A swamp lily along the Perdido River. Erica La Spada/The Nature Conservancy To a passing motorist, the wetlands of the Betty and Crawford Rainwater Perdido River Nature Preserve might not look promising.

That motorist might be moving a little too quickly.

Much of The Nature Conservancy's 2,331-acre preserve along the Perdido River does tend to be "kind of squishy underfoot," says the preserve's manager, Adlai Platt.

But look closely, and the preserve, once part of the historic Rainwater family ranch, is a striking ecological treasure that's distinctly characteristic of old Northwest Florida.

"Throughout most of the year, something is in bloom," Platt says. "The preserve has its own particular beauty."

There are pine flatwoods and bottomland forests; marshes, estuaries, black water creeks and, of course, the Perdido River, which marks the preserve's 7 ½ mile western border. There are swamps and oak uplands.

A swamp lily along the Perdido River. Erica La Spada/C The Nature Conservancy The preserve was created as a living memorial to Betty and Crawford Rainwater, who owned it as part of their ranch in the 1940s and 1950s. Thereafter, the property was owned by three different timber companies.

Then in 2003, the Betty and Crawford Rainwater Foundation donated money to The Nature Conservancy - a private, charitable conservation organization that protects ecologically important lands and waters around the world - to buy the land from International Paper.

The foundation's goal was to preserve these lands and create the opportunity for others to experience the importance and beauty of natural Florida

"Our focus is on restoration and preservation, ecological education and appropriate naturebased recreation so that others can experience the wonders of natural Florida. As people experience the natural world, they naturally become better stewards of the environment." Platt says.

An osprey perches atop its nest at the preserve, where The Nature Conservancy is working to develop an interpretive public hiking and padding trail. Beth Maynor Young/The Nature Conservancy One key preservation tool is the use of carefully planned and controlled burning.

Historically, lightning-ignited wildfires would have burned lands like those in the preserve every two to five years.

Fire was suppressed during timber-company ownership, though. Reintroducing fire through controlled burning helps restore natural communities that rely on it for healthy survival.

"It's amazing to see the response when fire is returned to the land. As the natural plant communities are restored, wildlife also responds," Platt says.

Delicate yellow orchids bloom like miniature solar flares, and carnivorous pitcher plants await their next insect meals - that's just for starters.

As restoration continues, the preserve has hosted an increasing number of visitors - typically groups and clubs- on a limited, by-request basis.

During the next year, and as funding is secured, the staff there will be working to develop a self-guided, interpretive hiking- and paddling trail so more of the community can experience this place.

Additional plans include upgrading facilities - including a World War II-era house - to accommodate public use and creating a native plant garden to help visitors recognize plants they will encounter in their visit to the preserve.

"This is one of those increasingly rare places where people will be able to experience the natural world at nature's pace," says Justine Simoni, a Gulf Breeze resident and board member of the Florida chapter of The Nature Conservancy. "For us, that means emphasizing hiking and paddling trails so people can move through quietly and slowly and actually observe the wonders of this little part of the world."