of them free!) for St. Johns County residents.
“We teach about the natural community in Northeast Florida and take visitors on safe adventures through our county wilderness areas,” Halusky explains. “We also manage Florida Community Trust Parks (FCT) and have guidelines through grant agreements to monitor the park while keeping it natural through educational protection and removal of invasive species.”
As for the programming that Halusky and Ussia offer, it runs the gamut from “Walk Through Time” — a walking tour of Butler Beach as you learn about the beach’s cultural and ecological history; to the annual River Blessing — a spiritual and non-religious event inspired by the First Nations’ teachings held at Alpine Groves Park.
There’s also Owl Prowl, which is headed by Halusky and held at various parks around the county for a unique after-dark exploration to learn about the creatures of the night including resident owls. Kayak Trips are offered for a beautiful guided trip of Deep Creek.
“I see positive changes in a person when they slow down and become comfortable in exploring natural areas,” Halusky says. “St. Johns is one of the fastest growing counties in new development of homes. Everyone should take the time to get to know the area and how the natural communities work.”
The county’s Parks & Recreation Department does a lot more than host Naturalist Programs. They’re also in charge of staging community events (again, many of them free!) to increase the quality of life for our residents.
“Our mission is to provide and maintain social, educational, cultural and recreational opportunities to the community through quality programming,” explains Jamie Baccari, the department’s Community Program Manager. “And our vision is to provide recreational opportunities to enhance lifestyles in St. Johns County.”
Baccari, who has been with Parks & Recreation for nearly 17 years, says that it’s her personal passion to create free and affordable programming for kids and families in the county to enjoy, including an annual Easter Egg Hunt, the Fall Festival and Christmas Parade in Hastings, adult literacy programs in West Augustine,z and Phone Calls from Santa.
“I would love to have all of our programs be free,” Baccari says. “But that’s not always feasible. Even if we can’t offer events for free, our goal is to make them as affordable as possible so all families can participate. Being able to provide events for kids and families in the community is why I do what I do.”
To join the Parks & Recreation Department’s monthly newsletter and find out about upcoming programs, please email sjcparksandrec@sjcfl.us.