Saturday Guided Hikes
Saturday, March 6, 2010  9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, March 13, 2010  9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, March 20, 2010  9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, March 27, 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 two-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.

Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter
Thursday, March 4, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Thursday, March 18, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
C. Rae Harper, West Central Regional Center, Florida Public Archaeology Network
Participants will 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.

Weedon Island Teacher Workshop – Islands and the People
Saturday, March 6, 2010 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
A great opportunity for teachers only, this 6-hour training session uses Weedon Island Preserve as a study site. Teachers will participate in activities that help them train students to identify habitats of the Preserve, recognize what an estuary is and how it works, and understand how the coastal habitats were utilized by humans for 2000 years through the basic principles of archaeology. The objective of the Islands and the People curriculum is to raise awareness about the interactions of humans and the environment. Pinellas County School teachers can receive component credit for this workshop. Lunch will be provided. Free. Spaces are limited so register early!  For teachers only.

Coastal Nesting Birds
Saturday, March 6, 2010 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Beth Forys, Ph.D., Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Many shore and sea birds use the coastlines of the Tampa Bay area as their nesting homes. The survival of some of these species depends, in part, on the state or federal laws that protect them. Learn about our local populations of least terns, American oystercatchers, and black skimmers and their critical habitats. Free. A limited number of Tina Tern booklets with activities will be offered. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for all ages.

Wee-time at Weedon: Owl Babies
Thursday, March 11, 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 Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. Three owl babies awake and find their mother has gone searching for food. They miss her and are so happy when she finally returns. Free. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended ages: 3 - 5.

The Great Weedon Bird Quest
Friday, March 12, 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. This event is free and open to the public. Recommended for adults.

Prince of Frogs Musical Performance
Saturday, March 13, 2010 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
STAGE Productions, Sarasota, FL
Enjoy this fun musical theater production based on the classic fairy tale transformed to introduce the concepts of water use, conservation, and the environment to kindergarten through 5th grade children. Explore the story of Kingdom Waste-A-Lot as the lack of rain and wasteful habits of its citizens results in serious water shortages in the land. Watch as the Prince of Frogs transforms the land into the Conservation Kingdom. Pre-registration required. Free. Recommended for families with children 5 – 10 years old.

Shell Mounds in the Southeastern U.S.: Middens, Monuments, Temple Mounds, Rings or Works?
Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
William Marquardt, Ph.D., Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
Focusing on the southeastern United States, Dr. Marquardt provides some alternative perspectives on shell mounds previously interpreted as architectural features, temple mounds, and feasting sites. Observed abundances of particular shell species can result from local or regional ecological conditions and abrupt climate changes. Shell rings on the Georgia and South Carolina coasts were probably built to conserve and store unconfined water. To understand ancient shell mounds, we need a sediment-oriented approach to the study of mound deposits and more attention to the environmental contexts in which shell mounds accumulated. This lecture, co-sponsored by the Central Gulf Coast Archaeological Society, is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested. Recommended for adults.

Celebrate Florida Archaeology Month 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Florida Public Archaeology Network, Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education, Central Gulf Coast Archaeological Society, and the Education Services Staff and Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division 
Join us for a fun-filled day of archaeological discovery of Tampa Bay to celebrate our 4th annual Florida Archaeology Month. March is designated as “Florida Archaeology Month,” and special programs are planned statewide to recognize the importance archaeology plays in sharing information with the public about the diverse history and prehistory in the state.

           Demonstrations and Archaeological Activities
          10:00 am – 3:00 pm
           Enjoy Native American crafts, activities and demonstrations, and the Center’s exhibit gallery, Connecting People and Place,
           depicting prehistoric, historic, and present life on Tampa Bay.  Bring your family and spend the day with us at Weedon Island
           Preserve.  Watch ancient tool demonstrations and try your skills at making pottery. Learn about recent excavations and what           archaeologists have discovered about the early people who once resided on our shores.

            Lecture: Underwater Archaeology of Tampa Bay
           1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
           Jeff Moates, M.A., Florida Public Archaeology Network, West Central Regional Center
           Listen to a talk about the exciting discoveries under Tampa Bay.

           Lecture: Underwater Archaeology of Tampa Bay
           2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
           Robert Austin, Ph.D., Southeastern Archaeolofical Research, Inc.
           Join us in a talk about early mound builders on our coastal shores.

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy under our shady oaks and discover hidden secrets along our interpretive trail.  Then head back to the Center for more archaeology fun.  All events are free and open to the public.  Recommended for all ages.

Wee-time at Weedon: From Tadpole to Frog
Thursday, March 25, 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 From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer. As the seasons come and go, tadpoles grow and change into frogs.  Free. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended ages: 3 - 5.

Landscaping for Wildlife
Saturday, March 27, 2010 9:30 am – 10:30 am
Wilma Holley, Pinellas County Extension
Learn how to invite birds and butterflies to your yard by attending this landscaping for wildlife class. You will learn what plants attract wildlife, where to plant them, and how to take care of them. Free. Pre-registration required. Recommended for adults.

Poster Exhibit: Earth from Space
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Earth from Space is a set of 20 large color reproductions of images captured by high-tech satellites constantly circling the globe. These satellite images provide clues about the dynamic nature of our planet, documenting environmental cycles, natural disasters, and human-made ecological effects. They record conditions and events that are nearly impossible to document on the planet’s surface.  Visit the Smithsonian Institution’s companion website that compliments this national traveling exhibit.  Free. This exhibit is on display during regular Center hours through August 31, 2010.  

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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