Morning: Everglades National Park

This field trip will be located in the "Long Pine Key" area of Everglades National Park.  Participants will learn about the Hole-In-the-Donut restoration, Long Pine Key prescribed fire, pineland croton and federally listed butterflies, and other threatened and endangered species. The group will carpool from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center into the park interior. Admission fees will likely be waived (but only if you are on time to meet the carpooling group). 

Please be sure to bring plenty of drinking water, snacks, and sun protection.  Also, be aware that portions of the field trip may including hiking on wet ground or shallow standing water.  Plan to wear closed-toed shoes that you don't mind getting wet.

Meeting Time & Place: 8:30AM on Wednesday October 30th at Everglades National Park, Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center,  40001 State Road 9336 Homestead, FL 33034 

Directions: Start by turning west at the intersection of US 1 and Palm Drive in Homestead, Florida (this is where the Florida Turnpike ends.). Continue on state road 9336 (Palm Drive and Ingraham Highway). Take Palm Drive to the stop sign on Tower Rd (SW 192nd AVE) and turn left. You will see Robert Is Here Fruit Stand. Continue on Tower Rd. until you come to a stop sign and then turn west (right). This is Ingraham Highway (State Road 9336). After entering the Park look for the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center on the north side of State Road 9336. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center can also be entered into most navigation apps. 

Agenda (Wednesday October 30):
8:30 am - Meet at the Visitor Center, organize carpools.
9:00 - 10:00am - Maria/Jonathan - Hole-in-the-Donut: View restored areas that currently have natural recruitment of pine trees.  Discuss history of HID and current status. 

10:15 - 11:15 am -Maya/Michael - Prescribed Fire: Members of the Prescribed fire community will discuss how fire is used to maintain ENPs pine rockland community.   

11:30 am - 12:30 pm - Pablo - Will discuss Croton/Butterflies and Threatened &Endangered species

Leaders: Hillary Cooley, Jonathan Taylor, Maya Tupaj, Michale Gue, and Pablo Ruiz.  If you are running late or are lost, please call Hillary at 305-297-0338. 

Registration: Pre-registration not required. You will be asked to sign in upon arrival. 

Don't forget your hat, sunblock closed-toe shoes, water bottle, and driving directions.

Afternoon: Pine Ridge Sanctuary

West of Homestead, Barbara and Terry Glancy manage 15 acres of beautiful and lovingly-managed pine rockland.  Join them for a tour of their private property, which may have a very recent prescribed fire, or it may be just about to have a prescribed fire.

Read an update from Terry about the sanctuary.

Date/time:  Wednesday October 30th, 2:00-4:00PM

Meeting location: 21100 SW 300th Street, Homestead, FL 33030. The best place for parking is the grassy area just to the north of the row of Lychee trees. Please do not block the entrance gate to the northern neighbor.  

Location map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IwDzgKU5rAdzu7fy52EslBnBMoKC3rMJ/view?usp=sharing 

Trip leaders: Barbara and Terry Glancy. If you get lost, call Terry's cell at (305) 796-0067

Registration: Pre-registration not required.