Weedon Island Preserve

The Weedon Island Preserve in Tampa, Florida, is a true gem for anyone who loves the outdoors. With miles of scenic boardwalks and trails winding through mangroves, tidal flats, and coastal forests, it’s the perfect spot for long walks, peaceful jogs, or just a relaxing escape into nature. The views of Tampa Bay are beautiful, and the wildlife — from wading birds to fish and crabs — makes every visit feel a little different. The Cultural and Natural History Center adds an enriching touch, offering fascinating insight into the area’s Indigenous heritage and diverse ecosystems through interactive exhibits. Everything is clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed to make the experience enjoyable for all ages. Whether you’re looking for a scenic running route, a quiet nature walk, or a chance to learn about Florida’s history and environment, Weedon Island Preserve is an absolute must-visit. Peaceful, picturesque, and perfect for spending a few hours — or an entire day — outdoors.

Went here to check out the details of the kayak trail prior to kayaking the trail. Definitely need tide coming in and near high tide to take the trail. Walked the Tower Boardwalk and Bay Boardwalk hoping to see some birds. The only birds that were cooperating were the White Ibis. Both boardwalks were well maintained and in excellent condition. I did get to see a Gopher Tortoise. We plan on returning to kayak the trail.

Being in a busy area, I found it really quiet and peaceful except for occasional passenger jet. We did see Gopher Tortois and climbed the observation tower. Building was closed on the Monday we were there. Leaving around 3:30 traffic on major road, Gandy Blvd, 92, extremely congested.

An amazing place with endless trails. The trails are well maintained and you mostly walk in the shade. Peaceful and quiet. Benches are scattered around to rest. The Education Center is a great place to learn about the Native American presence in the area. The videos and exhibits are very informative. Super friendly docents! Will definitely come back to explore the other trails.

Beautiful views kayaking at the Preserve. There is also multiple choices for hiking in the area to take in all nature has to offer. Stop by the educational center that has AC and bathroom facilities, and for a peak at local habitats and animals that live in the area. Highly recommended.

January 31, 2026 Mom and I walked at Weedon Island Preserve on this cold 🥶 windy 🌬️ winter ❄️ day! Beautiful and peaceful! We will be back again!

Tucked back in remnants of historical airport and power plant area, this park is it salt marsh preservation. It offers two distinct 1/2 mile boardwalks with flat observation decks. Hidden amongst mangroves include fiddler crabs, birds, and other fauna. Parking is robust, nature center hours are limited. The park is sunrise to sunset access. We enjoyed the late afternoon shaded experience. Highly recommend for casual outing (boardwalk) or together with marsh trails for adventurous (flood risks).

So beautiful and way above my expectations.the boardwalks are so nice and i appreciate them for making such a long mangrove walk. can't wait to come back!

Weedon Island Preserve is a quiet spot on the east side of Saint Pete to do some exploring around Florida's natural vegetation and wildlife. There are kayak launching spots, bike riding areas, hiking trails, and lots of privacy away from the packed beaches & parks around touristy areas of FLA. A must!

Weedon Island is an expansive 3000 acre natural area on Tampa Bay in North St. Petersburg. It is comprised mostly of marine ecosystems. There are nearly five miles of trails and a 45 foot observation tower. It combines a beautiful nature experience and interesting historical significance. We hiked the boardwalk to the tower while viewing mangrove plants and some animals. We did see a gopher turtle as it went back into the hole and one on the side of the road. The top of the tower is a great place to see the views of the area.

Incredible boardwalk trails with views that shift from mangroves to open water to dense brush. If you're looking for an easy escape into nature that still feels wild, this is it.

Came here to do some trail running. It was relatively easy to find. There was a 4 space parking spot about .10 of a mile from the main parking area. Plenty of parking in the main parking area. They did have a bathroom on site. Not really the best place to do trail running. Although it wasn't crowded the board walk got crowded on certain spots for running. This place is very peaceful and great for strolling. It was very clean and kept up. Would recommend for bird watching and getting peace and quiet.

