Community Service Projects

Little Free Libraries help make books available for anyone! They are often a gathering place where neighbors can share their favorite books with others and discover new literature and stories for themselves. They work on a "take a book, return a book" honor system. We ask that in the spirit of the program, visitors bring a book to place into the library when they remove one.

Donated books must be in good condition and refrain from subject matter that is pornographic, profane, advocates violence against persons or property, or containing language, graphics, or any display that would be offensive to the ordinary person.

Locations

• Blue Ridge Park, 2155 Ridgewood Dr.
• George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way
• Warm Mineral Springs Park, 12200 San Servando Ave.

Recommend a new free little library location

Sponsor

Any person or organization that would like to sponsor and manage a Little Free Library is encouraged to first visit their website for more information about this nationwide program.

Florida’s bats are facing many challenges, including loss of natural roosting sites in trees and caves. Many bats take up residence in buildings, or other manmade structures, due to loss of habitat.  The North Port Parks & Recreation Department is working to protect bats by providing bat boxes as alternative roost sites for a safe place to live and breed. 

The Environmental Conservancy of North Port and Volunteers of Coastal & Heartland Natural Estuary Partnership has graciously donated a number of bat boxes to the North Port Parks and Recreation Department. At this time, two bat boxes have been built and installed near the Butler Park pavilion.  

In addition, on Dec. 13 the Parks & Recreation staff, along with Girl Scout volunteer Krysta Fowler, installed six bat houses at three of our parks. Two houses each at Dallas White Park, Garden of Five Senses, and Blue Ridge Park. She is installing these houses and providing outreach about bats with the pursuit of achieving a Gold Award, which is a prestige award in the Girl Scouts. 

Please respect wildlife and observe from a distance. If you happen to encounter a bat, whether sick, injured or dead, avoid direct contact and do not handle.

See something that needs attention in our park, visit NorthPortFl.gov/NorthReport

Additional resources:

Wild Sarasota Spotlight: comBATting bat myths - UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County (ufl.edu)

Bats of Florida - Florida Bat Conservancy (floridabats.org)

Living With Bats | FWC (myfwc.com)

iNaturalist.org - Become a Citizen Scientist!  Download the iNaturalist app and record your bat encounters and observations.

Throughout the year, North Port Parks and Recreation Department hosts four Go Green With Parks specials events that celebrate North Port Parks and natural areas in several different ways — tree planting, park clean up, ridding of invasive species of plants, and by simply enjoying the environment. 

We encourage our community to join us in keeping our parks and natural areas healthy.  By removing invasive species of plants, it allows our native species to grow more freely.  Native species are important as they provide habitat and food for many animals. You can coordinate your own Go Green With Parks Day by:

1. Email Parks@NorthPortFL.gov
2.  Select your day and park 
3. Pick up garbage bags from the George Mullen Activity Center
4. Clean up your preferred park

For more information about Go Green with Parks, visit our Playbook.
If you would like information on the our Adopt-A-Park program, please visit our Civic Programs page.