Overview Vista View Park in Davie, Broward County, is like most community parks in South Florida except for two rare things: It actually has altitude — standing 65 feet above sea level — and it has a colony of burrowing owls. The height comes unnaturally. Vista View Park is a former landfill that Broward County, with help of the Environmental Protection Agency, cleaned up and turned into a park. The open fields at the top of the park are perfect burrowing owl habitat.
Vista View Park is 272 acres all in all, offering playgrounds, picnic shelters, catch-and-release fishing, walking trails, horesback riding, a splash pad and hills that are perfect for paragliding and flying radio-controlled airplanes. And more. From a natural perspective, the main attraction by far is the burrowing owls, which Florida and the Feds consider a species of conservation concern. While Vista View was built with active human recreation in mind, there are pockets of nature to explore, especially near the lakes at the bottom of the hill.
History: The Davie Landfill, aka Broward County Division of Solid Waste No. 1, opened in 1964 and continued to operate until 1987. By the early 1980s though, it became apparent that site was a toxic mess — scientists found cyanide in an unlined sludge lagoon, lead, benzene and vinyl chloride in ground water and benzene in a borrow pit on site. In 1983, the EPA placed the site on the SuperFund list of toxic dumps. The landfill's closure on Dec. 31, 1987 was marked by a newspaper coverage and even a ceremony attended by county and city officials. The plan forward was to clean up the site and build a park on it.
Broward County opened Vista View Park in 2003 and expanded it in 2009. The EPA, meanwhile, continued to monitor groundwater at the site, removed it from the Superfund list in 2006 and declared groundwater fully met standards in 2011.
What You'll See: If you're coming to see the burrowing owls, drive to the top of the park. As you near the top, you'll see areas that are roped off. These are the burrows, some active, some not. The rope is to alert both park visitors and maintenance staff of the bird's presence. Keep a respectful distance beyond the roped area. The birds are large enough and not shy, so you'll get a good look at them without encroaching on their territory.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking at the top of the hill, plus drinking water and restrooms within Vista View.
Nearby: The Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area is about a 10-minute drive to the west. To the east are Long Key Nature Center and Treetops Park and Pine Island Ridge Natural Area. Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in Pembroke Pines and Shark Valley — Everglades National Park are to the southwest, maybe 20 minutes and 40 minutes away, respectively.
Of Note: Vista View Park is open 7 days 8 a.n. to 7:30 p.m. Check the website for seasonal variations. Admission is free during the week but a fee is charged on weekends and holidays. Again, check the website or call the park for details.
Cover Photo: A burrowing owl, of course. If you're a birder, this is what you come to Vista View Park to see.
Vista View Park is 272 acres all in all, offering playgrounds, picnic shelters, catch-and-release fishing, walking trails, horesback riding, a splash pad and hills that are perfect for paragliding and flying radio-controlled airplanes. And more. From a natural perspective, the main attraction by far is the burrowing owls, which Florida and the Feds consider a species of conservation concern. While Vista View was built with active human recreation in mind, there are pockets of nature to explore, especially near the lakes at the bottom of the hill.
History: The Davie Landfill, aka Broward County Division of Solid Waste No. 1, opened in 1964 and continued to operate until 1987. By the early 1980s though, it became apparent that site was a toxic mess — scientists found cyanide in an unlined sludge lagoon, lead, benzene and vinyl chloride in ground water and benzene in a borrow pit on site. In 1983, the EPA placed the site on the SuperFund list of toxic dumps. The landfill's closure on Dec. 31, 1987 was marked by a newspaper coverage and even a ceremony attended by county and city officials. The plan forward was to clean up the site and build a park on it.
Broward County opened Vista View Park in 2003 and expanded it in 2009. The EPA, meanwhile, continued to monitor groundwater at the site, removed it from the Superfund list in 2006 and declared groundwater fully met standards in 2011.
What You'll See: If you're coming to see the burrowing owls, drive to the top of the park. As you near the top, you'll see areas that are roped off. These are the burrows, some active, some not. The rope is to alert both park visitors and maintenance staff of the bird's presence. Keep a respectful distance beyond the roped area. The birds are large enough and not shy, so you'll get a good look at them without encroaching on their territory.
Amenities: There is plenty of parking at the top of the hill, plus drinking water and restrooms within Vista View.
Nearby: The Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area is about a 10-minute drive to the west. To the east are Long Key Nature Center and Treetops Park and Pine Island Ridge Natural Area. Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in Pembroke Pines and Shark Valley — Everglades National Park are to the southwest, maybe 20 minutes and 40 minutes away, respectively.
Of Note: Vista View Park is open 7 days 8 a.n. to 7:30 p.m. Check the website for seasonal variations. Admission is free during the week but a fee is charged on weekends and holidays. Again, check the website or call the park for details.
Cover Photo: A burrowing owl, of course. If you're a birder, this is what you come to Vista View Park to see.
