Join Parks Naturalists on a guided nature walk through Urfer Family Park. Learn tips about nature photography, and how to spot photo opportunities in a natural setting. Visit pine flatwoods, forested wetland, and cattle pasture with a working windmill right in the middle of town! The trail is approximately 1 1/2 miles, and is relatively flat.

Wear walking shoes and sun protection, and bring your camera or binoculars. Don’t forget to bring water!

For more information
call 941-861-5000

Dragonflies are a magical bunch – whimsical at best. Is it a dragonfly or is it a damselfly? Want to learn more? Join Kathy and Don Hess at Urfer Family Park for a different way to look at the beautiful dragonfly from 8:30 am – 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 28, 2010. Kathy and Don will lead you on a dragonfly hunt, explaining their lives, purpose and many species that live exclusively in this family park.
Urfer Family Park, located at 4000 Honore Ave., Sarasota is Sarasota County’s first Silver LEED certified park.

Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes fit for a possible muddy trail; bring a hat, sun screen, insect repellent, drinking water, binoculars (Short focal length recommended), and camera with a zoom lens (optional).
 
To reach Urfer Family Park, take I-75 to Exit 207 (Bee Ridge Road). Turn west at the exit taking Bee Ridge Road approximately 1.2 miles to the Honore Avenue intersection . Turn left onto Honore Avenue. The park will be on your right. We will be meeting at the parking lot at 8:15 AM and will start the walk promptly at 8:30 AM.
 
Register on-line at www.scgov.net. Click Calendar of Events on the left. Click the 'All Events' drop down list, choose 'Nature Walks', and choose your event. Follow the instructions for registration.  Space for this walk is limited to 10.

Dragonflies are a magical bunch – whimsical at best. Is it a dragonfly or is it a damselfly? Want to learn more? On Saturday, August 14, 2010, join Kathy and Don Hess at Deer Prairie Creek Preserve South entrance in Venice for a different way to look at the beautiful dragonfly. Kathy and Don will lead you on a dragonfly hunt from 8:30 – 10:30 AM, explaining their lives, purpose and the many species that live exclusively in this 6,439-acre preserve along the wild and scenic Myakka River.
 
Deer Prairie Creek Preserve was purchased through a partnership between Sarasota County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The preserve is one of many public preserves that have been made available to the public through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program.
 
Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes fit for a possible muddy trail; bring a hat, sun screen, insect repellent, drinking water, binoculars (Short focal length recommended), and camera with a zoom lens (optional).
 
To reach the preserve, drive south from Sarasota along I-75 to Exit 191 toward US-41 / State College of Florida-Venice / North Port / Englewood / Gulf Beaches.) Merge onto North River Road. Drive 5 ½ miles to Tamiami Trail South / US-41 S / FL-45 S, turn left on US-41. Drive 1.2 miles to turn around road. Make a u-turn here. You will see the sign and gate on your right at 10201 Tamiami Trail S, Venice. You may drive through this gate approximately ½ mile to the large parking lot near the lake.
 
Register on-line at www.scgov.net. Click Calendar of Events on the left. Click the 'All Events' drop down list, choose 'Nature Walks', and choose your event. Follow the instructions for registration.  Space for this walk is limited to 15.

Join Environmental Specialist Jeff Weber for a late night viewing of the Perseid Meteor Shower at Sarasota’s Red Bug Slough Preserve from 11:45 p.m. Thursday, August 12th to 1:30 a.m., Friday, August 13th. Grab a cup of coffee and bring an old blanket or a folding chair to enjoy one of nature’s nighttime spectaculars. Viewing will be at its peak on this date during this time period, when participants can expect to see up to 30 shooting stars per hour!

Red Bug Slough Preserve is one of many natural areas available through the county’s environmental lands program. Come join us for a rare pre-dawn excursion as we look to the heavens and enjoy nature’s chorus of frogs and crickets and possibly even a barred owl or two.

Participants should wear long pants and comfortable walking shoes that can get wet. Be sure to bring a flashlight, an old blanket or folding lawn/lounge chair, insect repellent, and light snacks or refreshments if you’d like.

Participants can reach Red Bug Slough Preserve by taking I -75 to Exit 205 (S.R. 72 or Clark Road). Go west on Clark Road to Beneva Road and turn right onto Beneva. Continue north to the preserve entrance and parking area located at 5200 North Beneva Road. We will meet in the parking area at 11:45 pm. From the parking area we will hike approximately ¼ mile to an open grassy viewing area near the lake.
Register on-line at www.scgov.net. Click Calendar of Events on the left. Click the 'All Events' drop down list, choose 'Nature Walks', and choose your event. Follow the instructions for registration. Please be sure to provide a telephone number when registering where you can be reached between 8:00 – 10:00 pm during the evening of August 12th in case it becomes necessary to cancel due to cloud cover or inclement weather. Space for this outing is limited to 30.

Explore Sleeping Turtles Preserve North with Sarasota County Volunteers Al Squires and Denny Girard on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 from 9 – 11 AM. Enjoy the preserve’s meandering trails canopied by old live oaks and pines. Along the way, Al and Denny share their boundless knowledge of botany, not just identification, but lore of the plants as well. Take in the scenery and information about the natural lands and the plants they support.
 
This preserve is one of many that are available to the public through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program. In addition to the numerous subtropical plants, visitors may observe eagles or osprey hunting over the river corridor.
 
Participants should bring binoculars, sun screen, insect repellent, drinking water and camera (optional), wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat.
 
Participants can reach the Sleeping Turtles Preserve North, 3462 Border Road, Venice from northbound I-75, by taking exit 193 and then turning right on to Jacaranda Boulevard. From southbound I-75, take exit 193 and turn left on to Jacaranda Boulevard. Proceed north approximately 0.7 miles on Jacaranda Blvd. to the stop sign and turn right onto Border Road. Proceed approximately 2 miles east on Border Road to the bridge over the Myakka River. As you approach the bridge, the Sleeping Turtles Preserve North parking lot will be on the left (north side), immediately before the bridge.
 
Register on-line at www.scgov.net. Click Calendar of Events on the left. Click the 'All Events' drop down list, choose 'Nature Walks'. Look for the area on the bottom of the nature walk information to click to register. Space for this walk is limited to 20.

On schedule for late July, The Legacy Trail’s Dona Bay Trestle will provide a continuous non motorized trail of 10.6 miles from north of Palmer Ranch Parkway to the Venice Train Depot. At the Train Depot The Legacy connects to the Venetian Waterway Park Trail adding another 10 miles of non-motorized trail (5 miles on the east and west side of the Intracoastal Waterway).

The railing and other features are yet to be added to the Dona Bay Trestle. The beautiful trestle will complete the over water portion of The Legacy. With parking at the Laurel Community Center and Park and Nokomis Community Center and Park, a walk, run or short bicycle ride will provide travel over and access to the vistas from the Dona Bay and Roberts Bay Trestles. The Trestles also have bump-outs to provide recreational opportunities for fisherpersons and wildlife viewers.

There will be a ribbon-cutting for the completion of the Trestles in September. More information regarding the ribbon-cutting will be sent out as we receive it. This June 13th photo is courtesy of a boating FLT member. The view is looking east.