Nature Calls

Sixty-plus volunteers at Stump Pass Beach State Park participated on September 14th as part of the 39th International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Around the globe ICC volunteers collect millions of pounds of trash for the world’s largest beach and waterway cleanup effort, contributing to cutting edge plastic pollution research, helping protect sensitive habitats and marine life, and providing data that fuels policy change. Volunteers at Stump Pass included Boy Scout Troop 776, Captain Joe Perz of Wellen Park Charters with a team from Wellen Park, kayakers, & even Jerri who was celebrating her birthday by giving her time to volunteer. All total 230 pounds of litter, trash, & debris were recovered. Thanks to all partners, Rhonda Harvey of Keep Charlotte Beautiful Florida, Ranger Nate of Florida State Parks and all the amazing volunteers who lent a hand.

Birding Walkabout Weeks
Peace River Audubon Society invites you to take birding walks during “Self-Guided Birding Weeks”. The week of September 22-29, stroll through Kiwanis Park, 501 Donora Street, Port Charlotte. The week of October 6-13, take a walk at Prairie Creek Preserve, 1900 Duncan Road, Punta Gorda. Grab a couple of friends and have a great time seeing the migrating & resident bird species. List the species you see on the app ebird with photos and the person with the most species and most unusual photo will be recognized at the November 21st meeting. Learn more at peaceriveraudubonsociety.org.

Master Gardener Info Program
Do you enjoy growing plants and helping people? If so, you may be interested in becoming a volunteer Master Gardener and sharing that knowledge. On Thursday, September 26, 4 to 5pm, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County will present a free program on the Master Gardener Volunteer Program and how to apply for the 2025 class. The Master Gardener program gives you University of Florida-designed training about gardening and landscaping in Florida. This presentation will be held at Shamrock Park, 3900 Shamrock Drive, Venice. You can register at ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com. For questions, call 941•861•5000.

EcoWalk: Sunset Beach Meditation Walk
Join UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County for an exploration of finding peace in nature as you marvel at one of Sarasota County’s spectacular sunsets during a silent walk. The Sunset Beach Meditation Walk will be Thursday, October 10, 6:30pm, at Manasota Key Beach, 8570 Manasota Key Road. The walk is free, but you must register at ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com. Space is limited so register early. For questions, call 941•861•9900.

Book Discussion Groups
Venice Area Audubon Society hosts an in-person and Zoom book club that meets monthly. October’s book selection is Rebecca Heisman’s “Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration”. The book recounts the dedicated work of scientists to resolve some of the great questions about bird migration. The in-person discussion will be Monday, October 14, 10 to 11am, at the Venice Audubon Center, 4002 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice. A separate book club group meets via Zoom for the same book on Wednesday, October 16, 6:30 to 7:30pm. Please register at veniceaudubon.org/events.

Peace River Audubon Society Meeting
The Peace River Audubon Society (PRAS) will hold its first regular meeting of the new season on Thursday, October 17th at 2230 Loveland Blvd., Port Charlotte. The meeting starts with a meet & greet with new board member, Rick Read, at 6:15pm. The meeting program will be a multi-media presentation, “African Birding Safari Photographic Talk”, by Rick & Debbie Read about their two-week adventure in southern Africa that included safari vehicle drives, boat trips, helicopter tours & zip lines through four African countries. Guests are welcome and an annual family PRAS membership is only $20. Learn more at peaceriveraudubonsociety.org or facebook.com/PRASaudubon.

Haunted Trails at Oscar Scherer
This year’s Oscar Scherer State Park’s Haunted Trails will be Friday & Saturday, October 18 & 19, 8-10pm, at the park located at 1843 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. There’s a haunted house for those who truly dare to be scared; kids’ trick or treat trail; food, games & more. Non-perishable food donations will also be accepted to benefit the South County Food Pantry. Ticket price: adult, $14 and child ages six to twelve, $6. Tickets available online only at halloweenhauntedtrails.com. Purchase early as this event sells out. This event is sponsored by Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park, Nokomis Fire Department, Osprey-Nokomis Chamber of Commerce.

EcoWalk: Scrub Stroll
UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County will host an ecowalk through South Venice Lemon Bay Preserve on Monday, November 4, 9 to 11am. Dr. Katherine Clements, UF/IFAS Extension ecology & natural resources educator, will lead this stroll through the scrub, a unique environment in an ancient dune system. Learn about the interesting plants and animals which call the preserve home. The walk is free, but registration is required at ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com. Registration opens Tuesday, October 1st and fills up quickly. For questions, call 941•861•5000.

Horseshoe Crab Watch Volunteers Sought
UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Charlotte County is seeking volunteers to participate in the Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch to collect information on mating horseshoe crabs in Charlotte Harbor. The information collected is used to inform population health assessments and movement models for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch methods involve a beach survey, documenting tagged animals, and tagging and measuring new animals. Individuals or groups may sign up for any number of surveys that fit their schedule. New volunteers are asked to attend in-person training prior to their first survey. Online instructional videos are available to repeat volunteers or those who can’t attend training. Surveys will commence at Ponce de Leon Park, 3400 Ponce de Leon Pkwy., Punta Gorda, made possible by the support of the Peace River Wildlife Center. Register online at bit.ly/FHCW24.  

