OAKLAND, FL — Oakland Town Manager Steve Koontz invites you to join him for coffee and conversation from 9-10 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, at the Oakland Nature Preserve. Coffee will be served in the museum, located at 747 Machete Trail, with free parking available on site.

Participants are welcome to learn more about Town news, services, events and more. Those attending will have an opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts and ideas about various topics affecting the Town, as well as explore the Preserve after the meeting.

The Preserve encompasses 128 acres of land – 48 acres of uplands and 80 acres of forested wetlands – and includes a boardwalk to Lake Apopka with a classroom-sized pavilion on the lakefront, and a pavilion on the West Orange Trail. Signage helps visitors identify plant species, while the log cabin-style Education Center, modeled after a pioneer homestead, includes a classroom, museum, office, and restrooms.

The mission of the Preserve is to promote an understanding of the fragile balance between mankind and the environment by educating visitors about Lake Apopka basin’s ecosystems and cultural history, and by restoring and conserving the lands within the Preserve.