Pinellas Programs Provide a Portal to the Area's Natural Wonders

Even in crowded Pinellas County, stepping away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoying Florida’s natural beauty is possible.

Lands set aside for preservation allow area residents and visitors to experience the Tampa Bay area before civilization left its mark. Following are some educational and entertaining programs scheduled for July in Pinellas preserves:

Brooker Creek Preserve

• Saturday, July 12 - Aquaculture: Is Fish Farming the Answer?, 2 p.m. Robert Smyth of the Ocean Conservancy will discuss aquaculture as a way to meet the rising demand for seafood. The program is free.
• Saturday, July 19 - Scale, Feathers and Spines, 1 p.m. Presented by Lowry Park Zoo experts, this program will highlight special traits that keep animals thriving from season to season in their environment. Live animals will participate in this program. To register for this free program, call 727-453-6800.

Brooker Creek Preserve is at 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs.

Weedon Island Preserve

• Saturday, July 12 – Florida Coyotes: Safely Co-existing with a Preditor, 2 p.m. Led by Jeanne Murphy, a wildlife biologist at Pinellas County Extension, this free and informative program will discuss the coyote population in Pinellas and suggest ways to co-exist with these intelligent and adaptive animals. To register, call 727-453-6500.
• Saturday, July 19 – Animal Detectives Workshop, 1 p.m. Participants will learn valuable outdoor skills in orienteering and animal tracking while exploring some of the common tracks found on the preserve. To register, call 727-453-6500.

Weedon Island Preserve is at 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg.

Shell Key Preserve

• Friday, July 18 – Barrier Island Ecology Field Session, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Using Shell Key Preserve as a study site, participants will learn about the area’s barrier islands as they take part in a beach hike, bird count and observe seagrass ecosystems. Guests will travel to Shell Key by boat from Merry Pier on Pass-A-Grille. Cost for the boat trip is $22 adults, $11 children, tax not included. There also is an additional fee for the educational component per participant. Space is limited and reservations and payment is required in advance. Call 727-453-6500.