Science Sprouts
2023-03-11 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-03-18 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-03-25 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-04-01 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-04-08 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-04-15 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-04-22 09:00 - 10:00, 2023-04-29 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) and 2 more dates | Bishop Museum of Science ﻿and Nature, 201 10th St. West, Bradenton, FL, 34205, United States
Budding scientists ages 2-5 can bring their favorite grown-up to explore and discover a variety of science and nature topics in the Mosaic Backyard Universe. The program sparks kids’ natural curiosity using imaginative play, crafts, stories, songs and more! Please note: This program does not include Museum admission.

On Saturday, June 4, explore “In the Deep Ocean”
On Saturday, June 11, explore “Swirly Whirly Snails”
On Saturday, June 18, explore “Manatee Mischief”
On Saturday, June 25, explore “Busy Buzzin’ Bees”
When/Where: 9-10am every Saturday in the Mosaic Backyard Universe
Cost: $12 per child for members of the Discovery Society; $15 per child for all others. (Includes one adult per child.)
Advance reservations required. Attendance limited to 12 children.

Register now
The Bishop follows the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels guidelines. Please visit www.CDC.gov to see the current Manatee County Community Level before visiting. Masks must be worn indoors when Community Levels are high.

Oyster Reef Ball Construction
2023-03-22 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-03-24 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-03-28 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-03-30 09:00 - 12:00 | Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S., 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 taking apart the molds that were previously made and pouring marine-friendly concrete into a fiberglass mold to create oyster reef balls. 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.

"DEAR TAMPA BAY" FILM SCREENING
2023-03-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) dedicates a significant portion of their efforts towards protecting natural resources and building upon our conservation heritage for the sake of wildlife, ourselves, our neighbors, and future generations. A great way to spread information regarding conservation is through social media productions. The NWF has begun screening a short film titled “Dear Tampa Bay” at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. The twenty-minute film dives into the risk of climate change and the solutions needed for Tampa Bay to get ahead of these critical environmental issues. Through personal storytelling from community leaders located across the Gulf, Dear Tampa Bay explains the vulnerability the region possesses in regard to climate related catastrophes. Tampa Bay is referred to as an area of high risk and low readiness. The region has large, growing populations, including communities with high social vulnerability and extensive development in flood-prone areas. The film addresses everything from sea level rise, water quality and quantity, to climate solutions and resilience strategies. Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is proud to be a partner to the National Wildlife Federation. Please join us for the upcoming screening of the short film “Dear Tampa Bay” on March 25th at 11 am in the Nature Center.

Oyster shell project to restore 2D Island
2023-03-31 09:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-01 09:00 - 12:00 | Williams Park Boat Ramp
The project meeting location is Williams Park boat ramp, 9425 U.S. 41, Riverview, FL 33578, which is next to the U.S. 41 bridge over the Alafia River. We will be installing an oyster shell bar which involves shoveling fossilized shell into mesh bags and transporting the bags via boat to lay on the shoreline of 2D Island. The goal of our efforts is to restore lost habitat by promoting new oyster growth, ultimately improving water quality and providing food sources and habitat for many species.
Click here to register for this project.

Clearwater Audubon Society Bird Walk
2023-04-01 08:00 - 10:00, 2023-05-06 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 <<<

Sea Turtle Awareness Day
2023-04-01 10:00 - 15:00 | Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL, 33767, United States
Celebrate Sea Turtle Awareness Day on April 1, 2023, at Clearwater Marine Aquarium from 10am through 3pm! The Sea Turtle Conservation Program at CMA will be preparing for sea turtle nesting season with nesting presentations, nest stake painting, custom Protect the Nest plaques, and so much more! We will also have many sea turtle conservation partners and CMA teams joining us with additional information to help protect sea turtles and their habitats. This event is included with your general admission at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Schedule of Activities:

11:40am – Performance by the “Semillas de mi Tierra” children’s Latin dance group.
12:15pm – Sea Turtle Nesting Presentation in the Atlantis Theater.
2:15pm – Sea Turtle Nesting Presentation in the Atlantis Theater.