Nice clean park with walking path. The path can get tricky so pay attention the bathrooms were closed by the ballpark but the park is wonderful and a great place to go

This place is truly magical!! I came on an off day, so the visitor center was closed which was a bummer but the hikes made up for it. There is a nice bathroom open near the visitor center that's also open on their off days and that was a nice surprise after hiking all day. The wooden bridges are absolutely beautiful and well maintained. I even saw a volunteer working on one during my hike. The grounds are incredibly clean and everyone I passed was friendly and seemed happy to be there. There was so much to see, flowers, little critters and lots of lush greenery. Unfortunately I didn't see any alligators when I was here, but I still enjoyed myself.

This is a huge 3,200 acre park with a ton of history. It's really fascinating to learn about the area. The park itself has multiple long, safe boardwalks and trails and you can really explore a very large area. There are also a boat ramp and water trails for kayakers! Unfortunately, I didn't see any birds the entire morning I was there. I arrived a little after 7am but apparently the birds were still sleeping. The trails wind through mangrove hammocks and waterways. I did see crabs and an incredibly beautiful Indian Blanket Florida wildflower, identified by Crystal! There are also educational signs about the trees and critters that live here. I'm told there are gopher tortoises but I also didn't see them. Maybe next time! Now for the history... Did you know there was an airport built here in the 30's?! You can still sorta see where the runway was since the ground was packed in. No large trees grow there to this day. Also, the Army Core of Engineers dug all sorts of channels to allow salt water to come in in the hopes the fish would eat the mosquito eggs. It must have worked because I never saw or felt a single mosquito however the channels apparently screwed up the ecology and natural balance of the area. The park is named for the Weedon people who lived her 1000-1800 years ago. Incredible really if you think about it! This park is the result of commitments by volunteers, citizens, industry and our government. Thank you for all your contributions! In 1972, Weedon Island was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1980, the park opened to the public. In 1993, Pinellas County began managing the park. Life is good with another huge and well maintained park in Pinellas County. We are truly lucky to live here!

Great place to go for a walk and enjoy the scenery. The welcome center is nice as well, and my toddler enjoyed tot time class. So many great things to see here. Lookout tower is about 1/4 mile walk and we loved to just watch the boats and fisherman. Will be back!

This place is beautiful and unique and really provides any easy way (much of it boardwalked) to be in the mangrove forests. You see lots of birds and kayaks going by and we even saw a tortoise and an armadillo. There's a really great view from the observation tower. The mangroves seem to stretch on for forever from up there, though I'm sure this is a teeny fraction of what used to be here. Bring bug spray!

I've visited this preserve several times, on the trails and in the water, and I absolutely love both. It's expansive and so beautiful here...there are a number of connecting boardwalks, trails, an observation tower, visitors center with restrooms and gift shop, water craft rentals, boat launch, fishing pier, and plenty of parking...but get there early! My favorite part has to be (all of it, but mostly) kayaking through the mangroves and tidal creeks, which can get a bit crowded on the weekends. You'll see TONS of tiny crabs crawling overhead on the mangroves (and on the boardwalks) and am not super excited about that..:but they live there and I'm just a visitor. Be sure to take out what you bring in, and pack a hat, some sunscreen, bug spray, and water...and lunch/snacks if you'll be there for more than a few hours. And enjoy, it's beautiful.

Spent the morning walking around the preserve, so quite side the plans flying over from the airport, but very peaceful. Was able to see some wildlife as I was walking the area. Definitely will be going back.

This place is awesome and this is the first time ever visited his place. It is a really wild place and upon driving in on the car we happen chanced a crossed a gopher tortoise. after that we parked and took a hike and came upon a 6 1/2 foot long eastern diamondback rattlesnake. Both are very rare to see in the wild. This was was an excellent day!!

Trails were kept up and clean. Beautiful scenery and great place to walk. Accessible restrooms. Will be back!

This is a great place for a few hours of walking. The boardwalks are very easy to walk on and make up the majority of the paths. We had a beautiful day, and everything is very green and pretty. We sadly didn't see any wildlife except a few birds. The water sights are very pretty and the hike to the top of the observation tower was my favorite. You could see Tampa, St Petersburg, the TECO plant on Big Bend, and several other places. The water views were great as we watched kayakers and fishermen. My only disappointment is that the paths aren't marked. We walked 4.5 miles and know that we walked several paths multiple times since nothing is marked and we just went in circles.

