Florida Youth Naturalist Exploration Week
2023-06-26 09:00 - 15:00, 2023-06-27 09:00 - 15:00, 2023-06-28 09:00 - 15:00, 2023-06-29 09:00 - 15:00, 2023-06-30 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
A week-long exploration through Florida’s ecosystems for young naturalists ages 10 to 13!

Calling all young naturalists! The Florida Youth Naturalist Program is for young nature enthusiasts interested in learning more about Florida’s environment. Inspired by the Florida Master Naturalist program, this youth program takes kids aged 10 to 13 on a journey through Florida’s ecosystems, from the uplands, through freshwater, and to the coast.
This week-long exploration through Florida’s ecosystems will be taught by Brooker Creek Preserve staff, Pinellas County & State Park Rangers, and volunteers, as a part of Pinellas County 4-H.

Open to anyone ages 10-13 (you do not have to be a 4-H member)
Cost is $100 for non 4-H members, $75 for 4-H members – nonrefundable
Participants must bring a bag lunch, snacks, and a drink each day. We have a water filling station so reusable water bottles are highly encouraged.
Closed toed shoes are required.
Must wear appropriate outdoor clothing. Please also bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and bug spray for days we will be hiking outside (a detailed schedule will be provided prior to the event).
No before and after care available

Locations:

Monday, June 26 to Thursday, June 29 from 9AM to 3PM daily: Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center Classroom
Friday, June 30 from 9AM to 3PM: Honeymoon Island State Park (more details will be sent about this day)
Parent/guardian must drop off and pick up children from daily locations.

Registration:
This is a 2-part registration process. After registering on Eventbrite, your confirmation email will include instructions on how to complete registration and additional paperwork via 4-H online.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<
Important notes about the event:

A minimum of 15 youth must be registered to hold this event, full refunds will be issued if we do not meet our minimum requirement by June 1st.
Parents/guardians must sign youth in and out daily.
Make sure to bring a bag lunch, snacks & drink for your child!
Closed toed shoes are required.
Long pants are highly recommended for hiking.
Contact Julia Myers at jmyers@pinellascounty.org with any questions.

Cicadas: Florida’s Heat Bugs
2023-06-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Discover the life, habits, songs, and fun facts about these widespread (& loud) insects.
Discover the life, habits, songs and fun facts about these widespread (& loud) insects. If weather permits, we will also go outside to try to listen for them!
This program will take place inside the auditorium of the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, but will also go outside briefly to observe wild insects. This program is recommended for adults and youth ages 8 and up.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Landscaping Tips for the Rainy Season
2023-06-30 11:30 - 12:30 | ZOOM, United States
The rainy season is upon us and our landscapes have to adjust from dry to wet weather. Join us to learn how to keep your landscape and the environment healthy during the rainy season. We will present easy water conservation practices, such as sprinkler system check-ups, the use of microirrigation and how to reduce runoff from your landscape by incorporating rain gardens and collecting rainwater. Rain barrels will be available at a discounted price for workshop participants residing in Pinellas County.
Register Here

The Ways of Water Hike
2023-07-01 09:00 - 22:30, 2023-08-05 09:00 - 22:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Water is an important feature at Brooker Creek Preserve .
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 <<<

Microirrigation Workshop
2023-07-01 09:30 - 11:00 | UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
Learn how to save water when watering your garden.
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.)
>>> IN PERSON REGISTRATION <<<
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<

BBQ Picnic & Water Day
2023-07-01 10:30 - 13:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Summer is the perfect time for a good old fashion BBQ lunch! We will have inflatable water slides available for kids to play on while families can relax in the cool shade. Spots are limited so make sure to purchase your ticket today for this fun event! All ages welcome with a registered adult. Please select the correct number of participants or seats needed at the time of enrollment.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Rainwater Harvesting Workshop
2023-07-01 11:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Extension, Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
Harvest some of that rain to help in your garden!
Learn how to collect rainwater for ornamental plant irrigation while reducing erosion and stormwater runoff, and the use of non-potable water for irrigation. Hillsborough County and City of Tampa residents/employees will receive one 45-55 gallon plastic food-grade barrel after attending the workshop. (1 per household and the representative of the household must be an adult.).
>>> IN PERSON REGISTRATION <<<
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<

Scientific Literacy: 4-Part Series
2023-07-05, 2023-07-12, 2023-07-19, 2023-07-26 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
If you are curious about the world, and want to be better equipped at getting at the truth, join us for a new webinar series in scientific literacy! Starting with an overview of statistics and the core of what science is, we will work our way through several popular and peer-reviewed articles, discussing how to read and think critically. Topics we will cover include different forms of bias, probability theory, regression to the mean, and the ever-infamous p-value. We will also talk about the implications of summarizing and “popularizing” results into ever-shorter soundbites, designed for easy digestion by the general public, but often at the expense of what the data actually tell us.
The target audience for this series is high school and older.
The first session in this four-part series will be an introduction to scientific literacy. The following three sessions will be a classroom style discussion looking at a specific science article and/or paper. Links to assigned papers for classroom discussions will be sent in a follow-up email.
Series Overview:
Session 1: Introduction of Scientific Literacy Presented by Brian Magnier
Session 2: We’ll look at our 1st specific article or paper. Come ready to discuss!
Session 3: We’ll look at our 2nd specific article or paper. Come ready to discuss!
Session 4: We’ll look at our 3rd specific article or paper. Come ready to discuss, plus final wrap up and overview of entire series.
This series is led by Brian Magnier alongside Brooker Creek Preserve Staff. Brian Magnier is a naturalist and wildlife photographer. He studied ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University, where his passion for the natural world flourished.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Talk Plants with Me
2023-07-06 11:30 - 12:00, 2023-08-10 11:30 - 12:00 | ZOOM, United States
Ask a Horticulture Agent Webinar!
Submit your questions to our Horticulture Agent for live Q&A. We will talk about hot topics in the plant world and may have a few guests join us along the way.
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<

