A special all-day celebration of the state's rich prehistoric and historic cultures is planned for Saturday, March 10, to salute Florida's Archaeology Month. Also, box turtles and the Everglades will be spotlighted in two of the many March programs on tap at the Weedon Island Preserve. Shutterbugs will find interest in a photography hike and an exhibit by renowned photographer Don Nauman.

Call the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center in St. Petersburg at (727) 453-6500 for more information or to register.

Turtles, Everglades, photography spotlighted at special programs ….

• At a free Florida Box Turtle Workshop Saturday, March 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., adults and children over 12 years old can examine the life history and ecology of one of Florida's most interesting animals - the Florida Box Turtle. While they can be seen periodically, their lifestyle is putting them at risk in increasingly urbanized Florida. Through an entertaining study of everything that is a box turtle, participants get an appreciation and a connection to an important member of our environment. Florida Box Turtles will attend and participate in this workshop. To register, call (727) 453-6500.
• At a free The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida and the Politics of Paradise Program Wednesday, March 28, from 7 to 8 p.m., adults can learn along with Michael Grunwald, Author, Florida Humanities Council. The Swamp is the stunning story of the destruction and possible resurrection of the Everglades, the saga of abuse of nature in southern Florida and unprecedented efforts to make amends. Grunwald, a prize-winning national reporter for the Washington Post, takes readers on a riveting journey from the Ice Ages to the present, illuminating the natural, social and political history of one of America's most beguiling but least understood patches of land. To register, call (727) 453-6500.
• At a free Photography Hike scheduled for Sunday, March 4, from 8 to 10 a.m., photographers of all levels find great opportunities to practice for their craft. They will hike the Preserve in search of that perfect shot. Center staff members highlight seasonal features of the Preserve as well as specific wildlife behaviors that help participants capture the natural beauty of Weedon Island Preserve. To register, call (727) 453-6500.

Florida Archaeology Month uncovers a hands-on look at the past …

• A free Florida Archaeology Month Event on Saturday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will help families explore the crafts and livelihood of Florida's first people. Visitors can watch native craft demonstrations and living history presentations with flint knapping, making a dugout canoe, atlatl throwing, basket and fiber weaving, native flute playing and storytelling. Kids of all ages have fun making crafts.
• At a free Gulf Coast Cuisine - The Wonderful Bounty of the Estuaries Program, Saturday, March 10, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Dr. Robin C. Brown, lecturer and author, will present on the rich resources of the estuaries in his talk on early Florida people. This is a perfect program to compliment the Florida Archaeology Month Event going on at the same time.

Photography exhibit focuses on lightning …

• Lightning is the theme in this extraordinary photographic exhibit by Don Nauman. The free, distinctive Hall Gallery Photography Exhibit opens in March at the Center. The exhibit opens Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sunday, April 29. Nauman specializes in artistic photographic compositions against a lightning backdrop. He moved to Crystal Beach, Florida in the late 1970s. Nauman started photographing lightning storms in 1991 and first displayed his work in the Palm Harbor Art Show in 1998. He now participates in 20 to 25 shows all over the country.

Weedon Naturalist Program for those who want to know more …

• At a free Weedon Naturalist - Coastal Aquatic Program Sunday, March 18, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., adults can become familiar with the surrounding ecosystems through this portion of the Weedon Naturalist Program. This program explores the complex and intricate connections between living things and the physical environment in which they occur, including the connections of people to these ecosystems. This session will begin with a classroom discussion of the aquatic areas of the Tampa Bay Estuary. After a demonstration of collection techniques, participants will venture into the shallow water areas to discover some of the organisms found in these unique ecosystems. Collected organisms will be further examined in our classroom-lab with a discussion of their ecology and adaptations. To register, call (727) 453-6500.

The Weedon Island Preserve is located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE in St. Petersburg, on the shores of Old Tampa Bay near the Gandy Bridge. For more information about these events or other programs, call the Weedon Island Cultural and Natural History Center at (727) 453-6500. Details about Weedon Island Preserve can be found at www.pinellascounty.org/environment.

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