The Southwest Florida Water Management District is joining with the Science and Environment Council (SEC) to celebrate Sarasota’s watersheds and promote watershed awareness by declaring Oct. 13 through 19 as “Watershed Awareness Week.”
The District’s Manasota Basin Board is co-sponsoring Watershed Awareness Week in an effort to foster good watershed stewardship.
The SEC is a group of nonprofit and government organizations that operate to support conservation and science-based facilities. Many of SEC’s members are highly visible organizations, such as the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota County Government, New College of Florida, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Oscar Scherer State Park, Myakka State Park, Historic Spanish Point, Crowley Museum and Nature Center, Aquarian Quest, and Ringling College of Art and Design. The organizations will showcase their commitment to protecting watersheds and promoting conservation by hosting a variety of events.
Here’s a look at just a few of the fun, nature-based activities taking place during Watershed Awareness Week:
Oct. 11
AquaCritters, 9 a.m. at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Children ages 6-12 accompanied by an adult are invited to use dip nets, core samplers, and seine nets to explore sand and seagrass beds to discover the animals that live in Sarasota Bay. Admission is $10 for members, $12 for nonmembers.
Oct. 13
Lecture/Demonstration “How trees catch rain and reduce stormwater runoff”, 4 p.m. at New College, outside Pritzker Marine Lab, 5800 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Free.
Oct. 14
Guided nature walk, 9:30 a.m. at the Myakka River State Park, 13208 State Road 72, Sarasota. Free, but limited to 15 people. Call 941-373-7839 for reservations.
Sarasota County Government will unveil a watershed interpretive sign and seining excursion, 11 a.m. at Indian Mound Park, 210 Ave., Englewood. Free.
Oct. 15
Ranger-led canoe trip focusing on watersheds and the role natural places play in keeping them healthy, 8:30 a.m. at Oscar Scherer State Park, 1843 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Park admission is $4. Open to the first 20 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dedication of watershed interpretive sign and sunset stroll, 5 p.m. at Historic Spanish Point, 337 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Regular admission. Call 941-966-5214, ext. 295 for more information.
Oct. 16
“The Watershed Story of Crowley Museum and Nature Center” with guest speaker Dr. Robert Kluson, USF Agriculture Extension, 11 a.m. at the Crowley Museum & Nature Center’s Learning Center, 16405 Myakka Road, Sarasota. Free.
Green Roof Tour, 12 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Meet at the Welcome Center. Free.
Oct. 17
Sarasota County Government’s nature walk featuring common wetland plants and animals along the Riparian Corridor, 9 a.m. at Red Bug Slough, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota. Free.
Oct. 18
Aquarian Quest’s sunset sail highlighting watershed awareness, 4 p.m. The trip leaves from Historic Spanish Point, 377 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Free but limited to the first 40 people. Call 941-587-9313 for reservations.
Sarasota County Government’s NEST volunteer planting of native shrubs and grasses. 8:30 a.m. at Woodmere Lakes. Please use the Tennyson Way entrance and call 941-861-5000 for reservations.
For a complete list of Watershed Awareness Week events, please visit the SEC web site at www.secsc.org.