Paddling the Bayou June 1, 2013

Visit Camp Bayou during National Trails Day- Paddling the Bayou!

Saturday, June 1, 2013; 9am-1pm.

- Free nature activities on the 'Big Lawn' plus trail walks through 160 acres.

- Guided canoe tour- $25 rental per canoe or $5 donation if you have your own canoe or kayak. Canoe rental availability is limited. First come, first serve starting at 9am. Canoe trip departs from the canoe dock at 9:30am. Estimated paddle time is 90 minutes.

- Introducing the new and improved photo contest for 2013. This year, winners will receive a prize as well as an award ribbon.

- Name the Turtle contest. What would you name a captive musk turtle like the one in the main aquatic tank in the nature center? Post your name suggestions on the Camp Bayou Facebook page, here on the Camp Bayou blog or tweet us on Twitter.

Lunch option available including drink, grilled cheese sandwich and chips for just $5 starting at 11:30am. Thanks to Plant City Lion's Club for helping make lunch possible.

These events are part of Sun-Earth Day,  Be Out There!, Get Outdoors Florida, "Let's GO"- Children and Nature, No Child Left Inside, and Let's Move Outside inspired initiatives.

This event will also give visitors a number of options to help support the programs and continuing operation of Camp Bayou:
- Keep food and supplies available for Xerxes, the albino corn snake that is on view in the nature center. Just $20 will provide mice and bedding for a month!
- Help support Camp Bayou with a minimum ten dollar donation and receive a native plant and 2013 magnet to remind you of a great place to enjoy nature. Can't make the event? Donations can now be made online at www.campbayou.org .
- Like to more involved? Volunteers are always needed for school programs, special events and maintenance. Stop in at the Camp Bayou information table to learn more.

Camp Bayou is neither a campground nor a summer camp. It was an RV park before the County's ELAP program purchased the land but it is now open for day use only, open to the general public. Through volunteers, donations, supporters and grants, the Center offers pre-scheduled programs to schools, youth groups, adult groups and families plus it's open from Thursday- Saturday from 9am-2pm for passive recreational pursuits such
as wildlife watching, nature photography and trail walks. General admission is still FREE.

The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is a public- private partnership between Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery, Inc. (BOLD), Ruskin Community Development Foundation, Inc. (RCDF) and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. More information is on the web at  http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.

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Save the Frogs Day- April 27

News from Camp Bayou

Use this area to offer a short teaser of your email's content. Text here will show in the preview area of some email clients. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Click here for our e-newsletter- Camp Bayou Buzzzz! Spring 2013 Follow Us On Twitter Friend Us On Facebook Forward To A Friend Canoes at Camp Bayou One of the newest additions to Camp Bayou is canoes! We'll be scheduling guided paddle tours in the near future. Read about this and more in the Spring 2013 edition of the Camp Bayou Buzzzz! What's In this Issue? Upcoming events Photo summary of Winter activities Flyer for Save the Frogs Day Citizen Science opportunities Supporter form- please consider making a general donation or help fund the care of Xerxes, our albino corn snake or help fund replacements for our stolen golf cart batteries

Copyright © 2013 Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in Camp Bayou's quarterly newsletters or attended one of our programs or events. Our mailing address is: Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center PO Box 507 Ruskin, Florida 33575-507

Canoe Update

Wells' grandchildren on the canoe dock during the Spring Open House

At our Spring Open House, we tested out our procedure for renting canoes. It became clear that we do not have the staff required to rent canoes in the same fashion that Hillsborough County Parks do. We also can't see how we could compete with Canoe Outpost which is just up the river, nor would we want to try to cut into their business or usual clientele.

We are now devising a plan to offer canoe tours, complete with guide, on a monthly or bimonthly basis. We will also offer guided tours to pre-registered organized groups using 3-5 canoes. Cost will still be $25 per canoe but with the added bonus of a personalized volunteer guide to provide environmental education, canoe safety and on-the-spot emergency assistance. If there are members of the organized group that have their own canoes or kayaks, there will be a nominal donation requested of $5/person toward the guide services. Contact Dolly to schedule your trip at campbayou@gmail.com .

Check the calendar at campbayou.org  for scheduled "Canoe Tour Saturdays", coming in the near future!

Spring Open House at Camp Bayou

Join the fun on Saturday, March 16, 2013; 9am-1pm. Admission is FREE! Register here.

Schedule:
9:00 am: NEW!! Canoe rentals available 9-11am
9:00 am: Nature Photography Tour w/ Becki
9:30 am: Cockroach Race round 1
10:00 am: Tomato Breeding w/ Dr. Sam Hutton UF/IFAS- GCREC
           (Free tomato plants will be given out after the presentation)
10:30 am: Rainbarrels w/ Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension
10:30 am: Aquatic Critter Hunt w/ Dr. George
           (for kids and young-at-heart)
11:00 am: Frog Talk w/ Avalon of Conserve it Forward, Inc.
11:30 am: Lowry Park Zoo presents "Native Animals"
Noon: Green Lunch $5/person
12:30 pm: Cockroach Race round 2
(Visitors may bring their own cockroach to race but must follow rules of the game. Visit the blog for details.)

Visit other guest exhibitors including Quest Ecology discussing birds; Conserve it Forward with frogs; Florida Aquarium; Little Manatee River State Park; League of Environmental Educators in Florida; and Eagle Audubon Society in the butterfly habitat. Plus, there will be several nature activity and/or craft stations for kids led by teen volunteers from The Solid Rock Church. Special thanks to Sweet Bay Supermarket in Ruskin for helping with supplies for lunch .

These events are part of Sun-Earth Day,  Be Out There!, Get Outdoors Florida, "Let's GO"- Children and Nature, No Child Left Inside, and Let's Move Outside inspired initiatives.

During the Spring Open House, visitors will have a number of options to help support the programs and continuing operation of Camp Bayou:
- Keep food and supplies available for Xerxes, the albino corn snake that is on view in the nature center. Just $20 will provide mice and bedding for a month!
- Help support Camp Bayou with a minimum ten dollar donation and receive a native plant and 2013 magnet to remind you of a great place to enjoy nature.
- Like to more involved? During lunch, the BOLD board will be introduced with a brief summary of the past year's activities. Those interested in applying to become a future board member are encouraged to attend.

Camp Bayou is neither a campground nor a summer camp. It was an RV park before the County's ELAP program purchased the land but it is now open for day use only, open to the general public. Through volunteers, donations, supporters and grants, the Center offers pre-scheduled programs to schools, youth groups, adult groups and families plus it's open from Thursday- Saturday from 9am-2pm for passive recreational pursuits such as wildlife watching, nature photography and trail walks. General admission is still FREE.

The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is a public- private partnership between Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery, Inc. (BOLD), Ruskin Community Development Foundation, Inc. (RCDF) and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. More information is on the web at  http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.
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Photo: Visitors enjoy activities at a past Open House event.
Photo credit: Becki Stafford