Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunities
November 8, 2024 - Monthly Eco Paddle (Event by Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System)
Time: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Wekiva Island, 1014 Miami Springs Drive, Longwood
What to Expect: Learn how to benefit our waterways and see the Wekiva River first hand on a canoe tour! Space is limited; RSVP REQUIRED. Participants should have some prior paddling (canoe, kayak, etc) experience. Contact Elizabeth Stephens for more information (407-665-2457; serv@seminolecountyfl.gov). Please note that this is an educational event, not a clean-up (volunteer hours are not available). A huge shoutout to the folks at Wekiva Islands - we couldn't do it without your generosity!
December 7, 2024- Wekiva Wellness: Rock Painting Beside the Little Wekiva River
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $20 (Materials included)
Location: Little Wekiva River - Directions to be given upon registration.
Join us, December 7th , for a relaxing and creative morning by the water! Unleash your artistic side and paint beautiful rocks to take home or share. This family-friendly event is perfect for all ages—bring your friends and enjoy some artistic fun right next to the beautiful Little Wekiva River.
No experience needed! Just bring your creativity, and we’ll provide everything else.
Reserve your spot today!
December 7, 2024- Training for Christmas Bird Count
Time: 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Cost: Free
Location: Wekiwa Springs State Park
Resister: Jay.h.exum@gmail.com, (321) 229-5653
Beginning and advanced birders alike are invited to a practice session for the Wekiva River Christmas Bird Count! Are you an experienced birder who wants a little practice prior to participating in the Wekiva Christmas bird count on December 14? Maybe you are a beginning birder, and you would like to learn the ropes before jumping into your first Audubon Christmas bird count? Either way, we welcome you to a practice session on December 7 to prepare for the actual Wekiva River Christmas bird count on December 14, 2024. After the practice session, we hope everyone will participate in the count on the 14th .
On December 7, we will meet at 7:30 at Wekiwa Springs State Park and go to several locations to identify birds in various habitats within the park. We will talk about the ways in which birds are tallied in the annual Audubon Christmas bird count and count all the birds that we can see or hear during the morning. We welcome all levels of birders.
If you can’t make it to the practice session but want to participate in the actual Christmas bird count on December 14, contact Jay Exum at (321) 229-5653.
December 14, 2024- Christmas Bird Count
Time: All Day
Cost: Free
Location:
Resister: Jay.h.exum@gmail.com, (321) 229-5653
For anyone interested in participating in the 125th Audubon Christmas Bird Count on December 14, please contact Jay Exum at (321) 229-5653 or Jay.h.exum@gmail.com for more details. Birding experience is preferred, but not required. Binoculars are required, along with a desire to spend ½ or a whole day listening and looking for birds in the Wekiva River count circle. You will participate with a team of people who are passionate about birds in central Florida and experienced in getting to places where their diversity is high. We look forward to you participating!
January-June 2025 - Ecology of the Wekiva:
Time: TBA
Location: TBA
What to Expect: A series of field trips to explore and understand the issues of the Wekiva River and its basin. Stay tuned for more details.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Wekiwa Springs Watch
The 3rd Thursday of each month
Time: 8:30 AM- approx. 11:30
Location: Wekiva Island, 1014 Miami Springs Dr., Longwood, FL
Thank you, Wekiva Island, for donating canoes for this activity!
BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST AND HELP MONITOR OUR SPRINGS! SpringsWatch is a citizen science program that provides volunteers with hands-on training in the field. That “field” is Florida’s beautiful springs! Volunteers learn all aspects of water quality monitoring and get to know the wildlife and plants that depend on springs systems. This fun and educational day on the water also contributes to our springs knowledge database as well as that of other environmental agencies across the state.
Currently, the Florida Springs Institute has 11 active SpringsWatch groups across Florida, including Wekiwa Springs. During SpringsWatch sessions, volunteers collect data on water temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, vertical light attenuation, aquatic vegetation, wildlife, and human uses.
SpringsWatch is a great way to get out to the springs, learn, and help generate data that supports them. Email michelle@friendsofwekiva.org if you’d like to join!
Scenes from several Springswatch paddles. Images by Michelle Jamesson and other Springswatch volunteers