Scales & Trails Youth Hike
2024-03-15 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Join us on an educational adventure geared toward ages 7-11, as we explore the world of reptiles! From slithering snakes to sunbathing turtles, we will learn about the unique adaptations and behaviors that make reptiles so cool. This guided hike will leave participants with a newfound appreciation for our native reptile species.
This youth program is geared toward ages 7 to 11. Registration is required. Space is limited and this program 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

Great American Cleanup
2024-03-16 08:00 - 11:00 | FL
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers for three sites in honor of Keep America Beautiful®’s Great American Cleanup®. This event is the nation’s largest community improvement program taking place annually in an estimated 20,000 communities nationwide.
Register to volunteer by clicking on the site that interests you:
Fort De Soto Park
Tierra Verde
Shell Key Preserve

Archaeological Kayak Tour
2024-03-16 08:00 - 12:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Part of the Florida Archaeology Month 2024 collection

Join archaeologists and environmental specialists for an archaeology-focused paddling experience.

This trip will paddle from Weedon Island’s mainland to Ross Island where participants will then be led around an archaeological site with Dr. Kendal Jackson, a post-doctoral fellow with the University of South Florida, and member of the Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education, who worked on Ross Island as part of his doctorate research. The Florida Public Archaeology Network and ECOmersion will co-lead this trip. During the paddle to Ross Island, stops will be made to interpret the significance of archaeological, historical, and coastal natural areas that will enhance participants’ understanding of the Tampa Bay estuary.
Ages 18 yrs +
>>> REGISTER HERE

Clean Up the Tampa Audubon Sanctuary
2024-03-16 09:00 - 10:00 | FL
The Tampa Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, and Port Tampa Bay are jointly responsible for a small natural area bordering Old Tampa Bay. Mangroves, mudflats, oyster bars, and open bay provide bird and wildlife habitat here, one of the few natural shorelines remaining. Once or twice a year, we meet to remove the trash that washes in on high tide and other debris from the Sanctuary.

Wear long sleeves and pants, closed toe/walk in the water and mud shoes. Sierra Club’s Todd Randolph is organizing the event 815/347-2421. Questions? Call Ann Paul 813/624-3149.

Directions to Site: From 1-275, take Westshore Blvd. exit and head south on Westshore. Turn right at W. San Jose Street. Follow San Jose until you reach an S-shaped curve. The Sanctuary is located on the right. Park on the street being considerate not to block mailboxes or drive ways.

Hidden Wonders Nature Walk
2024-03-16 09:00 - 10:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
This family-friendly nature hike will take you on an exploration of the wet and dry habitats of “Our Wildest Place.”
We will investigate some interesting plants and animals that call Brooker Creek Preserve home. Everyday reveals new natural wonders to enjoy, join us!
Registration is required.
Additional Notes: Volunteer hike guides will meet participants in the lobby of the Education Center 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. Please note that it takes about 10 minutes to drive from the preserve entrance (Keystone Rd.) to the parking lot, and there is a 2-5 minute walk from the parking lot to the Education Center. We strongly suggest all hikers visit the restroom before you begin as there are no facilities along the trail.

Rye Preserve Tour
2023-11-18 09:00 - 11:00 | Rye Preserve, 905 Rye Wilderness Trail, Parrish, FL, 34219, United States
Take a hike through upland habitats along the beautiful Rye Preserve and learn about Florida’s native plants, natural history, and early settlement of the area. Suitable for all ages.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Naturalist Guided Tour
2024-03-02 09:00 - 11:00 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Explore the coastal and upland ecosystems of Weedon Island on this guided tour of the Preserve.

