Fins, Skins, & Feathers Camp
2025-07-23 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-24 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-07-25 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Ages 7 yrs – 12 yrs
Jul 21, 2025 – Jul 25, 2025
Weekdays – 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Campers will dive into the world of unique animal adaptations: fins, skins, and feathers!
Throughout the week, campers will meet some of Boyd Hill’s Ambassador Animals along with other activities, crafts, and fun!
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Reptile Wednesdays with Dennis!
2025-07-23 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-07-30 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-08-06 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-08-13 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-08-20 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-08-27 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-09-03 10:00 - 15:30, 2025-09-10 10:00 - 15:30 and 6 more dates | Moccasin Lake Environmental Education Center, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL, United States
Explore reptiles with a friendly expert, get your questions answered, and level up your knowledge in a relaxed, beginner-friendly session.

Dennis is the president of the Suncoast Herpetological Society, Inc. and spends his Wednesdays at Moccasin Lake Nature Park educating guests about reptiles.

Come with your questions!

Boat America Classes
2025-07-26 09:00 - 2025-07-27 14:00, 2025-08-23 09:00 - 2025-08-24 14:00, 2025-09-27 09:00 - 2025-09-28 14:00 | U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-1 Headquarters, 510 North Ft. Harrison Ave, Clearwater, FL, 33755, United States
Boat America Classes
Boat America is a boating certificate class that offers an in-depth and interesting boating safety course, and provides the knowledge needed to obtain a Florida Boating Safety ID Card.

For the convenience of our students, some classes are held online via Zoom. These virtual classes utilize the same instructors and materials you would enjoy during the in-person classes. The schedule below notes whether the class is in person or via Zoom.
To register click on the Registration Form link at the bottom of this page or send an email to the Flotilla 11-1 Public Education Officer at clwtr.auxboating@gmail.com

2025 Boat America Classes

June 28 and 29 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – Zoom
July 26 and 27 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – In-Person
August 23 and 24 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – Zoom
September 27 and 28 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – In-Person
October 25 and 26 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – Zoom
November 22 and 23 – 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM – In-Person

Class cost includes book.

Register for Boat America class

Landscape & Wildlife Photography
2025-07-26 10:30 - 11:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Join photographers Karl and Kathleen Nichter for an introduction to nature photography!
Are you interested in landscape and wildlife photography in Florida? Join photographer/naturalists Karl and Kathleen Nichter for a program on these two areas of photography. They will be showing a lot of examples of both types along with how they were taken, where, what cameras and settings, and tips and tricks for finding and making your own shots.
Although we won’t be taking any photographs during this session, if you have any camera questions bring your camera along and we will do our best to answer them.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<
Important Additional Notes: It takes about 10 minutes to drive from the preserve entrance (Keystone Rd.) to the parking lot, and there is a 3-5 minute walk from the parking lot to the Education Center buildings. This event will be held in the auditorium.

Community Tree Care Workshop
2025-08-01 09:00 - 16:00 | Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Rd Off Fivay Rd, Hudson, FL, 34667, United States
Urban tree selection, planting, care and maintenance topics will be covered in this free day-long workshop.

Are you interested in learning about proper tree care?
Whether you are an individual homeowner, hold a position of community leadership (HOA Board and Committee members and CAM’s), maintain trees for a municipality or other public entity, or work in urban planning, the Community Tree Care Workshop is for you!
>>> GET TICKETS <<<
Learning Objectives
Attendees will be able to:

Describe the importance of hiring a certified professional to conduct structural tree pruning
Identify how to locate a certified professional and develop reasonable and achievable contract specifications
Develop a maintenance plan for any exisiting trees for which you are responsible
Identify proper planting, establishment and pruning methods for optimal tree longevity
Select an appropriate tree species for a given location
Identify the benefits associated with a healthy community tree canopy

>>> GET TICKETS <<<
Agenda (order of topics subject to change)
9:00AM Welcome and Introductions
9:15AM What is a Tree? Biology and Benefits of Trees in Urban Landscapes
10:00AM Right Tree, Right Place: Selection, Planting and Establishment of Trees
10:45AM Break
11:00AM Pruning Trees for Health and Structure
12:00NOON Lunch on Your Own (1 hour)
1:00PM Hiring a Certified Professional: Where to Look, How to Hire, etc.
1:45PM Developing a Tree Maintenance Plan
2:30PM Working with Your Community: Knowing Relevant Codes, Permits, etc.
3:00PM Trees and Storms: Reality and Response
4:00PM Adjourn
>>> GET TICKETS <<<
This workshop is a collaborative event between UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County and UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County staff.

Heat Tolerant Plants for Florida Landscapes
2025-08-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Palma Sola Botanical Garden, 9800 17th Avenue Northwest, Bradenton, FL, 34209, United States
Join us to learn about the best heat-tolerant plants for your Florida landscape!
Welcome to Heat Tolerant Plants for Florida Landscapes!
Join us at Palma Sola Botanical Park for a fun and informative event all about plants that thrive in the Florida heat. Learn about the best species to add to your landscape that can withstand the hot and humid climate of Florida. Discover tips and tricks for caring for these plants so you can have a beautiful and vibrant garden all year round. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your gardening skills and create a stunning outdoor space!
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Global Raptors
2025-08-23 10:30 - 12:00 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Join us to learn about our aerial predators!
Join us to meet this distinctive trio of aerial predators. We will feature the peregrine falcon, the osprey and the barn owl, examining each species, and comparing their strategies for survival. Expect to be amazed!
Join Barbara Walker of the Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue for this enlightening, photographic enriched program AND meet live raptors!
>>> GET TICKETS <<<
Family friendly. Sponsored by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve.

