March 2016 – When it comes to saving the Everglades, the women of Florida have often led the way. That was true 100 years ago when the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs established Royal Palm State Park in November 1916 to protect Paradise Key from development. The 4,000-acre state park later became the nucleus for
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Experience Your Backyard Programs for March & April 2016
March 2016 – The SFNPT has two Experience Your Backyard adventures on tap for members this coming month: A sunset bike ride in Shark Valley at 6 PM on Sunday March 20 and a canoe trip in the Big Cypress at 10 AM on Saturday April 2. Both programs are free for members but space
Continue reading »Guerra Family Foundation donates Microscopes for Biscayne
March 2016 – Students who visit Biscayne National Park to learn about the park’s marine ecosystem will soon have five new microscopes to use, thanks to the generosity of the Guerra Family Foundation. The foundation is funding several park “wish list” items this year including microscopes for Biscayne and a wildlife spotting scope for Everglades.
Continue reading »Picture of the Month March 2016
March 2016 – A 14-foot American crocodile spotted at Nine Mile Pond in the Everglades this winter by wildlife photographer Katie Dimos. Nice shot! Did you know: South Florida is the only place on the planet where alligators and crocodiles live side by side! The Flamingo Marina in Everglades National Park is a great place
Continue reading »More Water for Everglades National Park
February 2016 – A very wet “dry season” in Everglades National Park just got wetter. A decision this month by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will send more water south into the Shark River Slough from a water conservation area north of the Tamiami Trail. “It’s a good thing,” park scientist Bob Johnson told
Continue reading »Experience Your Backyard Programs for March 2016
February 2016 – The SFNPT has two Experience Your Backyard outings for members in March: COLD WAR HISTORY: A special ranger-led tour of the Nike Missile Base inside Everglades National Park on Saturday March 5 at 10 AM. Flash back to the Cuban Missile Crisis during a special two-hour tour of the former Army base,
Continue reading »Chasing Tails: Python Challenge Participants bag 106 Snakes
February 2016 – The 2016 Python Challenge ends this weekend (Sunday February 14). The capture count as of Thursday: 102 snakes. After 30 days of searching, that works out to be about one snake for every 10 hunters (about 1,000 people participated this year), proving once again how hard it is to catch a python
Continue reading »Biscayne Boat Tours are Back!
February 2016 – Boat tours of Biscayne National Park are back after a long hiatus with guided trips on board the Pelican Skipper to Boca Chita, the island with the lighthouse (captured here by South Florida photographer Brian Call). The boat sails most weekends (Fridays too) from the park visitor center in Homestead through May
Continue reading »After Dark at Biscayne: “Songs and Stories from Our National Parks”
February 2016 – Biscayne National Park continues its free series of Centennial Nights LIVE this month with a special presentation of “Songs and Stories from Our National Parks” on Saturday February 27 from 6 to 9 PM at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. The event includes a small campfire and s’mores for the kids. Learn
Continue reading »Celebrating the NPS Centennial with Wine & Wildlife in Naples
February 2016 – Wildlife biologist Joe Wasilewski and Fran Mainella, the first woman appointed to lead the National Park Service, join us in Naples on Wednesday March 23 for a special Wine & Wildlife event celebrating the Centennial of the National Park Service. Mark your calendars and plan to join us that night for appetizers,
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