An Adventure Every Month Around the Florida Panhandle

This is an awesome looking series - if you missed the first one, get signed up for the next. The Natural Resource Extension Agents of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) present Panhandle Outdoors LIVE, a series of guided field excursions highlighting unique ecological features throughout northwest Florida.

All excursion sites are special places, most are protected, many are unique in the Southeast US, and some have global significance. The Florida Panhandle boasts a diversity of landscape features resulting from uncommon combinations of underlying rock, elevation, groundwater and surface waters. This diversity of water-dominated landscape features has allowed hotspots of high biodiversity to evolve and flourish here. How familiar are you with these world-renowned natural resources right here in our own backyard?

Trips begin in January 2012 and run monthly through November 2012. Participants can choose to attend as many or as few of the individual events as they wish.

The expedition schedule is as follows:

January 18:      Leon Sinks & Wakulla Springs

February 16:    Florida Caverns & Falling Waters

March 15:        Eglin AFB Seepage Slopes and Fire Ecology

April 4:            Bear Creek Educational Forest & Garden of Eden Trail

May 11:           Perdido River Canoe Trip

June 6:             Navarre Beach Tour and Kayak Trip

August 22:       Ochlockonee River Canoe Trip

September 20:  St. Andrews State Park, Snorkeling

October 11:      Hiking at Tate’s Hell

November 14:  Hiking at Torreya State Park

Each day starts at 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST or 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. Depending on location, moderate walking, hiking, swimming and/or paddling may be involved.  Lunch, park entry fees and rentals will be provided for each participant (18 and up only) at a cost of $30 per class. Registration is available at http://panhandleoutdoorslive2012.eventbrite.com. Space is limited, so register early!

Necessary equipment and clothing will vary based on weather and location, participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring drinking water, sunscreen and a camera on each trip. Transportation to each location will be facilitated by carpooling and some counties may be able to provide transportation.

For more information, contact Brooke Saari, bsaari@ufl.edu via email or by phone at 850-689-5850 or 850-892-8172.