>>> MORE INFO HERE <<<

Florida Ecosystems
2023-04-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Bishop Museum of Science ﻿and Nature, 201 10th St. West, Bradenton, FL, 34205, United States
Homeschool Science Days combine hands-on explorations with themed adventures throughout The Bishop’s exhibitions, Planetarium, and Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat. This month, encounter the plants and animals that live in our local environment.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE DAYS – FLORIDA ECOSYSTEMS

Plant Harvest
2023-04-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, FL, 33572, United States
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers for a native grass harvest project at Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL 33572. We will be pulling the plugs of plants from the ground of the marsh (it’s tough work!) which will be planted at an upcoming Earth Day event at Lassing Park.
Click here to register to volunteer

Earth Day Living Shoreline Project
2023-04-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Lassing Park, 2042 Beach Dr SE, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Celebrate Earth Day by restoring the bay with us! We’ll be installing an oyster shell bar, planting native grasses and picking up trash from the shoreline of Lassing Park.
Register for this project.

Youth Program: Planet Protectors!
2023-04-29 10:30 - 12:00 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Help Protect our Planet!
For true nature lovers, this thrilling program is full of educational fun. It is specifically designed for Florida students to understand what can be done for the environment in their home town and then express that knowledge through multiple artistic mediums. We’ll also meet some very special animal ambassadors!
Presented by Paige Konger of Paige’s Planet. Sponsored by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Wading Bird Walk
2023-05-11 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.

Learn the identifying marks and behaviors of the most common wading birds at Weedon Island Preserve during 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!
This tour is for adults and youth ages 10 and up. Youth must be supervised by an adult for the full duration of the program.
Attendees will meet inside the Cultural and Natural History Center for a short introduction before departing for the trails. The total hike length may be up to two miles. This hike may traverse uneven, natural paths or boardwalks so please prepare accordingly. Afterwards, attendees will return to the Center to complete an evaluation of the hike and explore the museum exhibits.
>>> 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!

Great American Cleanup
2023-05-20 08:00 - 11:00 | FL
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to participate in the Great American Cleanup at Grandview Park and Maximo Park in St. Pete in partnership with Keep Pinellas Beautiful on Saturday, May 20 from 9 AM – 12 PM. Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup is the nation’s largest community improvement program which takes place annually during spring in an estimated 15,000 communities nationwide. A big thank you to the SeaWorld Conservation Fund and Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation for supporting us in our marine debris efforts and our partnerships with the City of St. Petersburg and Keep Pinellas Beautiful!
Click your preferred site to register:
Grandview Park
Maximo Park

This or That? Aquatic Plants!
2023-06-06 12:00 - 13:30 | Online Event
Inspired by “This or That? A Beginner’s Guide to Commonly Misidentified Animals and Plants in Florida”, this webinar hopes to make identifying commonly confused aquatic plants easy. Step up your naturalist skills by participating in this lunch-n-learn webinar. Presented by James Stevenson, Education and Outreach Supervisor
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION <<<

Summer Service Program
2023-06-07 08:00 - 11:00, 2023-06-28 09:00 - 12:00 | Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde, FL, 33715, United States
Tampa Bay Watch is offering high school students an opportunity to earn community service hours this summer. The program is scheduled to take place on Wednesday mornings 9 AM – 12 PM from June 7 – July 19 at our facility in Tierra Verde with a maximum of fifteen volunteers per project. The minimum age to participate is 15 years old. Examples of projects include assisting with native plantings, oyster shell recycling, cleaning fishing line, and coastal cleanups.
Interested students should email rarndt@tampabaywatch.org with a cell phone number and the dates they’d like to participate.

Managing Our Underwater World in Tampa Bay
2023-06-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Learn about the interesting coastal resources in our backyard Tampa Bay, and how the Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves program, in partnership with the community, is working to restore & protect them.
The Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves (TBAP), managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, highlight the best of what our state has to offer: open water, inlet bays, tidally influenced creeks and rivers, oyster reefs, seagrass beds, salt marshes and mangrove forests. These habitats are vital to Florida’s iconic wildlife such as manatees, dolphins, fishes, oysters, and an abundance of wading, nesting and migratory birds. Although not widely known, TBAP even has a variety of corals in its hard-bottom areas.
This program will feature Dr. Randy Runnels of the Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves Program. Dr. Runnels earned his PhD in Oceanography from Texas A&M University. His 30+ year career has taken him from the temperate Northern Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys. In recent years he has been invited to China and Vietnam as a coastal management adviser on a number of issues. He has managed Tampa Bay’s aquatic preserves for over two decades, and continues to teach college courses in Biology, Marine Science and Environmental Science.
This program is recommended for adults and youth ages 12+. Youth should be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the program.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<
