At the regular St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners meeting on June 17, the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Department inducted the late Beverly Fleming into its Hall of Fame.
Fleming was inducted for her years of dedicated service to Parks and Recreation and her community, working as St. Johns County’s first county naturalist at the Trout Creek Community Center for more than 10 years. After moving to Florida in the 1970s, Fleming’s passion for wild Florida led her to become a self-taught naturalist and botanist while living on a property by the St. Johns River.
Fleming even rehabilitated injured animals when they crossed her path. Her owl, Sam, who could not be released due to injuries, was one of these rescues. She was instrumental in the founding of the Friends of Alpine Groves Park and an active member of the reenacting community in the Bartram Scenic Highway area where she lived and worked.
“Beverly Fleming was someone who inspired everyone she came into contact with during her time with our department,” Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Jamie Baccari said. “You can’t begin to count the number of people who met her and felt motivated to learn more about the natural world and their local ecosystem.”
