Pinellas County Announces Summer Camp Programs for Kids

Registration is now open for one-week children’s summer camps at Brooker Creek and Weedon Island preserves.

Brooker Creek Preserve

Brooker Creek Preserve will offer a Herpetology Camp for children ages 7 to 11.

Herpetology Camp participants will explore the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles through close encounters with a variety of animals, including tortoises, frogs, lizards and snakes. The camp will be led by wildlife biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich.

The Herpetology camp runs July 29 through Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is limited to 30 participants, based on the sign-up date and receipt of the $150 registration fee.

For more information or to register your child, please contact Heinrich Ecological Services, (727) 865-6255, or email george@heinrichecologicalservices.com.

Brooker Creek Preserve protects more than 8,700 acres of natural ecosystems and is located at 3940 Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs. The preserve, the horse trails and the Friends Trail are open daily and holidays.

Pinellas County Extension offers classes, programs and activities at the Environmental Education Center. The center features interactive exhibits and 22 discovery-oriented experiences that are fun for the entire family. The center is operated by the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Department and is open Thursday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed all Pinellas County holidays.

To learn more about Brooker Creek Preserve and its upcoming programs and events, call (727) 453-6800. To register for programs and events visit www.brookercreekpreserve.org. Videos featuring Brooker Creek Preserve can be viewed at www.youtube.com/pcctv1.

Weedon Island Preserve

The Pinellas County summer schedule includes a Herpetology Camp, Wildlife Ecology Camp and Archaeology Camp for children ages 7 to 11 at Weedon Island Preserve.

Herpetology Camp participants will explore the fascinating world of amphibians and reptiles through close encounters with a variety of animals, including tortoises, frogs, lizards and snakes. Wildlife Ecology Camp participants will learn about the ecology of Florida’s wildlife and natural habitats through hands-on activities, classroom sessions and guest presentations. The camps will be led by wildlife biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich.

The Wildlife Ecology Camp runs July 8 to 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Herpetology Camp runs from July 15 to 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are limited to 30 participants each, based on the sign-up date and receipt of the $150 registration fee.

For more information or to register your child, please contact Heinrich Ecological Services, (727) 865-6255, or email george@heinrichecologicalservices.com .

Two Hands on Weedon – Archaeology Summer Camps—are offered for campers ages 7 to 11.

These camps are designed for children with a strong interest in prehistory and history as well as learning how early people interacted with their environment. Campers will learn about the importance of archaeology and will gain understanding about early natural resources that were necessary for life in the Tampa Bay region. Highlights of the camps include guest experts, tour of an archaeological site, hands-on archaeology, lab analysis, pottery making and earning the certificate of Tommy the Tortoise, Junior Archaeologist.

The Archeology Summer Camp sessions run from June 24 to 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and July 22 to 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost is $150 for each camp session and limited to 25 participants, based on the sign-up date and receipt of the $150 registration fee.

For more information, contact Florida Public Archaeology Network (813) 396-2325, or email jmoates@usf.edu.

To learn more about the 2013 Pinellas County summer camps visit www.pinellascounty.org/summercamps

Weedon Island Preserve protects more than 3,700 acres of natural ecosystems and is located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE in St. Petersburg. The preserve is operated under the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Department and is open to the public seven days a week, including holidays, from 7 a.m. to 15 minutes before sunset. Its many outdoor activities include walking trails, a fishing pier and a canoe/kayak launch.

Pinellas County Extension offers classes, programs and activities at the Cultural and Natural History Center. The center features the permanent exhibit, Connecting People and Place, an art-inspired, hands-on educational exhibit which reveals the area’s history, ecology and people. The center is open Thursday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed all Pinellas County holidays.

To learn more about Weedon Island Preserve and its upcoming programs and events, call (727) 453-6500. To register for programs and events visit www.weedonislandpreserve.org. Videos featuring Weedon Island Preserve can be viewed at www.youtube.com/pcctv1.

Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in an event or class, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the event or class, please contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (Voice/TDD).

For more information about Pinellas County services and programs, visit www.pinellascounty.org, now with LiveChat, or create a shortcut to www.pinellascounty.org/mobile on any smartphone. Pinellas County government is on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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