Oct. 5, Wildlife/Nature Tours, Florida Botanical Gardens, starting at 9 a.m. in the Palm Pavilion, 12175 125th Street North, in Largo, or call 727-582-2100.

Oct. 7 to 12, Commuter Choices Week, features lunchtime events at major employment centers promoting commute options that save money, relieve congestion and reduce air pollution. Events in downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Westshore and Carillon will feature food, music and games. For more information, visit www.tampabayrideshare.com, or call Bay Area Commuter Services at 800-998-RIDE (7433).

Oct. 12, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour of John Chesnut County Park, 2200 East Lake Rd., Palm Harbor. Meet at 8 a.m. just inside East Lake Rd. (CR 611) entrance, 1st parking lot on left. For further information or reservations, call Ron Smith, 727-525-4782.

Oct 12-13, Florida Sportsman Show, Florida State Fairgrounds,10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Sponsored by Florida Sportsman magazine, $7 admission, children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit www.floridasportsman.com or call 813-839-7696.

Oct. 12 and 13, Fall Plant Festival, USF Botanical Gardens, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. For more information, visit www.cas.usf.edu/envir_sci_policy/botanical/botanical.htm or call 813-974-2329.

Oct. 15, Stone crab season opens. Catch limited to claws at least 2²-inches long with a daily limit of one gallon per person or two gallons per boat, whichever is less. It is illegal to possess a whole stone crab at any time of year. For more information, visit www.floridaconservation.org.

Oct. 18, "Water Wonders," Day Camp at the Florida Aquarium. Explore the fascinating world of ponds and other fresh water habitats with games, hands-on experiments, and treks through the Aquarium's galleries. For kids grades K-5. Cost: $25 members / $32 non-members. Lunch available for $4. Reservations required, 813-273-4015.

Oct. 19, Monofilament Fishing Line Cleanup, 9 a.m., volunteers needed to help clear bird nesting islands of potentially deadly fishing line. Visit www.tampabaywatch.org or call Bryon Chamberlin at 727/896-5320 for more information.

Oct. 20, St. Petersburg Audubon Society Fall Sunset Cruise, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Merry Pier, 801 Pass-a-Grille Way, St. Pete Beach. Tour of intracoastal waterways, ending with the sunset over Shell Key. Call Barb Ranck, 727-864-1068 for reservations. $20 donation.

Oct. 24, Landscape Design, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Hillsborough Extension Service, 5330 C. R. 579, Seffner. Registration required, please call 744-5519, ext. 146.

Oct. 24-27, Audubon of Florida Assembly, Orlando Airport Marriott. Workshops, field trips and seminars. For more information, call 305-371-6399 or visit www.audubonofflorida.org.

Oct. 25, Nauti-Night at the Florida Aquarium, Halloween celebration for adults, includes live entertainment, two dance floors, costume contest, games and prizes. Tickets are $50 for members; $60 for non-members; $70 if purchased after October 21. Proceeds benefit Aquarium veterinary programs. Call the "Nauti-Line" at 813-273-4568.

Oct. 26 Fossil Fun, explore Vulcan Mines, one of Florida's premier spots for marine fossils, as part of MOSI's "Great Escape" series, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation is provided; wear sturdy walking shoes and bring lunch, water and plastic bags to carry home your fossil finds. MOSI members, $25, non-members $35. For more information, visit www.mosi.org.

Oct. 26, Oceanic Evening: Mote's Annual Black Tie Gala, featuring a gourmet dinner prepared by Michael's On East and dancing to the sounds of West Coast Big Band. All proceeds benefiting Mote Marine Laboratory's research. Tickets are $175 each and corporate sponsorships and tables are available. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner is at 8 p.m. Contact Vicki Weise at 941-388-4441 ext. 305 for more details.

Oct. 26, Palm Tour, Florida Botanical Gardens, starting at 9 a.m. in the Palm Pavilion, 12175 125th Street North, in Largo, or call 727-582-2100.

Oct. 26, Rain Barrel and Water Wise Workshop, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Hillsborough Extension Service, 5330 C. R. 579, Seffner. Registration required, please call 744-5519, ext. 146.

Nov. 1, Red snapper season closes until April 14 in the Gulf of Mexico. For more information, visit www.floridaconservation.org.

Nov. 2, Weedon Island Power Paddle, beginning at 9 a.m., a canoe/ kayak race through parts of Tampa Bay that promotes non-intrusive boating in the bay. Visit www.tampabaywatch.org or call Ivy Scattergood-Lowrie at 727/896-5320 for more information.

Nov. 2, Wildlife Wetland Nature Tour, Florida Botanical Garden with naturalist Jerry Shrewsbury, 9 a.m. at the Palm Pavilion, 12175 125th St. North, Largo. The tour is free but reservations are required, call 727-582-2673 or visit www.flbg.org.

Nov. 2 & 3, Discover Egmont. Boat trips to state park and national wildlife refuge accessible only by water from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the last boat leaving Egmont for the mainland at 4 p.m. Ferries leave from the beach near the old fort at Fort DeSoto Park. $10 donation for adults; $5 for children. For more information, contact Richard Johnson at (727) 867-8102 or Sandra Malkett at (727) 398-0627.

