29th Annual Fishing Line Island Cleanup
2022-10-23 07:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | FL
Join Tampa Bay Watch and Audubon Florida for the 29th Annual Fishing Line Island Cleanup.
The goal is to remove hazardous monofilament line from mangrove shorelines. Monofilament or “mono,” is a fancy word for the commonly used plastic fishing line. It has great fishing utility, but can take over 600 years to break down and poses serious threats to birds and other wildlife. Improperly discarded mono and fishing gear leads to wildlife entanglement, accidental hooks, and ingestion.
This will be a self-led event, where participants will travel out to their designated location by personal boat/other watercraft any day between October 15-23 to target shorelines where cast line has been caught in the tree line. Volunteers will compile the recovered monofilament, to be collected, cleaned, and recycled.
There are a variety of sites in which to participate—all critical bird nesting habitat—throughout Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee.

Click here to register to volunteer for this event.

Songbird Sunrise
2022-10-29 06:00 - 07:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Bring your coffee and favorite folding chair to join a quiet sunrise listening experience!

The event begins in total darkness to allow participants to hear the nighttime calls of nocturnal birds. As the sky lightens with the sun’s ascent, daytime birds begin their vocal greeting. Birds will be identified by their songs and calls by knowledgeable Preserve volunteer staff. This event encourages silence for optimal enjoyment of the natural environment.
Please arrive no later than what is listed below:
5:30 am start (arrive by 5:15, gate closes at 5:30)
The entrance gate will be closed after this time until the normal opening time of 7:00 am. Free. Open to the public.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Oyster Reef Ball Construction
2022-11-02 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-16 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-12-01 09:00 - 12:00 | Tampa Bay Watch Marine & Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL, 33715, United States
Join us at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South in Tierra Verde to help build oyster reef balls!
This task involves pouring marine-friendly concrete into a fiberglass mold to create oyster reef balls, then taking apart the molds when dry. The reef balls will be installed at a future date to stabilize shorelines and prevent erosion while creating habitat similar to natural oyster communities found along shoreline areas throughout Tampa Bay.
Click here to visit our webpage to learn more about reef balls.
Register to volunteer!

In Pursuit of Florida's Paleo Hunters
2022-11-04 19:00 - 20:00 | FL

Clearwater Audubon Society Bird Walk
2022-11-05 08:00 - 10:00, 2022-12-03 08:00 - 10:00 | Moccasin Lake Environmental Education Center, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL, United States
Take a guided hike on Moccasin Lake’s nature trail while seeking birds by sight and sound. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them. Meet in Moccasin Lake Parking Lot.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Evening For The Bay
2022-11-05 08:00 - 18:00 | FL
Have you ever wondered what makes our Blue Planet the only one in the solar system to sustain life? Explore the element of water, and discover how the actions we take in our watershed have a ripple effect across the globe.

Guests will enjoy dinner by Bonefish Grill, signature Kozuba & Sons cocktails, Great Bay Distributors brews, live entertainment, out-of-this-world auctions, and meet n’ greets with TBW restoration staff.
This al fresco evening under the stars will benefit the mission to Restore the Bay Every Day.

Purchase tickets

The Ways of Water Hike
2022-11-05 09:00 - 10:30, 2022-12-03 09:00 - 10:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Water is an important feature at Brooker Creek Preserve .
Water is an important feature at Brooker Creek Preserve and on this hike you will learn the different ways we interact with water, the importance of wetlands and how you can make a difference in issues surrounding our water quality and quantity. Come and enjoy this family friendly fall walk through the woods.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

500 Million Years at Brooker Creek Preserve
2022-11-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Online Event
Have you ever looked at an alligator or a wood stork and thought “man, they look like living dinosaurs!”? Have you ever seen fossils and thought they looked similar to creatures still around today? And what about Florida specifically – when did all of the animals and plants we see here actually get here? This webinar will take a 500 million year journey through evolutionary history, looking at the origins of many of the creatures that call Brooker Creek home! We will find out that dragonflies haven’t changed much since before the dinosaurs, but that just 15,000 years ago (the blink of an eye in geologic time) Florida was full of enormous mastodons and mammoths, saber-toothed cats and giant ground sloths!
This whirlwind tour of natural history is geared towards adults and interested youth are welcome to join.
Presented by Brian Magnier. Sponsored by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve.
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<

Wading Bird Walk
2022-11-10 09:00 - 11:00, 2022-12-08 09:00 - 11:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Meet the wading birds of the Weedon Island Preserve on a guided walk of the trails.

This walk will take place during a low tide so participants will have the best chance for viewing wildlife that forage on the exposed tidal flats!
Learn the identifying marks and behaviors of the most common wading birds at Weedon Island Preserve during a guided walk of the trails.
Attendees will meet inside the Cultural and Natural History Center for a short overview of the birds found at Weedon Island, including tips on when and where different species are most likely to be seen, before departing for the trails. Total walk distance will be ~1.5 miles.
Spots are limited on this hike so every individual attending must be registered.