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) Activities
 On these casual walks with CHEC volunteers, you will search for and learn about plants, animals, fungi and more, that live in Charlotte County preserves. Prepare for each walk with plenty of water, insect repellent, sunscreen, and clothing that will protect you from insects and plants. Advance registration is required. Go to CHECflorida.org for a complete program calendar and registration links. For more information on programs, please call 941•475•0769 or email [email protected].

Amberjack Environmental Park
Join CHEC on a guided walk through the scrub and pine flatwoods of 225-acre Amberjack Environmental Park on Wednesday, September 25 at 8am. Meet at 6250 Gasparilla Pines Blvd., where the street dead ends. To register, fill out the form online at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769. 

Bayshore Live Oak Park
Join CHEC on a guided walk through the 80-acre Bayshore Live Oak Park on Wednesday, October 2 at 8am. Historical figures and beautiful views characterize this park located along the Charlotte Harbor at 23157 Bayshore Road, Port Charlotte. Meet in the parking lot by the playground. Each Bayshore walk will focus on a different theme. To register, fill out the form online at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769. 

Amberjack Environmental Park
Join CHEC on a guided walk through the scrub and pine flatwoods of 225-acre Amberjack Environmental Park on Wednesday, October 9 at 8am. Meet at 6250 Gasparilla Pines Blvd., where the street dead ends. To register, fill out the form online at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769. Also offered on Wednesday, October 30 at 8am.

Cedar Point Volunteer Meeting
Join CHEC for their monthly volunteer meeting on Monday, October 14, 10am to noon, in the visitor center at 2300 Placida Road. There will be an environmentally themed program or guided walk at each meeting. Upcoming programs & volunteer opportunities will be shared. Free coffee & snacks. Advance registration is required by calling 941•475•0769 or email [email protected].

Bill Coy Preserve
Join CHEC on a guided walk through the 81-acre Bill Coy Preserve on Wednesday, October 16, 8 to 9am. The scrubby flatwoods and mangrove swamp border Buck Creek, which flows into Lemon Bay. Meet in the parking lot at 5350 Placida Road. To register, fill out the form online with the calendar entry at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769. 

Seagrass Wading Trip
Join CHEC for a free wading adventure through the seagrass beds of Lemon Bay on Friday, October 18, 9 to 11am. Participants will walk approximately one-half mile to the wading site where they will collect and view creatures of the bay. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that may get wet. Also recommended are sunscreen, insect repellent and water. Advance registration is required. Call 941•475•0769 or email [email protected].

Tippecanoe II Preserve Walk
Join CHEC for a guided walk through Tippecanoe II Mitigation Preserve on Wednesday, October 23 at 8am. This 182-acre preserve is home to several families of the threatened Florida scrub jay. Meet in the parking lot at 16259 Joppa Avenue, Port Charlotte. To register, fill out the form online at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769. 

Nighttime Seagrass Wading Trip
Embrace your nocturnal side and join CHEC for a two-hour nighttime wading adventure through the seagrass beds of Lemon Bay on Tuesday, October 29, 6:45-8:45pm. Search for, catch & release sea creatures in Lemon Bay while learning about the unique aquatic plants and animals with help from a CHEC naturalist. Program fee is $15 per person. For registration, fill out the form online at checflorida.org or call 941•475•0769 for more information.

Mangrove Chapter FNPS Activities
 The mission of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida. The Mangrove Chapter serves Charlotte County and southern Sarasota County. Visit them online at mangrove.fnpschapters.org. For more information, contact them at [email protected].

Deer Prairie Creek Preserve Nature Walk
Join the Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and member Dr. Mary Davis for a walk on Friday, October 4, 9 to 11am, at the Deer Prairie Creek Preserve South, 10201 S. Tamiami Trail, North Port. Mary will educate participants about the flatwoods/dry prairie habitats of this region and how fire, water and grazing shape the plant communities visited. There will be a little exercise to help recognize some common plant families of the area. Meet at the parking lot at the end of the entrance road. This event is free and all are welcome. For more information, contact [email protected].

Mangrove Chapter Meeting
The Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society invites you to join them to learn more about the “Giant Air Plant-An Endangered Species Rescue”, at their Chapter meeting on Tuesday, October 8 at 1pm. The meeting will be held at Lemon Bay Environmental Center, 570 Bay Park Blvd. Members of Friends of Carlton Reserve, Serenoa FNPS, and Selby Gardens, Sherm Stratton and Dr. Linda Lovallo will describe the work they’ve done as Sarasota County volunteers who are part of a local state-permitted team helping to save the endangered giant air plant, Tillandsia utriculata. There will be a BYOPicnic social at 12:15pm. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact [email protected].

Manasota Scrub Nature Walk
Join the UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, and Mangrove Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society as member Dr. Mary Davis leads a walk at the Manasota Scrub Preserve, 2695 Bridge St., on Monday, October 21, 9 to 11am. Learn more about amazing and unique Florida ecosystems located in the preserve. Meet at the kiosk at the parking lot on the left. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/ecowalk. For more information, contact [email protected].