Palmetto Estuary Preserve

Palmetto Estuary Preserve is a preserve in Palmetto, Florida. The preserve is located directly north of the Hernando de Soto Bridge and abuts the Manatee River.

Overview

Palmetto acquired the land as part of a land swap in the 1990s for the construction of Riviera Dunes, located on the eastern side of US 41 / US 301. The ecological restoration of the area was done by Ecosphere Restoration Institute, a Tampa-based nonprofit organization. The project was the first public-private habitat restoration in the Tampa Bay region and awarded Environmental Project of the Year by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in 2002.
A solar canopy was constructed at its northern parking lot in 2016 as a partnership between Florida Power & Light and the city of Palmetto.