Winter 2007 issue of Camp Bayou Buzzzz online

The Winter issue of the Camp Bayou Buzzzz is ready to view online at http://campbayou.org/newsletters/winter07.pdf.
Hope everyone's holidays are going smoothly and best wishes in the New Year!

press release- Camp Bayou 'camp', Jan 3 & 4, 2008

aMedia contact: Dolly Cummings
phone: 813-363-5438

Winter vacation day camp at Camp Bayou

A special winter vacation day camp will be offered at Camp Bayou on Thursday and Friday, January 3 and 4, 2008, from 9am-4pm. Camp theme is 'Be a Citizen Scientist'.

In the morning, tour a re-created Indian camp, learn how daily needs were supplied by their natural surroundings and create a craft such as pinch pots or weaving; then learn how archaeologists work and discover 'artifacts' in the simulated dig. Time will be alloted to piece together each 'find' to determine what each item is and its use. Extension for the citizen scientist is how residents can help professionals by being responsible, taking good notes and photos of items found, which will increase our knowledge of pre-Columbian history.

In the afternoon, learn how naturalists discover the wonders of nature. Activities include netting aquatic insects in the river, then looking for wildlife along the trails using a variety of monitoring methods including track and scat identification, pit traps, and point counts. Time will be alloted to create some equipment to monitor wildlife in your own yard. Extension for the citizen scientist is learning about the many possible Citizen Science monitoring opportunities in our area that help researchers learn more about the wildlife in our communities.

Lunch time is planned at noon- participants should bring a bagged lunch.

Cost for each day of camp per child is $75. Suitable for kids aged 7-12. Registration required and limited to 18 children.

For more information or to register, contact Dolly at camp@campbayou.org or call 813-363-5438.

Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR 674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. Camp Bayou is a partnership between the Ruskin Community Development Foundation and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. For general info visit http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.

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Pictured: Students from Cypress Creek elementary do a netting activity similar to afternoon activity at winter camp and show off their prize catches.

Media release: Family Naturalist program at Camp Bayou

Media Contact: Dolly Cummings
phone: 813-363-5438
email: famnat@campbayou.org

Family Naturalist Program at Camp Bayou

It's time again to learn about the wildlife in our community and, specifically, to see how the Camp Bayou critters are doing since last season. Each week's focus is on a particular theme, with a short classroom portion, a longer hands-on monitoring segment and a example stewardship activity which everyone can do.

Program begins promptly at 9:30am on the following Saturdays: Jan 5, 12, 19, and 26. Activity is free and it is not necessary to register although it is appreciated. Call Dolly at 813-363-5438 for more information.

Family Naturalist Program

Schedule of activities

All activities begin at 9:30am

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Introduction- What is a Naturalist?

Butterfly inventory

Service project- weeding habitat

Saturday, January 12, 2008

What is a Biological Indicator?

Aquatic Invertebrate count

Service Project- trash pickup

Saturday, January 19, 2008

What is a Keystone Species?

Gopher Tortoise burrow hunt

Service Project- signs

Saturday, January 26, 2008

What is Biodiversity?

Natives in the landscape- grow your own

Service Project- non-native plant removal

Resources and activities will be listed on-line at www.campbayou.org/famnat.html , plus there's a group web journal to post your observations. Program repeats in January, April, July and October.

For those who are interested in monitoring wildlife in your own backyard, a new volunteer monitoring program has begun, coordinated at Camp Bayou. Just spend 30 minutes each month in your yard looking for the presence or absence of wildlife, then go online to http://www.campbayou.org and click on 'Citizen Science in Action' to record your observation and provide some background information. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Dolly citsci@campbayou.org or call at 813-363-5438.

Camp Bayou is located 3 miles south of SR674 at the end of 24th St SE in Ruskin. Camp Bayou is a partnership between the Ruskin Community Development Foundation, Inc. and Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation. Visit our website at http://www.campbayou.org/ or call for info 813-641-8545.

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Photos available for download of past Fam Nat programs online at http://snap.tbo.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=319245

Geminid Meteor shower peaks Dec 14

Mark your calendar: The best meteor shower of 2007 peaks on Friday, December 14th.
"It's the Geminid meteor shower," says NASA astronomer Bill Cooke of the Marshall Space Flight Center. "Start watching on Thursday evening, Dec. 13th, around 10 pm local time," he advises. "At first you might not see very many meteors—but be patient. The show really heats up after midnight and by dawn on Friday, Dec. 14th, there could be dozens of bright meteors per hour streaking across the sky."

Right: A Geminid meteor in 2006 photographed by Christopher Colley of Lombard, Illinois. [Larger image]

The Geminids are not ordinary meteors. While most meteor showers come from comets, Geminids come from an asteroid—a near-Earth object named 3200 Phaethon.

More info at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/03dec_asteroidshower.htm?list137366

Press Release

From Fred Jacobsen

fred@RuskinHistory.org

813 298-6028

Save money on travel and help a good cause

Fred Jacobsen wants to become the Ruskin Chamber of Commerce's "Honorary Mayor of Ruskin" for 2008. He has a travel booking link with Travelocity posted on www.RuskinHistory.org and all sales commissions from travel booked through this link during the month of December 2007 will be donated. Save money on travel and help a good cause. "The donations I raise in this campaign will go to support the important promotional work done by the Ruskin Chamber of Commerce, as well as to expand the nature and local history educational programs at Camp Bayou for the benefit children that would not otherwise be able to participate. We have a terrific program out there that covers the way of life of the native peoples who lived along the Little Manatee River more than 500 years ago."

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