Earthcache – A Fun and Free Activity

Lara Miller, Natural Resource Agent
Michael Barr, Brooker Creek Preserve Intern  

Looking for a fun new reason to get outside and explore nature? The Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache is for anyone interested in a fun, family-friendly outdoor scavenger hunt and is a great way to experience some of the natural beauty that Pinellas County has to offer. The Earthcache is part of Geocaching, which is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants use GPS coordinates to navigate to a certain location and attempt to find the Geocache located there. An Earthcache, like the one located at Brooker Creek, is a special type of Geocache that does not have a physical “treasure” at the coordinates. Earthcachers learn about interesting natural features and unique Earth science lessons. Earthcaches are a great way to discover some beautiful and unique places that you wouldn’t normally visit and learn more about our amazing world.

The Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache takes visitors on a tour of some of the wonderful natural sites found at the preserve. Brooker Creek Preserve is the largest remaining wilderness area in Pinellas County and consists of a wide variety of habitats and landscapes. The Earthcache includes a pleasant, shaded walk through the diverse ecological communities that are found at the Preserve including wetlands, pine flatwoods, and oak hammocks. Along the way, visitors will be able to observe the native plants and animals that take refuge within the preserve. Information on these habitats and wildlife is included on the Brooker Creek Earthcache page. Also included on the Earthcache are a series of scavenger hunt questions meant to teach visitors a little about these environments. The answers to these questions are found at three different GPS coordinates located at three different areas of interest along one of the trails at the preserve.

If you love experiencing and exploring nature, participating in an Earthcache offers an exciting new way to discover fascinating natural places. Brooker Creek Preserve is truly a special place that showcases the natural beauty of Florida. If you are interested in participating, the Brooker Creek Preserve Earthcache page can be found here.

Stay up to date on news and information affecting our environment by following your Pinellas County Natural Resource Extension Agent on Twitter.

What’s Blooming at Brooker?

Lara Miller  

Natural Resource Agent  

If you haven’t visited Brooker Creek Preserve, what are you waiting for? There is so much to see and it’s a great way to escape. Spring is right around the corner, and many plants at the Preserve are already blooming! Here is just one of the many beautiful plants flowering at Brooker Creek Preserve.

Sky-blue lupine (Lupinus diffusus) sends out these beautiful violet flowers starting in mid-winter through early spring. This plant is native to Florida and is commonly found in sandy habitats, although this plant grows all throughout the southeastern United States. One of the reasons they do so well in sandy areas is because they actually prefer nutrient poor soils. Lupines are unique because they are able to take nitrogen from the atmosphere and bring it into the soil. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria live on the roots of sky-blue lupine and absorb nitrogen out of the air. This nitrogen then becomes available for the plant to use. Sky-blue lupine can be found along the trails at the preserve, have you seen it yet?

Source: http://www.wildflorida.com/wildlife/plants/Sky-blue_Lupine.php

Calling All Wildlife Enthusiasts!

The Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve are hosting a Wildlife Safari this Saturday , April 16th, from 9 am – 3 pm.

Bring your children (4-12) and purchase a Safari Passport for $5 (parents and younger children are free). After receiving your passport you will join a hike group and you will walk the Brooker Creek Education Center trail. Along the trail, you will encounter five wildlife stations where live native animals will be on display. Each station will have a guide to talk about the animal and answer questions.

At the end of the trail, children with a completed passport, get to choose a nature gift from the Treasure Tent.

What animals will be at the Wildlife Stations?
Owls - from Boyd Hill Nature Center
Baby raccoons - from Wildlife Haven
Alligator - from Florida Wildlife Commission
Snakes - either from the Suncoast Herpetological Society or Pinellas County Schools
Bats and/or box turtles

A canteen tent will be selling snacks and t-shirts.

See you there!

Off the Beaten Path

Join the

for a special four-hike series that kicks off this Sunday March 27. Hikers will explore a beautiful sandhill community in an area that is closed to the public. The site is blooming with spring wildflowers and is home to numerous gopher tortoises.

The hikes are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and costs $25 per hike or $80 for the series with a 10% discount to Friends members.

Email the Friends of Brooker Creek to register.

Get Ready for Green Holidays!

Beginning December 4th, Pinellas County Extension will be posting a new article to its online green newsletter, Thinking Green, every weekday on topics related to green holidays. Tips and facts on food, family, gifts and decorating will be covered. Join us for the “12 Days of Green” this holiday season! Visit http://www.pinellascountyextension.org/ to sign-up for this free, online newsletter.

Season’s Greenings – Holidays for a Healthy Planet
Join us for a fun, interactive presentation on having a green holiday! This is the time of year when families gather to celebrate. Exchanging gifts, decorating homes, and sharing meals are common activities. Join us to learn how to keep the green in your holiday celebrations. Participants will take home handy tip sheets for sustainable gifts, decorating and meal ideas. There is no fee for this program. Pre-registration is required. Recommended for adults, suitable for children ages 12 and up.

Saturday November 29th from 1:00-2:30 at Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center. To register, call: 453-6800

Saturday December 6th from 1:00-2:30 at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. To register call: 453-6500

Saturday December 13th from 10:00-11:30 at Pinellas County Extension. To register, visit http://www.pinellascountyextension.org/ and visit our new Online Class Registration from the main page.