Camp Bayou 2017

Camp Bayou is welcoming the new year with a new series of monthly programs to replace our quarterly events. Each one hour program will cover a special topic on the first Saturday of each month. All programs begin at 9:30am and are suitable for all ages unless otherwise noted.

First six programs:

January 7: Take an informative walk with our volunteer entomologist, Dr. George, as he leads an enlightening talk about our native ant species.

February 4: Patty will lead a tour through the wonderful fossil exhibits at the Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum.

March 4: Learn about a variety of citizen science programs with Dolly. Citizen science is a way for the public to make real contributions to scientific research.

April 1: Donna will take guests on a tour through the Butterfly Habitat, created and maintained by the Eagle Audubon of Sun City Center.

May 6: Jeri will lead an Ant Lion Safari to discover what lives at your feet.

June 3: Becki will take visitors on a photography themed walk to help celebrate National Trails Day.

All programs are free but donations are always appreciated!

The third Saturday of each month is still our Guided Canoe Tour. Canoes are available for rental for just $25 each or bring your own canoe or kayak for a small donation of $5 each. Register by calling the office at 813-641-8545. Watch for special evening paddles starting in March when the fireflies are abundant!

Starting on January 28, 2017, Camp Bayou will host the Uplands Module of the Florida Master Naturalist Program on 5 consecutive Saturdays. Registration required online at www. masternaturalist.org .

A Project Learning Tree Teacher Workshop is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, 2017 from 9am-3pm at Camp Bayou. Due to a generous sponsor, there is no charge for the workshop. Limited to 15 participants and suitable for formal and non-formal educators. Register online at www.campbayou.org or email campbayou@gmail.com .

Environmental educators, both formal and informal, are encouraged to register for the Spring 2017 LEEF mini-conference to be held at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach on Saturday, March 18, 2017. For more information and to register, visit http://leef-florida.org .
For those who are interested in helping with registered groups, Camp Bayou is looking for enthusiastic volunteers who love the outdoors and want to pass along that passion to others through hands-on activities, walks and canoe tours. Contact Jeri at 813-641-8545 or email campbayou@gmail.com. We are mainly looking for folks to help teach school groups K-6 but there are other opportunities as well.

Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center 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 managing non-profit- B.O.L.D. - offers pre-scheduled programs to schools, youth groups, adult groups and families. Monthly canoe tours are now available by reservation only. Check the online calendar for trip dates. The Center is 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. (B.O.L.D.), 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. Check out the Camp Bayou Facebook page and for more information visit the webpage at http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.