Weedon Island Preserve is a hidden gem in St Pete. No cost for admission to this natural wonderland. Get there early to an empty parking lot and the ability to explore more privately. The main parking lot for the trails is only steps away from the boardwalk and visitors center. This was the location of the first commercial airport in the county though it resembles nothing of the sort now. The park has a long boardwalk trail though a mature mangrove forest with several overlook areas out into the natural areas of the bay. There are many other natural trails to explore as well and I highly recommend those as well. You can rent kayaks or bring your own to explore the mangrove forests through water. You truly feel like you are in a different place and different time here. Though you are so close to the city, does not feel like it at all. I do not think that camping is allowed.

Met some old friends for a kayaking tour of their kayak "trail". Never did anything like this before. Super cool and a bit tricky through some of the tight mangrove tunnels. Lots of fun. Wish we had more time to attempt the whole loop but we had to get our rented kayaks back before the end of the day. On future trips we would like to explore the hiking trails and post-covid the museum (which is currently closed). Looks like plenty to do at this park - oh yeah, IT IS FREE! Great natural resource for the Tampa area!

This preserve was amazing! Quiet, well maintained and unique spot in middle of Tampa/StPete area. They have a history center as well that tells the history of the preserve which was quite interesting! There are AC bathrooms in the history center. Multiple walking paths, some paved or wood. Boy Scout path was only one that was a true nature walk terrain. It is mostly in the sun so be sure to bring: hat, sunblock, plenty of water and mosquito spray. They had a water fountain and soda machines. There is also a picnic area that is shaded with trash cans. Felt very safe. Great way to be one with nature and get some steps in!

This is a very nice Preserve. There are lots of trails and the park is well cared for in every way. Most of the trails consist of a raised boardwalk, so much of the preserve is handicapped accessible. Many of the trails are loops and some lead to overlooks jutting out into the water. There is not a lot of wildlife, other than the many birds that call the preserve home. There is a 3 story tower that has a very nice view of the area. There is also a fishing pier that has restrooms. Kayaks are available for rent, which looks like a great way to explore the preserve from the water. The history museum is currently closed due to Covid. Some may prefer a more rustic experience. However, this is worth a try.

Pretty natural Florida retreat! Really enjoyed a nice overcast morning! The observation tower was a nice walk and outlook. Saw some crabs, fish, birds and mangroves. It was a nice walk on a hot August morning. We were grateful for the cloud cover.

I lived in St. Pete a long ago. I lived here for about 10 years. I never visited, nor heard of, Weedon Island. I would not have discovered it, if I had not started doing Parkruns in my home town. And now there is a Parkrun here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/parkrun-weedon-island-preserve-st-petersburg After the Parkrun, ny wife and I checked out the area and "discovered" the "Cultural and Natural History Center"! Wow! This I was not expecting. So much information about the area and history. Great displays with lots of information. If you come to Weedon Island, I hope the center is open, It really is worth checking out. If I lived here, I would probably volunteer. Also a gift shop, where we bought a very cute night light! While I'm not sure if they are part of the preserve, there are kayak rentals nearby. Which reminds me, if you come early, bring bug spray. The "no-see-ums" were very aggressive. Bottom line: What a Great Find! Note: I was here at the end of 2019, so this review is going in the 2019 collection.

Love going to walk on the trails here! There is so much wildlife and many trails to choose from. There is also a nature center that has a lot of cool information and artifacts from the island. Honestly so surprised this is free because of everything the island has to offer. If you haven't checked it out, you need to!

Weedon Island Preserve is a special place. I haven't found many nice places to hike/stroll in Pinellas but this place is great. There is a company that runs a kayak/stand up paddleboard rental stand - easy to walk up and rent and get on the water. It's a fun group activity, especially for people visiting the area and want to see natural beauty. I've seen sting rays darting underneath my paddleboard, sometimes you see dolphins.

SUCH a lovely park. Wonderful boardwalk with a beautiful observation deck and friendly staff and historical center. Well worth hanging out for hours on end.

We kayaked here, and the views were breathtaking! I can't wait to be back. This was an experience that was out of this world. We also were lucky enough to see multiple dolphins swimming and jumping around us.