Pollinators
2025-08-30 11:00 - 12:00 | Hugh Embry Library, 14215 4th Street, Dade City, FL, 33523, United States
Who are the pollinators and why are they important to our world?
Pollinators are critical to our ecosystem, and they are in trouble. Who are the pollinators and why are they important to our world? Why we should care about them and how we can help them survive our ever-increasingly warm climate.
A healthy garden with the right plants will support natural beneficial insects and their needs. Learn what’s causing their decline and how planting a pollinator friendly habitat in our yards will benefit them and us!
>>> GET TICKETS <<<

WILDFLOWER WALK: ASL EDITION
2025-09-06 13:00 - 14:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
Immerse yourself in the beauty of native Florida flowers on this inclusive, ranger-led hike. We’ll explore how the flowers, trees, and green spaces at Boyd Hill contribute to the health and vitality of the preserve. Each month, participants have the opportunity to learn about up to 10 flowers currently in bloom.
In recognition of Deaf Awareness Month, this hike will be interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) to promote accessibility and inclusion. An additional ASL-interpreted hike will be offered at the end of the month.
Ages 12 and up
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Permaculture Design Course Florida
2025-09-13 09:00 - 17:00 | Lakewood United Church of Christ, 2601 54th Ave S., St. Petersburg, FL, 33712-4700, United States
🌎 Endorsed by the Permaculture Institute of North America (https://pina.in)
Don’t wait—take the first step toward a regenerative future today! 🌿✨
## Subjects covered in the course
• Permaculture design ethics, principles and tools
• Creating abundance with natural patterns
• Grow more food with less work by working with nature
• Edible landscaping, food in small spaces
• Building food forests
• Nutrient dense “beyond organic” gardening and farming
• Agroforestry and ecoagriculture, regenerative farming
• Aquaculture
• Building rich, live soils
• Composting and vermicomposting
• Alternative pest management
• Designing sustainable water use
• Greywater and rainwater catchment
• Natural building and regenerative building technology
• Reducing energy costs in your home
• Best forms of sustainable energy
• Appropriate technology
• Boosting your career with permaculture
• Sustainable economics
• Increasing quality of life through “placemaking” design
• Designing for climate change
• Community revitalization and rebuilding
• Successful intentional communities, ecovillages and cohousing, urban and rural
>>> RESERVE A SPOT <<<

Feathers: Birds' Most Distinguishing Feature
2025-10-11 10:30 - 12:00 | Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, United States
Join ornithologist Alexa DeJoannis for a talk ALL about feathers!
Feathers are synonymous with birds: all birds have feathers, and only birds have feathers! To us hairy mammals, feathers seem exotic and beautiful. How do feathers accomplish multiple functions at one time?
Ornithologist Alexa DeJoannis gives a good grounding in the form and function of feathers, birds’ most distinguishing feature.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

Bats
2025-10-14 14:00 - 15:00 | New River Branch Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel, FL, 33543, United States
Humans need our beneficial flying friends, the Bats! Come learn more about bats at this educational seminar.
Worldwide there are more than 1,400 species of bats. That is about 20% of all mammal species.
Bats live everywhere on Earth, except in the most extreme deserts and polar regions. Bats consume insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. A single bat can eat up to its body weight in insects each night and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
>>> REGISTER HERE <<<

International Archaeology Day Celebration!
2025-10-18 10:00 - 14:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Join us for International Archaeology Day! International Archaeology Day is a celebration of archaeology and its contributions to society.

Pop-Up Exhibits from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Archaeology Talk from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

⚱️Explore a one-day exhibit of pre-Columbian artifacts from the Tampa Bay region and beyond! Archaeologists will illustrate the use of early stone and shell tools and their importance to indigenous people. Bring in found or inherited items such as spear points, tools, and pottery sherds for expert identification.
🌿Discover how indigenous Floridians used native plants in the pop-up “Florida Native Plants Through Time” exhibit. Exhibit designer and plant expert, Ben Metcantade, will also demonstrate how to make fiber-thread from our native yucca plant! Enjoy native plants, books, and resources on sustainable design and the importance of pollinators.
🎤Learn about the fascinating relationship between botany and archaeology in a special presentation from Dr. Christopher A. Kiahtipes, Associate Curator of the University of South Florida Herbarium. Using herbaria as a lens, Dr. Kiahtipes will discuss the intellectual, ethical, and curatorial challenges both disciplines face—especially in the context of our digital culture. Dr. Kiatipes talk is More than Collections: Making the Case for Physical Collections in a Digital World.
>>> GET TICKETS <<<
The following organizations will be on-site with information on their archaeology programs and how to get involved:

Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education
Central Florida Gulf Coast Archaeological Society
Florida Public Archaeology Network
University of South Florida
