Saturday Guided Hikes
Saturday, May 1, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, May 8, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, May 15, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, May 22, 2010 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, May 29, 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.
Going Green 101: What is Sustainability? Why Does it Matter?
Saturday, May 1, 2010 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Pinellas County Extension Service
What is "Going Green?" What is "Sustainability?" And most importantly, how can it save you money, provide a comfortable lifestyle and leave a healthy planet for future generations? Join experts from the Pinellas County Extension Service to answer these questions in a fun and lively workshop atmosphere. Discuss current events and learn how making small changes can make a big difference. Free. Pre-registration is required. Call (727) 582-2100 to register. Recommended for adults.
Artist Exhibition Opening Reception: “Unexpected Visions”
Saturday, May 1, 2010 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Mic Knight, Artist, Largo, FL
Join us at this talk and opening reception for artist Mic Knight. This “pastel studies” exhibition demonstrates unexpected realities contained in landscapes at the micro and macro visual levels. Knight utilizes techniques from his academic, intuitive, and “common intellectual sense” visual arts background to capture fleeting pastel images of landscapes. This exhibition is on display during regular Center hours from May 1 through July 31, 2010.
Birds of Prey
Saturday, May 8, 2010 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Gabe Vargo, Ph.D., University of South Florida and Boyd Hill Nature Park
They soar, they swoop, and they rule the skies. Join Dr. Vargo, retired-emeritus professor and avian education volunteer at Boyd Hill Nature Park, with his live cast of local owls and a hawk for a look at the life history of these majestic birds. In this program, Dr. Vargo discusses the characteristics that make raptors successful predators, their ecology and natural history, their importance and role in the ecosystem, and the problems they encounter in our human-modified environments. Pre-registration is required. Free. All ages welcome.
Paradise for Sale: Florida’s Booms and Busts
Saturday, May 8, 2010 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Nick Wynne and Richard Moorhead, Authors
Join authors Nick Wynne and Richard Moorhead as they discuss their book describing Florida of the 1920s. Internationally publicized as the happiest place on earth decades before Disney arrived, the Sunshine State experienced a brief and wondrous economic boom in the mid-1920s. But in 1926, small bank failures led to panic, the new federal income tax law led to bankruptcy, and a series of hurricanes decimated the tourist trade. Florida’s great boom had gone bust, not to recover until after World War II. However, Floridians remained optimistic that the sun of prosperity would always rise again. Pre-registration is requested. Free. Recommended for adults.
Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter
Thursday, May 13, 2010 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Thursday, May 27, 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 through May 27, 2010. Free. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended for families with children ages 8 and up.
Wee-time at Weedon: Diary of a Worm
Thursday, May 13, 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 Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin. This book, written as an imaginary diary of a worm, tells the daily doings of a lovable underground dweller. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended ages: 3 - 5.
Relive Tampa Bay’s Fishing Past through the History and Archaeology of Cuban Fishing Ranchos
Thursday, May 13, 2010 7 pm – 8 pm
Jeff Moates, M.A., Florida Public Archaeology Network, West Central Regional Center, and Megan Stack, University of South Florida
This presentation, associated with Rancho Regattas 2010, explores the historic and archaeological remains of the Fishing Rancho Period of Florida’s past. Separated into two parts, the first portion of the presentation brings into focus Bay area rancho-related place names and unlocks their connections to the early maritime trade network that existed between Tampa Bay and Cuba. The second portion focuses on current research by Dr. John Worth of the University of West Florida in Pensacola. Dr. Worth’s extensive new documentary data from Cuba and Spain is used to explore the emergence of the unique 18th and 19th century fishing communities and help clarify the larger story of Florida’s fishing ranchos. Pre-registration is requested. Free. Recommended for adults.
The Great Weedon Bird Quest
Friday, May 14, 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 for more information and to register. Free. Recommended for adults.
Rancho Regattas 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Florida Public Archaeology Network, Alliance for Weedon Island Preserve Research and Education, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association, and Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Rancho Regattas is a public archaeology program that explores the historic and archaeological remains of the Fishing Rancho Period of Florida’s past. In 2010, Weedon Island Preserve is one of three heritage sites on the Gulf Coast inviting participants to learn about this fascinating 200-year history. For a $10 fee, participants may select one of the professionally-led activities such as building a sculling oar, making a fiber fish net, taking a guided kayak tour, or participating in a forensic or ceramics lab. Professional lectures held throughout the day are free and open to the public. For more information and to register for an activity, call Florida Public Archaeology Network at (813) 396-2325. Recommended for adults, program is suitable for ages 12 and up.
Photography Hike
Saturday, May 22, 2010 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This program provides great opportunities for photographers of all levels to hone their skills. After a brief classroom session, participants hike the Preserve in search of that perfect shot. Center volunteers highlight seasonal features of the Preserve, as well as specific wildlife behaviors that help participants capture the natural beauty of Weedon Island Preserve. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for adults.
Use Your Senses
Saturday, May 22, 2010 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
This family-oriented program teaches how to use four of your five senses to identify the natural world. See, smell, touch, and hear the wonders around us and expand your awareness. Free. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for families with children 5 to 8 years of age.
Wee-time at Weedon: Ellie & Ollie Eel: A Tale of a Fantastic Voyage
Thursday, May 27, 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 Ellie & Ollie Eel: A Tale of a Fantastic Voyage
by Suzanne Tate. This book relates amazing facts about eels, a fascinating type of fish. Free. Pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited so register early! Recommended ages: 3 - 5.
Discover Our Classroom
Saturday, May 29, 2010 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Who lives in that skin? What is the difference between a carnivore and an herbivore? Who made those tracks? Stop by our classroom between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to participate in a variety of self-guided activities and use hands-on materials that answer these questions and more. Registration is not required for this open activity. Recommended for families with children of all ages.
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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