Sarasota County has a new outdoor destination, and it comes with a comeback story. The Southeast Quad, an 11-acre nature preserve next to the Celery Fields, opens to the public Saturday, October 24, with a free celebration from 9 a.m. to noon featuring guided tours, birdwatching, children’s activities and educational talks.
The land was once eyed for light industrial development. In 2019, Big Waters Land Trust and the Sarasota Audubon Society partnered to conserve it and rewild the parcels for people and nature. Since then, more than 21,000 trees and shrubs have gone in the ground, along with a new pond and trail system. The results are measurable: bird populations at the site have increased by about 50% since restoration began.
This is only phase one. The full project spans 28 acres across three parcels next to the 440-acre Celery Fields, and the next phase, the Southwest Quad, will add restrooms, parking, picnic pavilions and a nature playground. Saturday morning is the perfect time to see it for yourself, binoculars optional but recommended. Will you be there for opening day?
