St. Lucie County Environmental Resources Department Announces Weekly Nature Series
January 27, 2010 by Rachel Baker · Leave a Comment
St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department continues its weekly winter Nature Series with guided, educational hikes for February. These free weekly programs run through May 1 and give participants a chance to explore some of the 42 miles of hiking trails that are located throughout the County’s 7,000 acres of Environmental Significant Lands.
* Saturday, Feb. 6 from 2- 5 p.m. – Day Hike at Pinelands, 7601 VPI Grove Road, Port St. Lucie. A naturalist will lead a hike through a set of unique flatwood natural communities that offer a variety of potential wildlife encounters. Learn a little bit about the plants, animals and ecosystems alike while hiking the trail. Birds identified along the way will be added to the site’s bird list and help biological staff members create a bird checklist for the public to use whenever hiking a St. Lucie County trail. Hikers should be prepared to trek a few miles with appropriate hiking shoes/boots.
* Saturday, Feb. 13 from 8 – 10 a.m. – Sweetwater Hammock Bird Count, 4100 South 25th Street, Fort Pierce. Join the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Volunteers count birds all across the continent and enter results into a database that provides a snapshot in time of how bird populations are doing. No experience is necessary. Bring binoculars and field guides, if you have them. Go to www.birdsource.org for more information.
* Saturday, Feb. 20 from 9 – 10:30 a.m. – Gopher Tortoises at Bluefield Ranch, 30501 Bluefield Ranch Road, Port St. Lucie. Take to the trails with a naturalist and learn about this Florida threatened species. Learn about their preferred habitat, foraging habits, natural history and the importance of their burrows to other wildlife.
* Saturday, Feb. 27 from 7-9 p.m. – Owl Prowl at Pinelands, 7601 VPI Grove Road, Port St. Lucie. Whoo, whoo, whoo wants to see barred owls, screech owls and great horned owls? Staff will try to call in our local feathered friends. Please bring a flashlight.
Anyone wishing to participate in these unique nature programs needs to register at least one day in advance. Programs are free, but limited to the first 15 people. Purchased through a voter-approved bond referendum, St. Lucie County manages 24 preserves that are open to the public for passive recreation.
To register for the free, weekly Nature Series or for more details about environmental lands, call the St. Lucie County Environmental Resources Department at (772) 462-2525 or visit: www.stlucieco.gov/erd.