Pioneer Nights
2023-07-08 18:00 - 22:00, 2023-07-15 18:00 - 22:00 | Pinellas Pioneer Settlement, 3130 31st Street South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33712, United States
Kids enjoy a night of friends, fun, campfire and s’mores, pioneer style!
Ages 6 yrs – 13 yrs
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs
2023-07-14 10:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Let us answer all of your insect and pest questions!
Do you want to learn more about pest and beneficial insects? During this 2-hour class we’ll cover insect life cycles, managements, identification, and more. For more information, please contact Mack Lessig at (941) 722-4524 ext. 1821 or mlessig@ufl.edu.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Crab Trap Removal
2023-07-15 08:00 - 12:00 | Fort DeSoto Park, 8250 Desoto Memorial Highway, Bradenton, FL, 34209, United States
Tampa Bay Watch, Ocean Aid 360, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Coastal Impact Fund are coordinating volunteers to participate in a crab trap removal effort at Fort De Soto Park and Belleair Causeway Boat Ramp due to the 10-day regional closure of blue crab fishing. We are recruiting volunteer boaters to remove debris from the water in addition to traps as well as volunteers for a shoreline cleanup.
Click here to register to volunteer.

Veggie Influenza
2023-07-21 10:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Be prepared for veggie flu season by getting a shot of information!
This workshop is designed to educate the casual gardener about some of the most common vegetable diseases in Florida and in Manatee County. In this roughly two hour class, participants will learn the basic biology of pathogenic organisms, how to identify common disease symptoms, and acquire some basic disease management skills. This workshop is not designed for professional landscapers or pesticide applicators.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Silent Sentinels: The Trees that Outlive Us
2023-07-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Palma Sola Botanical Garden, 9800 17th Avenue Northwest, Bradenton, FL, 34209, United States
Learn about long lived trees, their history, cultural significance and how we can manage for their care in urban environments.
Join UF/IFAS Extension to learn about long lived trees, their history, cultural significance and how we can manage for their care in urban environments.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Hillsborough River State Park
2023-07-27 09:30 - 15:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Nature Adventure Camp field trip to Hillsborough River State Park.
Ages 7 yrs – 13 yrs
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Salt Tolerant Plants & Irrigating with Reclaimed Water
2023-07-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Online Event
Learn which plants are salt tolerant and what to know when irrigating with reclaimed water.
Valrie Massey Program Assistant will host the webinar. Learn how to choose Salt Tolerant Plants appropriate for your landscape location and irrigation source.
Contact: Valrie (941) 722-4524 ext:1829 or vmassey@ufl.edu for further class information.
Minimum class size is required or class will be postponed. All those that register will be notified if postponed.
This class satisfies the landscape educational class requirement for the Manatee County Outdoor Water Conservation Rebate Program. For further information on the program, please contact: Tina 941-792-8811, Ext. 5327 or tina.moutoux@mymanatee.org
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Native Plant Garden Maintenance
2023-07-29 08:00 - 17:00 | Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, 6920 East Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33637, United States
This program is led by the Suncoast Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society’s Joel Jackson and Tina Patterson and supported by Tampa Audubon. Bring your own gloves and hand tools. Park fee of $2 per vehicle (up to eight people) park entry fee applies.

Honeymoon Island State Park
2023-08-03 09:30 - 15:30 | Honeymoon Island State Park, #1 Causeway Boulevard, Dunedin, 34698
Nature Adventure Camp field trip to Honeymoon Island State Park.
Ages 7 yrs – 12 yrs
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Black Tern Courtney Campbell
2023-08-05 08:00 - 10:00 | Gandy Beach, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33716, United States
The main goal of this FT is to see Black Terns on the causeway (Gandy Beach https://ebird.org/hotspot/L951893). I would characterize this trip as easy, with short walks, on fairly even ground. Attendees should bring their lunch and water. We should be finished by eleven.
To sign up, RSVP field trip leader Mic McCarty mic.mccarty@tampaaudubon.org
Important! Pre-registration is required and participation is limited. Please do not attend this or any Tampa Audubon Society events if you have flu, cold, or covid symptoms. Tampa Audubon is committed to reducing the spread of illnesses. The health and safety of our members is of the highest priority.

Film Screening with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation
2023-08-12 16:00 - 18:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Enjoy screenings of “Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor” and “The Last Green Thread” and a Q&A with Florida Wildlife Corridor staff.
Join the Friends of Weedon Island for a special screening of two expedition films: Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor and The Last Green Thread. Produced in concert with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation (FWCF), the films seek to uncover the most important connections that can mean the difference between preservation or loss of the global treasure that is the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The film screenings will be followed by a talk and Q+A session with FWCF’s Jason Lauritsen. Reception with light food and beverages will follow.
This program will take place inside the auditorium of the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. This program is recommended for adults and youth ages 7 and up.
Jason Lauritsen is the Chief Conservation Officer for the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation where he oversees the organization’s land and water protection, science, stewardship, and community relationships. He sits on the Office of Greenways and Trails Council, the Florida Transportation Plan Environmental Partners Working Group, and is a part of the Statewide Bear Technical Assistance Group. Prior to joining FWCF, Lauritsen was the Director of Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. He has also has worked in restoration, education, research, policy and ecotourism. Lauritsen holds a Master’s in Science Education from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor’s in Animal Ecology from Iowa State University.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<
