It's time again for Camp Bayou's Back to School- Back to Nature event!

Plan to visit Camp Bayou on August 3, from 9am to noon, for the 12th Annual Back to School-Back to Nature event- a free summer morning activity that gets kids outdoors to learn a bit about nature, then receive a free school supply item. In addition to the free supplies at each nature station, there will be a free raffle ticket drawn every half hour for larger items such as backpacks. Register online at www.campbayou.org.

In addition to the Camp Bayou and Paleo Preserve volunteers, there will be visiting organizations to provide lots of opportunities to experience nature, including Raptor Center of Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Florida Aquarium, Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, West- Central Girl Scouts, Hillsborough County Public Library, League of Environmental Educators in Florida and more!

There will be a Teacher Exchange table where teachers can give away educational resources they don't need anymore and pick up other interesting new resources. Let us know you are a teacher and receive an educator goody bag in appreciation of all you do!

Thanks to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Community Enrichment Grant, we will have plenty of school supplies on hand. We welcome donations of school supply items or funds to purchase them for this event. Drop off items at Camp Bayou any Thursday- Saturday from 9am-2pm or email for pickup to campbayou@gmail.com.

Cart tours have returned! Stop in any Saturday morning and ask for a ride along the trails.

Third Saturday canoe day tours continue this year. Check the online calendar for days and times. Paddlers should arrive at Camp Bayou by 8:45am. Canoes or kayaks are available for rental for just $25 each or bring your own canoe or kayak for a small donation of $5 each. Register for all paddle trips by calling the office at 813-641-8545.

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 Becki 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-registered 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 Conservation & Environmental Lands Management. 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 website at http://www.campbayou.org/ or call 813-641-8545.