Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter
Thursday, April 1, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Thursday, April 15, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Thursday, April 29, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
C. Rae Harper, West Central Regional Center, Florida Public Archaeology Network
Participants learn to think and research like an archaeologist as they investigate historic shelters using the archaeological process in this afterschool program. Families are encouraged to participate in this curriculum developed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management that teaches investigative skills of mapping, classifying, and identifying an archaeological site. Presented by the Florida Public Archaeology Network, program sessions are scheduled for every other Thursday from January 21 through May 27, 2010. Free. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended for families with children ages 8 and up.
Saturday Guided Hikes
Saturday, April 3, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 10, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 17, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 24, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Guided hikes through coastal mangrove and upland ecosystems of the Preserve are held each Saturday of the month. Join us to learn about the coastal environment and the early residents of Weedon Island Preserve. Be sure to bring water and a snack for this 2-hour hike. A hat and closed-toe shoes are also recommended. Pre-register by 2:00 pm on the Friday prior to the tour of your choice. Free. Recommended ages: 6 and up.
Discover Our Classroom
Saturday, April 3, 2010 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Come discover the hidden world of the estuary with some of the smallest critters that live in Tampa Bay. Live samples of plankton from Tampa Bay will be available in our classroom to examine and identify. Plankton describes a diverse group of organisms suspended in all bodies of water, including estuaries and oceans. Microscopes help reveal these fascinating creatures which exhibit a wide variety of bizarre shapes and adaptations. Activities are self-guided; just stop by our classroom anytime between 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm to participate. Free. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Wee-time at Weedon: The Snail’s Spell
Thursday, April 8, 2010 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to introduce pre-school children to the wonders of the natural and cultural world. Every second and fourth Thursday of each month, children are treated to a variety of stories and hands-on activities that connect them to their environment. This week presents The Snail’s Spell by Joanne Ryder. This tale invites children to imagine shrinking to the size of a little snail and living in a garden. Free. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended ages: 3 - 5.
The Great Weedon Bird Quest
Friday, April 9, 2010 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Join us on a quest to find Weedon Island Preserve birds! Learn the identifying marks and behaviors of our feathered year-round residents and seasonal visitors while helping us compile an annual checklist of the Preserve’s birds. These hikes are designed to take advantage of all levels of birding experience. Binoculars and bird guides are available. Hikes are scheduled for the second Friday of each month. Please join us for a relaxing morning outing led by experienced birders. Call us for more information and to register. Free. Recommended for adults.
Wild Florida – Prehistoric Florida
Saturday, April 10, 2010 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Pinellas County Extension Service
Journey back into Florida’s past when the saber cat, giant sloth, mammoth, giant tortoise and bison roamed the sunshine state. During hands-on activities with Sensing Nature® biologists, investigate millions-of-year-old animal fossils and float back in time when mega-fauna ruled our coastal habitats. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for all ages.
Life and Death in Southeastern Florida during the Late Archaic Period
Thursday, April 15, 2010 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Allison Elgart, Ph.D., Florida Gulf Coast University
A cemetery and discrete burials discovered at the Hiatus #2 site, a Late Archaic to Glades Period site located on the Pine Island Ridge in Broward County, provides information on the quality of life, social organization, and perceptions of death during this time period. The cemetery, located on the southeastern edge of the site in association with the habitation component, held many juvenile burials, while two discrete burials located west of the cemetery area contained adults. Join us to learn how the mortuary patterns from these sites compared to other contemporaneous sites in southern Florida and to later burial practices, including the animal burials at the Miami Circle site. This lecture is co-sponsored by the Central Gulf Coast Archaeological Society. Free. Pre-registration is requested. Recommended for adults.
Earth Day Clean-up: “Be Part of the Solution”
Saturday, April 17, 2010 8:30 am – 11:30 am
Environmental Lands Division Staff and Volunteers
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the Environmental Lands Division is hosting a clean up at Weedon Island Preserve and is looking for volunteers to help. This event coincides with Earth Day Network’s Global Days of Service where thousands of volunteers across the globe participate in environmental projects on April 17th and 18th. Participants should wear sturdy footwear and, if so inclined, be prepared to get muddy! Volunteers receive donated eco-friendly mementos in appreciation of their help. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages are 12 and up.
Wee-time at Weedon: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Thursday, April 22, 2010 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to introduce pre-school children to the wonders of the natural and cultural world. Every second and fourth Thursday of each month, children are treated to a variety of stories and hands-on activities that connect them to their environment. This week presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Children are treated to the antics of an ever-hungry caterpillar that feasts its way through various food delicacies before metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly. Free. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended ages: 3 - 5.
Florida and the Caribbean: From Ponce de León to Hugo Chavez
Saturday, April 24, 2010 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Paul J. Dosal, Ph.D., University of South Florida and Florida Humanities Road Scholar
Florida has been an outpost of Caribbean civilizations since 1513 when Spaniard Juan Ponce de León arrived from Puerto Rico. Through a history of Caribbean products, (including rum, cigars, sugar, coffee, and bananas), and a history of Caribbean rulers, (“Papa Doc” Duvalier, Rafael Trujillo, Fidel Castro, and Hugo Chavez), historian Paul Dosal highlights the political and economic forces that have bound Florida to the Caribbean for more than 500 years. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for adults.
Monday - Friday Half-Day, Self-guided Tours
Launch Times: 11:30 am or 1:00 pm
Sweetwater Kayaks offers half-day (4-hour long) self-guided tours Monday through Friday. Reservations for the 11:30 am or 1:00 pm launch times are recommended. Please arrive at Sweetwater Kayaks 30 minutes before your reservation. Once payment and paperwork is complete, follow our staff to the Preserve and park your car in the main parking lot. Call Sweetwater Kayaks at (727) 570-4844 to reserve your kayak.
Single Half-day Fee: $40
Double Half-day Fee: $56
Saturday and Sunday Half-Day, Self-guided Tours
Launch Times: 9:00 am or 12:30 pm
On weekends, Sweetwater Kayaks' self-guided, half-day tours are 3.5-hours long and launch at 11:30 am or 1:00 pm. Reservations are recommended. Meet us at Weedon Island Preserve at least 15 minutes before your reservation. Please park in the main parking lot. Call Sweetwater Kayaks at (727) 570-4844 to reserve your kayak.
Single Half-day Fee: $40
Double Half-day Fee: $56
Daily Rentals
Launch Anytime: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Are you dealing with a busy schedule and only have time for a short paddle around Riviera Bay? Perhaps our hourly rentals are the best fit. Every weekend, kayaks and canoes are onsite at the Preserve for rental by the hour. To arrange a drop off during the week, call Sweetwater Kayaks at (727) 570-4844.
Single Hourly Fee: $17
Double Hourly Fee: $25
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