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grow your<br />
photos provided<br />
own<br />
by jacksonville zoo and gardens<br />
Gardens at Jacksonville Zoo<br />
BY ALINE CLEMENT<br />
After last month’s stroll through <strong>the</strong> newly renovated Olmsted Gardens at <strong>the</strong> Cummer Museum,<br />
I thought it would be fun to talk about <strong>the</strong> Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, ano<strong>the</strong>r local treasure you<br />
might want to put on your list of horticultural “must sees.”<br />
I went to <strong>the</strong> Zoo recently to talk with Bob Chabot, Director of Horticulture and Facilities, to<br />
hear about <strong>the</strong>ir plans for <strong>the</strong> future. Chabot has been Horticulture Director s<strong>in</strong>ce 2005, and it has<br />
been a real treat to watch <strong>the</strong> transformation of <strong>the</strong> gardens under his leadership. Seventy-one of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Zoo’s 125 acres have been developed, and all <strong>the</strong> exhibits are beautifully enhanced by plant<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
that <strong>the</strong> animals might encounter <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir native habitat. The establishment of new gardens has<br />
naturally slowed as <strong>the</strong> Zoo has matured. As a result, Chabot has assumed additional responsibilities<br />
(<strong>the</strong> “Facilities” part of his title) that <strong>in</strong>volve him <strong>in</strong> more than garden plann<strong>in</strong>g, development and<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>tenance.<br />
I had read about <strong>the</strong> new tiger<br />
exhibit under construction, so I<br />
asked Chabot about <strong>the</strong> gardens<br />
where <strong>the</strong> tigers would be housed.<br />
He was as eager to talk about<br />
<strong>the</strong> tiger exhibit as <strong>the</strong> gardens,<br />
which will open <strong>in</strong> March of 2014,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Zoo’s 100 th birthday year.<br />
Visitors can expect to see a natural<br />
progression of Asian plant<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
extend<strong>in</strong>g from <strong>the</strong> Komodo dragon<br />
exhibit next door to <strong>the</strong> new tiger<br />
exhibit. Bamboo, palms, hardwood<br />
trees, ferns, and a variety of Asian<br />
shrubs will be featured, with larger<br />
trees provid<strong>in</strong>g a backdrop for<br />
<strong>view</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> animals.<br />
The targeted species of Sumatran Tigers will share two acres with small-clawed otters. Birds,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g two types of Asian hornbills, will be housed <strong>in</strong> two aviaries. The exhibit will also feature<br />
Babirusa and Warty Pigs, two endangered Asian pigs. Because <strong>the</strong>y like to root <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> soil, <strong>the</strong><br />
pigs’ habitat will look somewhat different than <strong>the</strong> lush plant<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r areas of <strong>the</strong> Zoo. Their<br />
surround<strong>in</strong>gs will <strong>in</strong>clude faux rock planters and electrified “hot grass” to protect <strong>the</strong> plants from <strong>the</strong><br />
animals.<br />
Besides <strong>the</strong> animals, <strong>the</strong> most dramatic feature of <strong>the</strong> exhibit may be <strong>the</strong> cha<strong>in</strong>-l<strong>in</strong>k-fortified<br />
tunnels that will w<strong>in</strong>d around <strong>the</strong> area. These v<strong>in</strong>e-draped tunnels will allow <strong>the</strong> tigers to wander safely<br />
around and over <strong>the</strong> visitors, provid<strong>in</strong>g a spectacular <strong>view</strong> not seen <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r large cat areas.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r plan <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> works is to refurbish <strong>the</strong> water gardens at <strong>the</strong> entrance. The newly-named<br />
“Century Garden,” also open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Zoo’s 100 th year, will wel<strong>com</strong>e visitors for years to <strong>com</strong>e.<br />
The Zoo’s gardens have received local and state awards, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Florida Chapter of <strong>the</strong><br />
American Society of Landscape Architects’ Award <strong>in</strong> 2007 for <strong>the</strong> Botanical Garden Master Plan, and<br />
two FNGLA Landscape Awards of Excellence, one <strong>in</strong> 2010 for <strong>the</strong> Gardens at Trout River Plaza and<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> 2012 for <strong>the</strong> Asian Gardens hous<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Komodo dragon exhibit.<br />
Stroll<strong>in</strong>g through our fantastic Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens can be almost as satisfy<strong>in</strong>g as<br />
grow<strong>in</strong>g your own.<br />
Al<strong>in</strong>e Clement is a master gardener with <strong>the</strong> Duval County Extension Service and <strong>the</strong> University of<br />
Florida/IFAS.<br />
eujacksonville.<strong>com</strong> | JULY 2013 17