Participants will learn about the environment, native wildlife, and early history of Weedon Island on this guided hike.
This tour is for adults and youth ages 10+. Youth must be supervised by an adult. 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 tour may traverse uneven, natural paths or boardwalks so please prepare accordingly.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Advanced Plant Identification - 4-Part Series
2024-03-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
This four-part plant identification series will introduce participants to the steps required to positively identify plants.
Plant identification is based on close observation of morphological characteristics, contextual clues and lots of practice. This four–part advanced plant identification series will introduce participants to these concepts and the associated vocabulary of the plant scientist.
The class follows the contents of Harrington’s “How to Identify Plants” (1957); a copy of which is provided to each registrant. This concise text contains a comprehensive vocabulary of terms and illustrations to help clarify concepts.
A packet of supplemental educational materials will also be provided to each registrant.
About this Event
During each 4-hour classroom event, participants will engage in a participatory lecture, and have plenty of time for Q & A. The final session will be a hands-on workshop that will include graduates from previous courses. Each session will build on the previous; attending the entire series is recommended.
Classes are four consecutive Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bio-breaks are factored into the schedule for each day! Bring a bag-lunch (refrigeration and a microwave are available).
Class dates and syllabus:
Week 1, March 9
Plant Classification

Parts of a Flower
Inflorescence Types
Non-Flowering Plant Identification
Read Harrington Chapter I – V

Week 2, March 16

Roots-n-Shoots
Leaves
Surfaces
Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteraceae
Read Harrington Chapters VI – XI

Week 3, March 23

General Terms
Fruits and Seeds
Using a Dichotomous Key

Week 4, March 30

Review, general questions
Hands-on Workshop with former graduates
Graduation!

Upon completion of the entire course, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the University of Florida.
Graduates will have access to several hands-on workshops and additional information throughout the year to help stay engaged with the practice of plant identification.
Class fee includes all materials and textbook. Registration will CLOSE on March 6.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Star Party
2024-03-16 19:30 - 22:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Enjoy a star party at the Preserve!
Join The Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve and St. Pete Astronomy Club for a Star Party! Observe the stars through telescopes and enjoy an evening at Brooker Creek Preserve after dark. Night hikes will be conducted as well along the .75 mile Ed Center Trail through the woods. Please bring a chair, water, insect repellent, and your own telescope if you have one.
As always, no pets, no smoking, & no alcohol. Meet at the main parking lot & please arrive between 7:00 and 7:30pm; as the gates will only be open during this time. A suggested donation of $3.00 per person is appreciated.
Questions: info@FriendsOfBrookerCreekPreserve.org or 727-934-2680
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Outdoor Survival; Amazonian Indigenous Tribes
2024-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | ZOOM, United States
Peter Magnin will be joining us for our March program to present on Outdoor Survival and Amazonian Indigenous Tribes. Peter is a survival instructor, primitive skills practitioner and expedition guide.
Peter Magnin has been studying survival and primitive skills since 2013. His first experience with survival training was with the Air Force’s SERE instructors before he retired from the military and started attending schools as a civilian. Early training started with Terry Barney’s beginner to advance survival classes. This inspired Peter to train under Mors Kochanski at Karamat Wilderness Ways, Winter Survival. His experiences range from living outdoors in various shelters for nine weeks under Master Maine Guide Tim Smith at the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School to spending 30 days in the desert with primitive and traditional technologies at the Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS). Peter has taught at the first Global Bushcraft Symposium in Canada in 2019, and again in 2022 in Wales, UK. He has been a special instructor at multiple survival and primitive schools across the country and continually teachers at gatherings. As a wilderness EMT, he is an expedition guide and medic for Joe Flowers with Bushcraft Global since 2019, going to the jungles of Brazil and Peru and learning from indigenous tribes. He spoke as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) at the 7th Special Forces Group, Jungle Warfare Symposium on jungle survival in 2022. For the future he is continuing his education in primitive skills and testing his knowledge in the field.
Learn more about Peter on his website.
Event location: Zoom (virtual)
Register here for the event.

Chinsegut Hill, Brooksville
2024-03-20 08:30 - 11:30 | FL
Walk the Chinsegutt WEA on March 20. Meet at 8:30 am at the parking lot at the intersection of Rt 41 and Snow Memorial Hwy, just north of Brooksville. You can find it in Google Maps under Florida Trail Snow Memorial Highway Trailhead, but there is no street address. It will be an easy walk of several miles, up to the wet prairie overlooks and back again. The trail is wide, relatively flat, a bit sandy in places. There are Red-Headed Woodpeckers, as well as everything from Bald Eagles to Ruby-Crowned Kinglets.
There are NO FACILITES at the trail head, so stop in Brooksville first! Bring water. Most of the trail is at least partly shaded.
Bring lunch if you want, there is a picnic table in the shade at the trail head.
Important! Pre-registration is required and participation is limited to the first 10 people who sign up. 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.
To register, contact Mary.Keith@tampaaudubon.org.

