Birding on the Bay
2024-12-07 16:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Tampa Bay Watch Marine & Education Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde, FL, 33715, United States
The Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center Presents:
Birding on the Bay with the MFA

Join us for an unforgettable birdwatching experience on the waters of Tampa Bay! This 75-minute guided boat tour offers a front-row seat to the fascinating bird species that call this vibrant ecosystem home. During the tour, we’ll visit a nearby bird sanctuary island, strategically timed to provide the best viewing opportunities for observing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
As we navigate the waters, your expert guide will share insightful details about the diverse bird species you’ll encounter, from elegant waders to soaring seabirds. With our prime location and optimal timing, you’re sure to enjoy exceptional views of these feathered residents as they go about their daily routines.
This tour is perfect for bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, and anyone looking to explore the rich wildlife of Tampa Bay in a relaxed and educational setting.

>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Backyard Landscaping for Wildlife
2024-12-17 11:00 - 12:30 | Palma Sola Botanical Park, 9800 17th Avenue Northwest, Bradenton, FL, 34209, United States
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™:
Backyard Landscaping for Wildlife
Learn how to make your yard suitable for wildlife!
Manatee County is urbanizing rapidly and as natural areas vanish, it becomes more and more important to provide suitable habitat for native wildlife in our own backyards and established communities. This workshop will help guide you in landscaping your property in a Florida-friendly manner that will benefit many different species of wildlife while providing you with additional viewing opportunities.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Elemental Seasons Camp
2024-12-30 08:00 - 2025-01-03 17:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Ages 6 yrs – 11 yrs
Celebrate the winter season of Florida with an experiential look at the winter changes, celebrations, and cultures around the world throughout time.
Nature hikes, handcrafted items to take home, and interactive experiences occur each day.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Tween & Teen Homeschooler Hike
2025-01-03 11:00 - 12:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Explore the woods of “Our Wildest Place”!

Join us on an educational guided hike geared toward tweens and teens! We’ll explore the native plants and animals that call Brooker Creek home while meandering along a 1.5 mile trail. Participants are welcome to bring a lunch to enjoy after the hike together.
Registration is required. Space is limited and this hike will cap at 20 participants. Please register just your child (children). This is not a drop-off program. Meet in the Exhibit Hall.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Astronomy Night
2025-01-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Plantapalooza III !
2025-01-11 10:00 - 14:00 | Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th St N, St Petersburg, FL, 33704, United States
Sunken Gardens is proud to host the third annual PLANTAPOLOOZA, a local botanical event dedicated exclusively to Florida native plants.
Originated by The Community Wildlife Corridor, this event seeks to connect the wildlife populations in our largest parks with backyard native gardens. Join us as we celebrate the importance and beauty of Florida’s native plants!
🌱 Browse unique native plants, garden décor, & more for sale by Tampa Bay area vendors.
🌱 Learn from local organizations who are working hard to protect Florida’s plants & pollinators.
🌱 Attend themed lectures by native plant experts.
🌱 Enjoy youth workshops and activities.
🌱 Take home free Florida native plant seedlings (while supplies last).
🌱 Enter for a chance to win a rain barrel from the City of St. Petersburg Water Resources Department (limited quantity).
🌿 Themed lectures:
“The Importance of Home Landscapes in Conservation” by Craig Huegel (Lead curator at USF Botanical Gardens, Author)
“Salt-Tolerant Native Plants” by Amanda Streets (Owner of Living Roots Eco Design & Native Nursery)
🪴 Featured vendors & organizations:
– Living Roots Eco Design & Plant Nursery
– Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
– Art Stone Co.
– Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation
– Little Red Wagon Native Nursery
– Wise Hands Native Plant Landscaping
– Carnivorous Plants by Kenny Coogan
– All Along the Treeline natural soaps
– JP Charisma native plant grower
– Rock Creations by Christine
– Louise’s Healing Calendula Salve
– Florida Wildflower Foundation
– Take MAR
– UF-IFAS Extension
– Pinellas County Farm Bureau
– Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association
– City of St. Pete Water Resources
Beer, wine, and Italian fare by Carrabba’s will be available to purchase.
❗️Important details:
PLANTAPOLOOZA III is free with Gardens admission or membership.
NOTE: We will not be processing new memberships during this special event. This helps us expedite admissions in a timely manner. We appreciate your understanding.
***Parking is extremely limited due to our shared parking lot. We encourage guests to carpool, ride share, bike, or walk to this special event!***

Family Night Hike
2025-01-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Bring your family and join our park rangers for a monthly family night hike while enjoying some hot chocolate!
All ages welcome with a registered adult. Please select the correct number of participants or seats needed at the time of enrollment.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Florida Arbor Day Activities & Hike
2025-01-17 09:30 - 11:00 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Venture out along the Flatwoods Trail loop with Natural Resources Agent, Lara Milligan to learn all about her most favorite thing…TREES!
In honor of Florida Arbor Day, we are celebrating TREES! Join Lara on a hike to learn about all of the amazing things these giant plants can do! Get ready to look up and explore the world of trees while exploring a 1.5 mile trail. Geared towards adults.
In case you missed it, we have a whole line-up of activities for Florida Arbor Day:
Ongoing activities all day:

