FMNP Graduates and Instructors, 

 Please join us in south Pinellas County on March 3, 2018 from 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM for interesting indoor presentations, updates about the FMNP including the newest module Coastal Shoreline Restoration, outdoor field experiences, and connection opportunities with other FMNP grads and instructors.

 RSVP required – Register on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/florida-master-naturalist-program-workshop-central-west-region-tickets-42366425118

• Guests: 1 guest per FMNP graduate or instructor

• • Friends of PMN members – if you are not a FMNP grad and don’t know one going to be their guest, please email Jeanne Murphy and she will connect you with a graduate who is going and you can be their guest.
  • Not a Friends of PMN member either? Join today!
• Wear: closed-toe shoes comfortable for walking on uneven sandy areas; breathable layered ‘field clothes’ (long pants and sleeves for sun protection)
• Bring: sack lunch, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, jacket or sweatshirt because it is usually cold inside auditorium
• Optional Items to Bring: binoculars, notepaper and pen, camera, dry bag in case of rain, wet shoes if you want to wade in the water during beach exploration field experience
• Questions? Email UF FMNP Pinellas Lead Instructor Jeanne Murphy, jmurphy@sensingnature.com

 Morning Workshop:

At Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon Dr., St. Petersburg, FL

Speaker Presentations, FMNP Updates

“Sea Level Rise in Florida: News from Our Natural Areas” by Dr. Tonya Clayton

The sea is rising, and the signs are all around us. Today’s headlines come from our flooded city streets, but Florida’s native plants were among the first to tell this tale — quietly, many decades ago. In this illustrated armchair stroll across the state, we’ll look at some of those early hints and we’ll explore what’s happening today. How do we know the sea is rising, what’s the big deal, and how can we help? Along the way, we’ll visit some of Florida’s most iconic natural communities.

Tonya Clayton, PhD, is a contributing author of Sea Level Rise in Florida (University Press of Florida) and the author of How to Read a Florida Gulf Coast Beach (University of North Carolina Press). She is also an NAI Certified Interpretive Guide, and a graduate of the Florida Master Naturalist Program and the Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute.

 Lunch:

Bring a sack lunch and enjoy opportunities to network with regional naturalists and explore the Weedon Island Nature Center and boardwalks (self-guided).

Afternoon Field Trip Experience:

At Fort De Soto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde, FL  33715

$5 park entrance fee per vehicle – carpooling suggested

Following our morning presentations, we will be enjoying rotating guided field experiences at Fort De Soto Park, a worldwide birding and historic destination. Field experience topics include sea level rise and its impacts on beach ecology, plus loving our beach wrack line and wildlife viewing. The workshop will conclude at Fort De Soto Park.