We were wanting to get out and be with nature. I had driven by the signs for Weedon island 1000s of times and finally decided we would get out to it. We went out to go Kayaking and I yelp'd on them separately so this is mostly for the preserve itself and the facilities. This is a large preserve with lots of walking trails. We were here for Kayaking so we just looked for a parking spot. Speaking of that the parking is a little ways from the entry for Kayaking rentals so be prepared for a walk. I suggest dropping the significant other off and walking back yourself. Oh and if you have to go to the bathroom the facilities are pretty nice near the main parking and do this before you head to the Kayak rental launch. A great park. Looking forward to going back and doing some of the walking trails.

Well kept, but crowded with kids & elders because it's friendly & easy. Lots of beautiful trees, and nice boardwalks though! Would come back here to go on a scenic run. Saw a turtle too

Beautiful park and wonderful walking trails. Lots of boardwalks and shaded areas, also has a nice lookout tower. There were also quite a few places to launch kayaks.

I really enjoyed myself here. It was incredibly peaceful. I was able to enjoy some quality time with nature. The preserve is quite large, and there were plenty of trails to walk. Each trail offered unique views. I ventured down every trail and enjoyed each one. I felt safe while venturing these trails alone. The trails were well kept with appropriate signage everywhere. I did not few lost or confused on any of the trails. I recommend this trail.

One of the prettiest and funnest kayaking trails we have ever been on. You can bring your own and put in at the boat ramp or rent them right from the park from Sweetwater Kayaks. They open at 9 am and last rental is at 3:30 pm so you have time to bring it back before they close at 5:00 NOTE: They also rent stand up paddleboards... which I think we just might try next time. The water is so calm here that it would make for a relaxing and peaceful day. The trail is well marked and has so many interesting parts to it that every time we come here is just a remarkable adventure. If you can, pack a lunch, and take a break once you get through the gorgeous mangrove tunnels and hit the open water. There are lots of great shallow spots where you can stand up and enjoy the great breeze and play around in the water for a while. This is also a popular spot for lots of boaters to park their boats and chill, especially on the weekends. There is a very clean restroom for changing right by the boat dock and a nice area to rinse the saltwater off your kayaks and/or take a quick shower once you're done. Writing this review makes me want to coordinate schedules with our friends again and get our butts back out to Weedon Island and do some paddling.

This was a really cool spot. If you like kayaking and paddle boarding, there are water trails for you. If you love hiking they have bridges everywhere. We found a lookout point over oyster bay. It was an amazing day. Leave Fido at home. I noticed that pets are not allowed on these preserves. I loved all of the little creatures. There are armadillos a plenty for you to see. Look but don't touch. Armadillos carry over 20 diseases! Eep! Enjoy this little piece of heaven.

I've been to Weedon Island twice now and each time was a very different experience with new discoveries. Weedon is pretty large. They also have kayak rentals and it looks like it would be a nice place to kayak. I have been warned not to do so during low tide. I have mostly walked the trails here. There is an amazing lookout tower that you can view Tampa and St. Pete from. It is gorgeous and incredibly peaceful. If you are interested in history, they have a pretty nice visitor center with a mini museum. There are also placards and signs with the history of the preserve. The mangroves are amazing! The way that they grow astounds me. In places it literally looks like an army of trees that have been marching along and froze as you walked within distance. There are also thousands of tiny crabs all over the mangroves. They move fast and are really fun to watch. I have seen various fish and birds here too. There are some hiking trails along the road that I want to go back and check out someday. However, you can more than get a decent walk in on just the boardwalk trails. There are several lookout points too. You can grab a map at the visitor center. However, it can get a little confusing on the trails even with the map. I have always found my way back though. I love Weedon Island and I will visit again soon.

Beautiful environment and kayaking location. Well marked trails and the park staff are extremely helpful, provided us with a laminated map to borrow.

This is one of those places that's so amazing I almost want to keep it a secret haha the whole time we were there I kept saying "I can't believe this is free!" I will definitely be taking money to make a donation next time I go! I wish it were dog friendly, but understand their reason for keeping it humans & native animals only. There are many signs around with interesting bite-size information & a stellar cultural center/museum as well! It feels miles from the city even though it's very conveniently located. I can't wait to go back.

Great natural beautiful park! Took my paddle board here to explore. It's beautiful, quiet, and calm. Saw tons of fish jumping out of the water, boaters, skiers, kayakers, and people fishing. Great place to launch and have a peaceful and beautiful paddle.