>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Proceeds from this program go to the Friends of Weedon Island. The Friends support the Weedon Island Preserve through education, preservation and protection of its habitats, ecology, and cultural history. Become a Friend today!

Mosquito Control & Why It Matters
2022-11-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
The Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and the St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation Department present the annual Natural History Speaker Series (NHSS), a program that offers fascinating presentations on the natural and cultural history of Florida by individuals who are authorities in their fields.

DeSoto/Riverview Pointe Preserve Tour
2022-11-12 09:00 - 11:00, 2022-12-10 09:00 - 11:00 | Riverview Pointe Preserve, Bradenton, FL, United States
Join the Manatee County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers on an educational stroll.

Casually stroll through the beautiful Riverview Pointe Preserve and learn about Florida’s native plants and inhabitants of a coastal environment.
Suitable for all ages.
Tour begins in the parking area of DeSoto National Memorial Park and enters into Riverview Pointe Preserve.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<
Please email special accommodation requests to katiebg@ufl.edu at least 10 days prior to the event.

Rye Preserve Tour
2022-11-19 09:00 - 11:00 | Rye Preserve, 905 Rye Wilderness Trail, Parrish, FL, 34219, United States
Join the Manatee County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers on an educational stroll.

Take a hike through upland habitats along the beautiful Rye Branch and learn about Florida’s native plants, natural history, and early settlement of the area.
Suitable for all ages.
Please email special accommodation requests to katiebg@ufl.edu at least 10 days prior to the event.
Register HERE!

Oyster Reef Ball Construction
2022-12-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2022-12-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Tampa Bay Watch Marine & Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL, 33715, United States
Join us at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South in Tierra Verde to help build oyster reef balls!
This task involves pouring marine-friendly concrete into a fiberglass mold to create oyster reef balls, then taking apart the molds when dry. The reef balls will be installed at a future date to stabilize shorelines and prevent erosion while creating habitat similar to natural oyster communities found along shoreline areas throughout Tampa Bay.
Click here to visit our webpage to learn more about reef balls.
Click here to register for this project date.

Weedon Walkabout
2022-12-03 09:00 - 11:00, 2022-12-10 09:00 - 11:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Join us for a guided tour of the trails and boardwalks of the Weedon Island Preserve.

This docent-led walk will visit the mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Weedon Island Preserve, including a visit to the Preserve’s 45 ft. tall Observation Tower for a 360 degree view of the area. Learn about the coastal environment, native wildlife, and early history of the Preserve. This tour is recommended for adults and youth ages 6 and up.
Proceeds from this program go to the Friends of Weedon Island. The Friends support the Weedon Island Preserve through education, preservation and protection of its habitats, ecology, and cultural history. Become a Friend today!
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Mangrove Cleanup & Restoration
2022-12-06 12:00 - 14:00 | Online Event
Mangrove Cleanup and Restoration:
Recommendations for Volunteer Leaders
Post-storm mangrove clean up & restoration.
Join Florida Sea Grant and UF/IFAS Extension to discuss recommendations for clean up and restoration of mangroves following storm damage. Topics will include: assessment methods, debris removal logistics, pruning, muck removal, and others. ISA CEU’s available.
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<
The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. For disability accommodations such as sign language interpreters and listening devices, please contact Katie Granberg, katiebg@ufl.edu, (941) 722-4524 x 1815 at least 1 week in advance. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

Currents & Crossroads: A Vision for Florida's Ocean & Coasts
2022-12-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States

Cure Your Crabbiness: Explore Weedon’s World of Crabs
2022-12-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Join us to learn more about the types of crabs that we find at Weedon Island and why mangroves are important for these special animals.

Have you ever wanted to know more about the small crabs climbing on the mangrove trees along the boardwalk? Join us to learn more about the types of crabs that we find at Weedon Island and why mangroves are important for these special animals.
This program will include a presentation inside the Cultural and Natural History Center, followed by a short walk along the boardwalk to see these crabs up close.
This program will be led by Olivia Blondheim, a Biological Oceanography doctoral student at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. Her research explores the function of species at the transition zones between habitats. She is interested in the role of mangrove crabs in marine ecosystems and whether that role changes across mangrove and salt marsh habitats.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<
Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Prior to ten (10) working days before the class, please submit your request to accommodations@pinellascounty.org and cc weedonisland@pinellas.gov. In your request, please be sure to include the date and title of the program you need accommodations for, indicate that the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center is the program host, and include what specific accommodations you will need.

Oyster shell project at Lassing Park
2022-12-14 09:00 - 12:00 | Lassing Park, 2042 Beach Dr SE, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
We will be installing an oyster shell bar which involves shoveling fossilized shell into mesh bags and transporting the bags to lay on the shoreline. This effort will help restore lost habitat by promoting new oyster growth, ultimately improving water quality and providing food sources and habitat for many species.
To learn more and watch a video of the process, visit https://tampabaywatch.org/restoration/oyster-communities/oyster-shell-bags/.

Click here to register for this project.
