|
|
|
Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center: April |
|
|
Saturday, 21 March 2009 |
Wednesday Evening Walks
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Many animals are most active at dawn and dusk, the time when nature’s day shift has ended but the night shift has yet to begin. Join us for a pleasant evening stroll as we discuss the ways many living things are adapted to make the best use of the twilight hours. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are a must; water and insect repellant are optional. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended for families with children age 10 and up.
Spring Migration Bird Hikes
Thursday, April 2, 2009 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Thursday, April 9, 2009 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Thursday, April 16, 2009 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Thursday, April 23, 2009 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Thursday, April 30, 2009 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Join us every Thursday morning in April for a bird hike in the Preserve. We will search for migratory birds as these feathered marathon flyers travel back from the tropics to their northern nesting grounds. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. Closed-toe comfortable shoes are a must and water and a hat are recommended for this hike. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended for adults.
Guided Hikes
Saturday, April 4, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 11, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 18, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Saturday, April 25, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
Take a walk through time each Saturday morning on a guided hike along the Education Center Trail. Join us for this 0.75-mile walk as we look at how the land has changed over time and discuss the ecological footprints left by those changes. Sturdy closed-toe shoes and water are a must, a hat, sunscreen and insect repellant are recommended. Reserve your space by 12 noon on the Friday prior to the hike of choice. Admission: Free. All ages welcome - children younger than 6 may find this hike challenging.
Young Birders Morning Walk
Sunday, April 5, 2009 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Join us for a morning bird walk along the Education Center Trail. We will identify common birds of the Preserve by sight, behavior and sound. Bring your own binoculars or borrow a pair of ours. Sturdy closed-toe shoes and water are a must. A hat, sunscreen and insect repellant are recommended. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended ages: 8 and up.
Footprints on the Land Hike
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Education Services Volunteers, Environmental Lands Division
The only constant in nature is change. Join us for this 0.75-mile walk as we look at how the land has changed over time and discuss the ecological footprints left by those changes. Sturdy closed-toe shoes are a must, and water and a hat are recommended. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended for adults.
Cypress Swamp Café – Family-Friendly Backyard
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Join us for this series of presentations and discussions to explore ways you can live a sustainable lifestyle. This week presents Family-Friendly Backyard. Join us to explore the wild side of your neighborhood by creating nesting sites for wildlife in your backyard. Pre-registration is required. Admission: Free. Recommended for adults.
Book Time at Brooker Creek – Jack’s Garden
Thursday, April 9, 2009 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to connect pre-school children to the wonders of the natural world. This week features Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole. Come watch Jack’s garden grow and bloom. This beautifully illustrated tale follows a garden from seed to bloom, teaching us about soil, weather, insects, and more. A craft, game or other hands-on activity related to the story is included. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.
Insect Safari
Saturday, April 11, 2009 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
What makes an insect an insect? Where are the best places to find insects? We will look at a few examples of live insects in the classroom and then go outside to search for more. Each group will learn how to use an insect net and magnifier to get up-close views of these fascinating creatures. Join us for this fun, hands-on family program. Pre-registration is required; space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended families with children ages 6 - 10.
Open Classroom – Discovering Nature with Your Child
Sunday, April 12, 2009 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Sunday, April 26, 2009 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Who lives in that skin? What is the difference between a carnivore and an herbivore? Whose tracks are those? Stop by our classroom anytime between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm to participate in a variety of self-guided nature games and activities that will answer these questions and many more. Pre-registration is not required for this open activity. Admission: Free. Recommended for all ages.
Adult Ecology Workshop – Florida’s Fresh Water Turtles: Identification, Natural History and Conservation
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
George L. Heinrich, Heinrich Ecological Services, St. Petersburg, FL
Sponsored by the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve, Inc.
Home to over 8% of the world’s known turtle species, Florida is a significant area for both turtle diversity and habitat. Turtles are ancient creatures that walked the Earth with the dinosaurs and today are important and visible elements in many ecosystems. Join local herpetologist George L. Heinrich as he leads workshop participants through basic turtle identification techniques, natural history, major threats, and conservation needs. A leisurely canoe trip along the banks of Lake Tarpon and into Brooker Creek provides an opportunity to see basking freshwater turtles and other wildlife. Emphasis will be placed on the turtle species known to occur at Brooker Creek Preserve. Bring a brown-bag lunch. Pre-registration is required and space is limited to 20 participants. Admission $50/person (includes canoe and transport to and from Brooker Creek Preserve) - Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve, Inc. receive a $10 discount. Recommended for adults.
Get Wired for Solar Energy
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
John Gambill – Hotwire Enterprises, Tarpon Springs, FL
Soaring energy prices and concerns about environmental impacts are causing more homeowners to consider alternative energy sources. Florida’s sunny climate provides the perfect opportunity to harness energy from nature and put it to use powering our televisions, computers and appliances. Join solar energy expert John Gambill to learn the ins and outs of residential solar power. Pre-registration is required. Admission: Free. Recommended for adults.
Teacher Training Workshop
Saturday, April 18, 2009 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Brooker Creek Preserve is the perfect place to connect classroom concepts to the natural world. This workshop provides teachers with the training and materials necessary to design and lead learning experiences that are tailored to their classroom curriculum goals. Workshops are intended for teachers willing to lead their own field trips, and are required of all teachers before using Center equipment and facilities other than public trails and the exhibit hall. Pre-registration is required. Call and ask for the educator in charge of this workshop for more information or to register. Admission: Free. Recommended for teachers.
Young Naturalist Walk
Sunday, April 19, 2009 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
Celebrate Earth Day with a short walk along the Center’s trails to discover the nature of Brooker Creek Preserve. We will use all of our senses to bring out the naturalist in children of every age. Sturdy closed-toe shoes and water are necessary; a hat, sunscreen and insect repellant are recommended. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended for families with children of all ages.
Book Time at Brooker Creek – Busy Buzzers: Bees in Your Backyard
Thursday, April 23, 2009 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Education Services Staff, Environmental Lands Division
This program is designed to connect pre-school children to the wonders of the natural world. This week presents Busy Buzzers: Bees in Your Backyard by Nancy Loewen, a story that focuses on a familiar garden resident – the honeybee. Did you know that there are over 20,000 species of bees in the world? This program also includes a craft, game or other hands-on activity related to the story. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Admission: Free. Recommended ages: 3 – 5.
Ground Water Institute for Teachers
Friday, April 24, 2009 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, April 25, 2009 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
American Ground Water Trust
Sponsored by the Southwest Florida Water Management District
The exciting and practical science of ground water can be applied to existing curriculum in many traditional subject areas. Join experienced ground water professionals and educators in this 2-day workshop to learn how to bring real-life examples of the science and technology of water issues into your classroom. Pre-registration is required by visiting the American Ground Water Trust website at www.agwt.org. Admission: Free. Recommended for educators in Pinellas County and parts of Pasco County (Elfers, Holiday, Land O’ Lakes, Odessa, Seven Springs, and Trinity).
Call (727) 453-6800 for registration and information
|
|
Home 
News 