I have to warn you, I'm bias. In fact I'm very bias in that I've never seen a wildlife refuge, habitat or nature trial that I haven't liked and Weedon Island Preserve is no exception. But, it is no exception for some very good reasons. First off, this county owned preserve is comprised of an astounding 3,190 natural acres. Second, it has some of the longest elevated all composite based boardwalks of any nature preserve it has ever been my pleasure to visit with some of the best views of open water and mangrove habitat areas that can be found. Also along the trails and walkways are informational postings not only specifically advising you of what you are viewing but also indicting what is important or meaningful about them. The trails and walkways begin at a Cultural and Natural History Center building which has restrooms, vending machines and where informational classes and lectures are held. It's also where guided tours commence and where maps of the preserve may be obtained. Better yet the area near the center has plenty of parking and admission is free of charge

I love this place. Plenty of trails to explore, some paved, some bot. There is water access for your kayak or you can rent. You can fish from the pier. Lots of wildlife, you might just get to see a resident gopher tortoise! I love to bring my bike here in the mornings for a nice quiet ride.

It's a fine preserve with walking trails and boardwalks. Not the most exciting scenery for much of the walks but it is well protected in the middle of the city so that's a cool aspect. A couple of overlook spots were cool to check out though there was not much to see while we were there

I was pleasantly surprised when I visited this park. I've heard a lot about it and decided to make the trip from Pasco to see what it was about. After looking at pictures I really thought this park was going to be a short boardwalk that deadended near some mucky water. I was wrong although each nature trial connects to each other and eventually dumps you off near the water the trails are actually quite long and the boardwalk was the most extensive I've ever been on. The very end of the boardwalk isnt to much to look at besides a waterway with a tree line. I did pass kayaks that went under the boardwalk and through several very narrow marsh canals that looked pretty cool. This park was crowded near the boat ramp and had a large parking lot at the nature center which was closed for the day when I visited. I'm not typically a fan of parks that dont allow exploration off trails but the boardwalk here was quite impressive and stretched a few miles. Next time I visit id like to see the view from the top of the observation tower and kayak in the mangroves. If you're in St Pete, Seminole or Largo they don't have many nature trails that lead you very far away the parking lot or the playground. Visit Weedon Island and get a taste of coastal scenery and hike around sunset it's free to enter but is nice enough I would've actually paid a small fee to view it's beauty.

Was not expecting this place to be as beautiful as it was! The trails are clean and easy to walk! We accidentally brought our dog here when there was a sign that said no dogs. We ended up taking him just for a bit and then decided to turn around, but the mangroves are just stunning, you get to walk all around beautiful water and you will be on shade for the majority of the walk! Will be back

Putting bugginess aside (you're outdoors, there are going to be bitey bugs) but pack your sunscreen and your bug spray (and hat or sunglasses) and you are good to go. I went on the hiking tour which is on Saturdays (need to book your spot in advance but it's free). There's a visitor center with a nice little exhibit on the wildlife/environment and clean bathrooms! It's a park, so that can be hit or miss. The boardwalk trails take you a fair distance and you can see a lot of different trees. Our tour guide was thorough (perhaps too thorough) pointing out everything. There were little crabs in the mangrove trees! There was the old foundation remnants of an old airport. They filmed a couple of really old movies there. We saw a tortoise hole! But even not on a tour it's fun to walk the trail and go up the lookout tower. I look forward to trying out the kayaking. It's a nice little park and it's free!

Review of the hiking trails. My past review was about the kayaking trail. Now I can say I've experienced both. I decided to go on an hour run on the hiking trail. Some of the trail is paved, some isn't, and some is boardwalk. At 8 a.m. on a Friday, there were only a couple other people on the trails, which made it pretty serene. I ran a couple of the boardwalks and the main trail. Going off pavement for the boyscout trail wasn't really my cup of tea. I remember my friend warning me that some parts of the kayak trail had a lot of crabs. This holds true for the boardwalk. It really freaked me out at first, but they move out of the way quickly. Luckily, I didn't step on any, or else that would have been fairly traumatizing. Most of the boardwalks are circular, so you don't have to worry about getting lost or hitting dead ends and having to turn around. There are maps available a little ways down the beginning of the trail that you can take with you. Or you can look at the map board before you begin. I didn't do either and was definitely relieved when I discovered the boardwalk was circular. There were a couple times I contemplated just turning back around. This is such an amazing park and the best part is it is free! If you're a nature lover, you'll find your inner peace here.

