| Wolf Branch Nature Preserve | |
| Location: | 481 Villemaire Road Apollo Beach (Hillsborough County), Florida, United States |
| Nearest City: | Tampa, Florida |
| Map: | Florida#USA |
| Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 27.746°N -82.4419°W |
| Area: | 1400acres |
| Established: | 1990 |
Wolf Branch Nature Preserve is a 1400acres nature preserve in Hillsborough County, Florida. The preserve is managed by Hillsborough County's Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department.[1] It offers fishing and 2miles of hiking trails in areas of natural mangrove shoreline, upland cabbage palm hammocks, offshore sea grass beds in Tampa Bay, and tidally-influenced Wolf Branch Creek.[2]
High tides reverse the course of the creek and move juvenile mullet, snook and reds. Roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets, wood storks, and at least one bobcat call the preserve home.[3]
The distressed area was purchased by the county in 1993 for $1.8 million.[3] Historically it was used for pasture and cropland. Restoration projects took place on the property[4] starting with eradicating exotic vegetation, then sculpting both isolated and interconnected wetlands to attract fisheries and other wildlife.[3]