Reptile Wednesdays with Dennis!
2024-01-03 10:00 - 11:00 | Moccasin Lake Environmental Education Center, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater, FL, United States
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!
>>> REGISTER HERE

Seed Saving Strategies - Spring Vegetable Gardening Series
2024-03-20 10:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Learn how to save seeds from your favorite vegetables!
Have you ever thought about saving seeds from your favorite vegetables? Join us for this two-hour workshop about seed saving strategies. Topics will include plant mating systems, isolation techniques, seed processing, and more!
For more information, please contact, Mack Lessig, at 941-722-4524 ext. 1821 or mlessig@ufl.edu.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Wading Bird Walk
2024-01-30 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 key behaviors of our most common wading birds at the Weedon Island Preserve during a guided hike of the trails.
A brief classroom session before the hike will give visitors an overview of the birds found on the Preserve, including tips on when and where these species are most likely to be seen. This guided tour may be up to 2 miles in total length and will traverse uneven, natural paths or boardwalks so please prepare accordingly. This tour is recommended for adults.
>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Gardening with Native Plants
2024-03-21 10:00 - 11:30 | Hillsborough County Extension, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL, 33584, United States
Learn about native plants for your landscape and their benefits to our ecosystem.
L earn how to garden with native plants and select species that are native to Florida that match your site conditions. Natives provide ecological benefits important to a healthy garden such as habitat for wildlife and food for pollinators. We will talk about native wildflowers, perennials, shrubs and trees suitable for planting in Central Florida home landscapes. This class will be held in person and attendees will receive seeds and a list of native plants for our region.
>>> REGISTER HERE

Book Time at Brooker
2023-11-30 10:30 - 11:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Bring your pre-schooler to Book Time at Brooker.

Bring your Preschooler to this program designed to connect them to the wonders of the natural world. In addition to hearing a great story, your child will participate in a craft related to the story that is read. This activity is recommended for ages 3 to 5.
Registration is not required for Book Time, just show up with your kiddo! This program is led by Brooker Creek Volunteers.
Additional Notes: It takes about 10 minutes to drive from the preserve entrance (Keystone Rd.) to the parking lot, and there is a 2-5 minute walk from the parking lot to the Education Center building. We will start promptly at 10:30am. Follow signs to the Exhibit Hall.
REGISTER HERE

Backyard Chickens 101 - Webinar
2024-03-21 17:00 - 18:30 | ZOOM, United States
Learn the basics of raising backyard chickens!
Join us for an introductory backyard chicken webinar! We will cover the basics of chicken nutrition, chicken coops, predator protection, and egg production tips. This workshop is for beginning or aspiring backyard chicken owners.
Participants will receive educational materials to support the topics presented at the webinar.
Registration Deadline: March 20th @ 11:00pm
>>> WEBINAR REGISTRATION

Audubon Photo Club on Zoom
2024-03-21 19:00 - 20:30 | ZOOM, United States
Join the Tampa Audubon Photo Club on Zoom at 7:00 pm on the 3rd Thursday of each month (September through May). Guests are always welcome!
For details, go to https://www.tampaaudubon.org/photo-club
Other information is available in our newsletters at https://www.tampaaudubon.org/newsletter

Triple Creek Birding
2024-03-23 07:30 - 11:00 | Triple Creek, 13305 Balm Boyette Road, Riverview, FL, 33579, United States
Triple Creek Preserve is a 969-acre preserve in the south part of Hillsborough County. It includes a creek system, hardwood wetlands, and upland habitats. There are a variety of trail surfaces: grass, hard dirt, sand, roots, gravel, etc., but we’ll avoid potential wet areas,especially the creek crossings which you have to wade through.
Much of the 3–4-mile walk is unshaded. There are no bathrooms.
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.
Contact trip leader Lilian Saul at: lily.saul@tampaaudubon.org to join.