We had a great time exploring the mangroves! Very well maintained and easy to navigate. A great and FREE way to enjoy a day in the region. Well worth stopping.

Beautiful area. No entrance fee. Walk the packed dirt/sand hiking trails and boardwalks to climb the towers or paddle the kayak/SUP trails through Mangroves and open water of Riviera Bay. Bikes prohibited on trails. Lots of wildlife from raccoons, armadillo, various birds, aquatic life and tortoise. Of course squirrels and lizards, too. Public bathrooms in Visitor Center, but not always open.

For a scenic retreat perfect for paddling along the water, strolling along the boardwalk or enjoying panoramic views from atop a tower, this is the one to beat. Weedon Island Preserve can get crowded on weekends so plan ahead to arrive early enough before the parking lot fills or late enough in the afternoon when the crowds start to thin out and head out. There are restrooms at the visitor/welcome center, water fountains and even vending machines for drinks and snacks. The gift shop inside sells hats, books about the preserve and other items but it's always a good idea to be prepared and bring what you need to eat or drink as well as what you need for protection from sun and bugs. A well maintained boardwalk offers a couple of loops that wind along the waterfront, through the lush landscape and above the mangroves. Some are easy walks and others are longer hikes so check the maps posted throughout the preserve before committing to what may be more than what want to explore. I have walked, jogged and paddled through this preserve and am always impressed how clean and serene it remains. A trip to the top of viewing tower is highly recommended along with a tour of the exhibits in the visitor center. There is even an observation deck on the third floor of the building housing the exhibits but the views from atop the tower are the best by far. Just knowing that natural, beautiful spots like this exist always makes me happy. And judging by the families, couples, groups and individuals spotted during my recent visit, others share that same sense of appreciation - and adventure.

Do it.......Honestly there is very rarely a park that I don't 5 star love. I think people need to get outside more :) This place is where its at if you like to Kayak. We rode our bikes around and that was nice as well. If you like to Geoache there are some fun ones on the island. the "6 cylinder" was my favorite.

It is a hidden gem. Lot's of boardwalks along with mangrove trees. The tower is the best spot in the park. Highly recommended.

This is a great little west coast preserve with an informative visitor center and plenty of trails to spend an afternoon. We enjoyed heading out to the tower to view the gulf. We loved the boardwalks throughout the island and the swamps. We hoped to see more wildlife but had to settle for many types of birds and little anole lizards everywhere. If you need a place to get outside and spend some time in nature, check out the Weedon Island Preserve. It is a great way to revisit wild central Florida.

We just had a gorgeous paddle through the mangroves today at Weedon Island State Preserve, once I got better directions! (If you use any of your phone apps, you'll end up in the back of some nearby neighborhood- so make sure to turn on 83rd and you're golden!) We brought our own yaks, but they have some to rent as well. At the main kayak ramp, there's a restroom and a really nice pier where a bunch of people were fishing (I've heard this is the place to get some nice redfish!) We took the longer 4 mile paddle during low tide and it was just incredible. There's a shorter 1 hour paddle too. The markers are really easy to follow so you pretty much can't get lost out there even if you tried. The depth was pretty shallow in some areas so we had to get out of the boats a few times to drag them through a few inches of water, but that's no big deal. No one will be drowning on these paths, that's for sure. The most stunning parts of the trail are in the mangrove tunnels, where you weave through the quiet mangrove forest. Keep your eyes peeled for crabs, wading birds (all kinds of herons, ibis, etc.) as well as osprey, kingfishers, and other neat birds. Since the water is shallow and pretty clear, you can see the bottom easily when there isn't a lot of wind so you can see who is swimming underneath you. I can't wait to come back to try some kayak fishing soon!

This has become one of our favorite kayak trips because it is so different from all the other Paddling locations. We put in by the pier, and do a fairly well marked loop about 4 miles and brings you through mangrove tunnels, then through some open areas and back into the mangroved. Some passages are so narrow that you can break your paddle down and use half. There is even a little picnic area to pull off into about one mile into the loop. BRING BUG SPRAY since the mosquitos can get bad. and... look for little bitty crabs everywhere. WARNING: Avoid low tide or you may need to drag your yak through sharp bottom areas.