Nov. 5, Manatee Watch volunteer training, 6 to 9 p.m., covers the basics of manatee ecology and conservation, introduces the Manatee Watch Program and trains volunteers to become Manatee Watch educators who interact with the public, Eckerd College. Call 727-896-5320 or visit www.tampabaywatch.org for more information.

Nov. 5 & 6, Invasive Species in Florida's Saltwater Systems: Where are we now and where are we going?, beginning at noon on Tuesday at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa. For more information or reservations, contact Dr. Charles Jacoby at 352-392-9667 or via email at cajacoby@ufl.edu.

Nov. 7, Manatee Watch training for volunteers who are comparing the effectiveness of education and regulation by observing boater behavior at set research sites near Maximo Park and Gandy Beach, Eckerd College. Call 727-896-5320 or visit www.tampabaywatch.org for more information.

Nov. 14, Agency on Bay Management meeting, 9 a.m., Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 9455 Koger Blvd., Suite 219, St. Petersburg.

Nov. 15, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Management and Policy Board meetings, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 9455 Koger Blvd., Suite 219, St. Petersburg.

Nov. 16, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour of Philippi Park, Alligator Lake and Upper Tampa Bay Park. Meet 8 a.m. at the K-Mart 94th Ave. N. & 9th St., St. Petersburg, to carpool. Pack a lunch. For more information or reservations, call Bruce Ackerman, 727-821-9279.

Nov. 16, Museum of Science & Industry's cave explorer program in the Withlacoochee State Forest, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that can get dirty to explore underground caverns and amazing sinkholes. Cost is $25 for MOSI members; $35 for nonmembers. Visit www.mosi.org for more information.

Nov. 16, Explore the Anclote River with the West Pasco Audubon Society to learn about birds, wildlife, and Native American history. Meet at the Key Vista Nature Park on Bailey's Bluff Road at 7:30 a.m. We will travel from there to three parks and then ride out the Anclote River on the Island Wind pontoon boat. Call Ken Tracey at 727-372-9640 or Jerry Yehling at 727-372-5909 for more information or reservations.

Nov. 16, Water Wise workshop, 10 a.m., Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Office, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner. Registration is required. Call 813-744-5519, extension 146.

Nov. 19, Manatee Awareness Coalition meeting, 4 to 6 p.m., Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 9455 Koger Blvd., Suite 219, Conference Room A, in St. Petersburg.

Nov. 20, Tampa Bay Estuary Program Community Advisory Committee, 3 to 5 p.m., Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 9455 Koger Blvd., Suite 219, Conference Room A, in St. Petersburg.

Nov. 23-24, St. Petersburg Boat Show and Kid's Fishing Clinic, Bayfront Center Yacht Basin. For more information, call (800) 940-7642.

Nov 30, Canoe or kayak the Robert Crown Wilderness with the West Pasco Audubon Society. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the new ramp at the end of Green Key Road in New Port Richey. Call Ken Tracey at 727-372-9640 or Jerry Yehling at 727-372-5909 for more information or reservations.

Dec. 3, Manatee Watch volunteer training, 6 to 9 p.m., covers the basics of manatee ecology and conservation, introduces the Manatee Watch Program and trains volunteers to become Manatee Watch educators who interact with the public, Eckerd College. Call 727-896-5320 or visit www.tampabaywatch.org for more information.

Dec. 5, Manatee Watch training for volunteers who are comparing the effectiveness of education and regulation by observing boater behavior at set research sites near Maximo Park and Gandy Beach, Eckerd College. Call 727-896-5320 or visit www.tampabaywatch.org for more information.

Dec 7, Bike or hike the bird trails at Jay B. Starkey Park Wilderness Park in New Port Richey. Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Starkey Education Center. Call Ken Tracey at 727-372-9640 or Jerry Yehling at 727-372-5909 for more information or reservations.

Dec. 12, Agency on Bay Management meeting, 9 a.m., Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 9455 Koger Blvd., Suite 219, St. Petersburg.

Dec. 21, Fossil Fun, explore Vulcan Mines, one of Florida's premier spots for marine fossils, as part of MOSI's "Great Escape" series, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation is provided; wear sturdy walking shoes and bring lunch, water and plastic bags to carry home your fossil finds. MOSI members, $25, non-members $35. For more information, visit www.mosi.org.

Jan. 4, Wildlife Upland Nature Tour at the Florida Botanical Garden with naturalist Jerry Shrewsbury, 9 a.m. at the Palm Pavilion, 12175 125th St. North in Largo. The tour is free but reservations are required, call 727-582-2673 or visit www.flbg.org.

to the following sponsors for making Tampa Bay Soundings possible - with our deepest appreciation for your commitment to celebrating and preserving the magnificent estuary that enriches our economy and quality of life:

If you or your company would like information on becoming a sponsor of Tampa Bay Soundings, please contact Suzanne Cooper at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, 727-570-5151, extension 240.

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