Field Trip @ Crescent Lake Park
2024-03-23 08:00 - 10:00 | Crescent Lake Park, 1320 5th St. N. , St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Join us as we explore Crescent Lake Park in St. Petersburg. We will look for a variety of bird species on land and water.
Field trip lead: John Ficken, Stewards of Our Urban Lakes (SOUL)
Difficulty: easy (1-mile, paved loop)

2024 Spring Plant Sale
2024-03-23 08:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Sale featuring plants grown by our Master Gardener Volunteers!

Blooming plants & natives!

Eventbrite tickets required
Bring your own garden cart or wagon & load up
Cash or personal check only
Restrooms will be closed
Please only choose one ticket type. If you have early entry, you do NOT have to leave before 9.

Ticket Pricing:
8-9am entry: $10 (+ Eventbrite fee) >>> BUY TICKETS

CHILDREN’S EASTER EGG HUNT
2024-03-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Boyd Hill – 31st Street S, 3130 31st Street S, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Bring your family out for a morning full of Easter egg hunts and egg dyeing. There will be extra crafts and activities available including decorating flowerpots, taking pictures with the Easter Bunny, and outdoor games!

Ethnobotany and Archaeology Open House
2024-03-23 10:00 - 13:30 | Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL, United States
Part of the Florida Archaeology Month 2024 collection

See ancient artifacts and learn about the prehistoric and modern uses of native plants!

See ancient artifacts and learn about the prehistoric and modern uses of native plants as a part of the Weedon Island Preserve’s celebration of Florida Archaeology Month! All ages welcome.

Learn how indigenous Floridians used native plants as an everyday resource in the “Florida Native Plants Through Time” exhibit and demonstration. Exhibit designer and plant expert, Ben Metcantade, will be on-hand to answer questions and demonstrate how the plants were used. See a hands-on demonstration on fiber-thread making from the native yucca plant. In addition, find out which native plants were popular in the 19th century though the present time. The exhibit also features native plants, books and resources on sustainable design and the importance of pollinators.
Meet Weedon Island’s archaeologists and see their displays of artifacts, tools and other items.
Bring your own fossils and artifacts to be identified and their uses determined by on-site archaeology experts.

>>> RESERVE A SPOT

Insect Gall Walk
2024-03-23 11:00 - 12:30 | Brooker Creek Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL, 34688, United States
Let us introduce you to the intriguing world of galls!
These alien-looking growths are found on plants around the world and are hiding tiny secrets: bugs! We will explore the common species of galling insects in Florida and the Tampa Bay area on a gall hunt together. Join Local expert, Christine Leonard to learn about the native galls of Brooker Creek and how they contribute to local biodiversity!
Presented by Christine Leonard. Recommended for adults. This walk caps at 20 participants.

>> REGISTER HERE

Botanical Gelli Prints
2024-03-24 14:00 - 15:30 | Boyd Hill Nature Preserve Classroom, 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WY S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705, United States
This class focuses on the art of creating beautiful, textured prints using plants, leaves, and other natural elements as the primary source of inspiration and design.
Ages 12 yrs +
>>> REGISTER HERE

Native Plant Garden Maintenance
2024-03-26 08:00 - 10:00 | 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.

Garden work includes planting, weeding and trimming, as needed.
There is a $2 admission to the park which Suncoast can cover if you request ahead of time. Park in the lot by the Visitor Center and the garden is behind the building.
Bring water, gloves and personal tools.
Garden Wish List: donations accepted:
swamp milkweed, tropical sage, goldenrod, wild petunia, silkgrass or other small(er) flowering plants.
Contact Tina Patterson for more information and to let her know that you will be coming. mablepatterson@hotmail.com or call or text 305-298-6381 and leave a name and message.

Plant Food 101 - Spring Vegetable Gardening Series
2024-03-27 10:00 - 12:00 | UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension, 1303 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL, 34221, United States
Join us for Plant Food 101! Come find out what plants need to grow.
Join us for Plant Food 101! In this two-hour workshop, we will cover basic plant nutrition. Learn about the role that nitrogen, potassium, and other elements play within a plant.
For more information, please contact, Mack Lessig, at (941) 722-4524 ext.1821 or mlessig@ufl.edu.
>>> REGISTER HERE