Free Trees (while supplies last)
Hands-on Exploration Stations in the Education Center
Tree Quest (an outdoor scavenger hunt to enhance your hike)

Scheduled activities:

9:30am – THIS Florida Arbor Day Hike (registration required)
10-10:30am- Meet Smokey the Bear with Florida Forestry
10am to noon- Touch-A-Truck with Florida Forestry
1pm- Youth Papermaking (registration required)

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Owls, Hawks, Falcons, Oh My!
2025-01-17 15:30 - 17:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Ages 8 yrs – 12 yrs
Join the St. Petersburg Audubon in exploring our apex predators: RAPTORS!
Participants will have the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet, and with the assistance of charts, identify the prey species the owl dined on.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

The Life of a Dead Tree
2025-01-18 10:30 - 12:00 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
It has been said that a dead tree supports more biodiversity than a live tree! Let’s explore what happens when a tree meets its end. From initial decomposers to larger opportunists, a dead tree becomes a “hive” of activity until it is reduced to dust.
Presented by James Stevenson, Education and Outreach Supervisor.
Recommended for adults and youth over 12.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Nature Riders Adult Bike
2025-01-18 13:00 - 14:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Get ready to pedal your way through nature in our brand new bike hike!
Ages 12 yrs +
This guided bike hike combines the thrill of biking with the beauty of the great outdoors, providing participants with a unique opportunity to explore our trails, enjoy fresh air, and learn about nature along the way.
Please note: only 5 adult bikes and 5 child bikes available.
MUST bring own helmet.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Nature Riders Child Bike
2025-01-18 13:00 - 14:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Get ready to pedal your way through nature in our brand new bike hike!
Ages 7 yrs – 11 yrs
This guided bike hike combines the thrill of biking with the beauty of the great outdoors, providing participants with a unique opportunity to explore our trails, enjoy fresh air, and learn about nature along the way.
Please note: only 5 adult bikes and 5 child bikes available.
MUST bring own helmet.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

OFF THE BEATEN PATH
2025-01-19 09:00 - 13:00 | Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, United States
Back by popular demand…
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
A nature-based fundraising hike series
This series of four hikes will take place in beautiful areas tucked away within Brooker Creek Preserve in sites that are closed to the public. Our guide, Dr. Craig Huegel, can identify everything, from the tiniest moss to the tallest tree including animal prints, bird calls, lichens, and more. He is full of stories and very patient in answering questions. The hikes will be not only educational, but a lot of fun as well!
The hikes will begin at 9:00 a.m. and be about 3-4 hours long. Bring water and lunch.
Cost: $80 donation for the series or $25 donation per hike with a 10% discount for members of Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve
Sites Off the Beaten Path:
Sep. 22, 2024 – Catesby’s Lilies…and More! – Located in the eastern part of the preserve, we will search for the threatened Catesby’s Lily. In so doing, we will see a profusion of beautiful fall wildflowers in full bloom.
Jan. 19, 2025 – Cypress Swamp – Located in the central part of the preserve, this site
features orchids, ferns, and epiphytes. Plan to get wet, or maybe not, as we plunge into the depths of the swamp!
March 16, 2025 – Sandhills – The only true sandhills of Brooker Creek Preserve. This site is in the northern end of the preserve and will feature an abundance of spring wildflowers.
June 22, 2025 – Interior Wildlands – We will be in parts of the Preserve so remote that
cell phones won’t work, areas so pretty you won’t believe you are in Pinellas County!
Reservations Required: info@friendsofbrookercreekpreserve.org
Sign up early! Only 20 spots are open for these fabulous hikes off the beaten path!
Questions? Email info@friendsofbrookercreekpreserve.org or call 727-934-2680.

Taking The Mystery Out Of Micro-irrigation
2025-01-23 13:00 - 15:00 | South Manatee Library, 6081 26th St W, Bradenton, FL, 34207, United States
Learn how to select, install, and operate your own water saving irrigation system.
Join Brian J Rigney, Program Assistant, to discuss an introduction to micro-irrigation. This includes learning to select, install, and operate your own water-saving irrigation system. The discussion will include information regarding the components, and how to assemble and maintain. Come hear the benefits and why it is important to water plants, shrubs and other landscape plants separate from your turfgrass.
This class satisfies the irrigation educational requirement for the Manatee County Outdoor Water Conservation Rebate Program.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Rx Fire Fest
2025-01-25 09:00 - 14:00 | Edward Medard Conservation Park, 6140 Turkey Creek Rd, Plant City, FL, 33567, United States
Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Departments will hold our “Rx Fire Fest,” which is a festival created to celebrate and educate about prescribed fire and its value to Florida’s natural landscapes and communities.

This program will take place at Edward Medard Conservation Park (6140 Turkey Creek Rd. Plant City, FL 33567) on Saturday, January 25th from 9am – 2pm.

