Port St. Lucie is taking storytime outside. Its new Tales on the Trails: Story Walks in Nature series pairs books with local nature walks, starting with a free morning at Woodstork Trail on November 14.
A leaf on the path can become a character. A rustle overhead can become a question. There is plenty to notice when the story and the surroundings get a little time together.
Planning note, checked November 3, 2026: The city announced park and recreation closures for November 3 because of flooding. The November 14 session remains listed in the program information, but this article does not confirm that parks have reopened. Check the city’s weather notice and current program information before traveling.
The first gathering: a book, a trail and a chance to help
The first session is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Woodstork Trail, 1957 SE Hillmoor Drive, Port St. Lucie. The city’s October 28 announcement lists Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, forest bathing and a community-and-gratitude theme. Neighbors may also bring optional nonperishable food donations for local seniors.
The six-session series combines volunteer storytelling with nature activities designed by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences specialists. Later sessions include nature journaling, litter cleanups and creative activities. It is part of Naturally PSL and funded through the Trust for Public Land’s On Common Ground grant program.
What does “forest bathing” mean?
It means slowing down and paying attention to nature, not getting into the water. UF/IFAS describes this kind of outdoor mindfulness as using your senses to connect with your surroundings rather than simply traveling from one point to another.
You might notice the shape of a leaf, a branch moving in the breeze or a sound you usually walk past. Choose the senses and pace that work for you. There is no need to identify every plant before you can enjoy looking at it.
How to take part
The series is free. Preregistration is encouraged for one session or the full series, and one registration covers a household. Anyone younger than 18 must attend with a registered adult.
The official registration form also asks about transportation, accessibility needs and food allergies. Use those questions to tell the organizers what you need; submitting a request is not confirmation of a particular arrangement.
The city says registered households receive a book, badge and refreshments at each session. You do not have to commit to every date to register for one gathering.
Woodstork Trail’s official park page lists parking, ADA restrooms, two observation/fishing decks and an approximately 1.27-mile sidewalk trail. That is the park’s trail length, not a confirmed required distance for this program. For route or access questions, contact Parks & Recreation at 772-878-2277.
Dates to keep handy
The registration form lists all six sessions from 9 to 11 a.m.: November 14, 2026 at Woodstork Trail; December 12 at Pioneer Park Preserve Trail; January 9, 2027 at Woodland Trails Park; February 13 at Veterans Park at Rivergate; March 13 at Oak Hammock Park; and April 24 at the Port St. Lucie Community Center. Check the form for each address and any changes before heading out.
For curious kids and grandkids
Try this simple explanation: “A nature journal is a place to keep things you notice. You can draw a leaf, describe a sound or write down a question.” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s nature-journaling guidance connects observation with drawing and writing. Its separate Chinsegut program is background learning, not this Port St. Lucie event.
Ask: “What do you notice about this leaf that you missed the first time?” Give everyone a chance to point, speak or draw. A very small detail is a perfectly good answer.
Listen, Watch, Do
Listen: A closer look at forest bathing
Play Unpacked by Afar’s “Happy New(ish) Year! Now, Go Hug a Tree.” Host Aislyn Greene interviews forest-bathing guide Ben Page about slowing down and noticing the outdoors. The episode page and transcript identify 12:48 as the start of the practical explanation. This is background listening for adults, not a recording of Tales on the Trails or a local event update.
Watch: The actual Woodstork Trail park
Watch the City of Port St. Lucie’s short Woodstork Trail Neighborhood Park video. The city published this approximately 30-second park introduction in July 2025 and links it from the park’s own page. It introduces the actual Port St. Lucie location, not another Florida park. It predates the new series and does not show current flood conditions or the upcoming event.
Do: Three leaf shapes, one little story
This optional Sanderling activity connects looking closely with storytelling. It is not an additional activity promised by the city. You only need paper and a pencil.
- When conditions are safe, choose a permitted, dry place to observe leaves with an adult. Stay on established paths and away from water’s edges. Leave plants where they are.
- Draw three leaf shapes you can see. Beside each, record one detail: a pointed tip, a curved edge or a line down the middle.
- Turn one of your drawings into an imaginary character. Tell a three-sentence story about what it notices on a walk.
Keep the real observations and the invented story separate: “This is what we saw. This is what we imagined.” There is no need to pick leaves, approach wildlife or collect anything. Until local paths are confirmed safe, use the park video for your observations.
More to notice close to home
At Sanderling Cleaning Company, we enjoy sharing local discoveries that give neighbors something interesting to explore together. For another close look at life along our waterways, our Saint Sebastian River pipefish story includes a coloring page and a fish that can look remarkably like a twig.
To join Tales on the Trails, start with the city’s household registration form. Sanderling is sharing the opportunity, not organizing or sponsoring the event.
Angela
Sanderling Cleaning Company
Less Chores • More Shores.