The Prescribed Fire Festival will feature talks and Q&A’s with wildland firefighters, live prescribed fire demonstrations (weather permitting), equipment demonstrations, games and kids events, guided hikes, food trucks, and more.

In Your Backyard: Build a Bat Box!
2025-01-25 13:00 - 16:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Discover the amazing world of bats and help support local wildlife by building your very own bat box!
Ages 7 yrs +
In this engaging workshop, participants will learn about the importance of bats in our ecosystem, their unique characteristics, and how bat boxes provide essential roosting habitats.
Through hands-on activities, kids (and their adults) will gain practical skills while fostering a love for nature.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Healthy Landscapes
2025-01-30 13:00 - 15:00 | South Manatee Library, 6081 26th St W, Bradenton, FL, 34207, United States
Learn how to have a healthy landscape while saving water.
Will focus on Florida-Friendly Landscape™ tips such as Right Plant vs. Right Place, Watering efficiently, and Mulch benefits.
Presented by Valrie Massey, Horticulture Program Assistant with the Mobile Irrigation Lab working with Manatee County Ag Extension, University of Florida, Manatee County Utilities department and Water Conservation.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Communi-Trees: Grant Workshop
2025-01-31 10:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
Join UF/IFAS Extension Urban Forestry Agent, Alyssa Vinson for an introduction to the Hillsborough County community tree grants program.
We will cover the details of the CommuniTrees: Community Tree Grant program offered by Hillsborough County. We will discuss the application process and recommended best practices for trees in communities. Tree planting grants are for established neighborhood groups or associations, not individual property owners.
There is no cost to attend.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Let's Talk Turtles
2025-02-08 10:00 - 11:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Join us for a fascinating program dedicated to exploring the diverse turtle species found in Florida. Participants will learn about their habitats, behaviors, and the conservation challenges they face. Through interactions with our ambassador animals and a hike through tortoise habitat, we’ll foster a deeper appreciation for these remarkable reptiles and the vital role they play in our ecosystems.
All ages welcome with a registered adult. Please select the correct number of participants or seats needed at the time of enrollment.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Back to Nature, Rewild Your Yard
2025-02-13 11:30 - 13:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Your backyard is your nature! Learn how to do less work while creating beautiful habitat for animals through re-wilding.
Join Theresa Badurek, Urban Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS, to learn about this fascinating concept that is beneficial to wildlife and our environment.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Nature's Teamwork
2025-02-15 15:30 - 17:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Join the St. Petersburg Audubon to discover the intricate relationships in nature, such as parasitism and competition. We’ll examine how these interactions shape ecosystems, often providing benefits but at times devastating host populations in both plants and animal.
>>> REGISTER HERE

FFL HC Webinar Series: Intro to Nine Principles
2025-02-20 10:00 - 11:00 | ZOOM, United States
Join us for the “FFL HC Webinar Series: Intro to Nine Principles,” a comprehensive introduction to the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. This webinar is designed to provide homeowners, community association managers, and landscape professionals with essential knowledge to create sustainable and eco-friendly landscapes.
Why Attend?

Gain science-based insights from UF/IFAS experts.
Learn practical tips for a sustainable and beautiful landscape.
Network with other professionals and enthusiasts in the field.

We will conduct this Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ workshop online, via Zoom. No additional software or extra computer skills are necessary – just click to join!
>>> REGISTER HERE

Salt Tolerant Plants & Irrigating with Reclaimed Water
2025-02-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Bradenton, FL, 34211, United States
Part of the Water Conservation collection

Learn about the Benefits of Salt Tolerant Plants and other considerations when Irrigating with Reclaimed Water.
Presented by Valrie Massey, Horticulture Program Assistant with the Mobile Irrigation Lab working with Manatee County Ag Extension, University of Florida, Manatee County Utilities department and Water Conservation.

>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Composting Workshop
2025-03-01 08:30 - 09:30 | Hillsborough County Extension, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
This workshop is for Hillsborough County and City of Tampa residents/employees only.
This workshop will be offered IN PERSON in the Extension Service Conference Center. Our address is: 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584.
COMPOSTING: Learn how to put your everyday food waste and organic materials to work for you! Hillsborough County and City of Tampa residents/employees will receive a compost bin, compost bucket and thermometer after attending the workshop. (Limit 1 per household and the representative of the household must be an adult.) Please arrive 15 minutes before the program starts.
REGISTER HERE

Microirrigation Workshop
2025-03-01 09:30 - 11:00 | Hillsborough County Extension, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
Learn how to save water when watering your garden.
This workshop is for Hillsborough County and City of Tampa residents/employees only.
MICROIRRIGATION: Learn how you can have healthy and attractive landscape beds while conserving water. This irrigation method not only conserves water, but is not limited by current water restrictions as is traditional in-ground irrigation. Hillsborough County and City of Tampa residents/employees will receive a microirrigation kit after attending the workshop. (Limit 1 kit per household and the representative of the household must be an adult.) Please arrive 15 minutes before the program starts.
REGISTER HERE
