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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Merritt Island Wildlife Association
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240402T170000
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CREATED:20240222T154410Z
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UID:340-1712077200-1712088000@miwarefuge.org
SUMMARY:Seafood for Our Shorelines @ Dixie Crossroads Restaurant
DESCRIPTION:Join Merritt Island Wildlife Association for a delicious meal at World Famous Dixie Crossroads in Titusville\, FL\, on Tuesday April 2\, 2024.  The restaurant will donate 10% of all food purchases to help us preserve shorelines\, wetlands\, salt marsh\, and other vital habitat at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. \nMIWA will have displays\, educational material and raffles–come join the fun!
URL:https://miwarefuge.org/event/seafood-for-our-shorelines-dixie-crossroads-restaurant/
LOCATION:Dixie Crossroads\, 1475 Garden St\, Titusville\, FL\, 32796\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T103000
DTSTAMP:20260514T074928
CREATED:20240327T205835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240327T205835Z
UID:374-1712739600-1712745000@miwarefuge.org
SUMMARY:National Gopher Tortoise Day: Scrub Hike
DESCRIPTION:Details\n\n\nEvent is being co-hosted by Space Coast Audubon and Merritt Island Wildlife Association\nGopher Tortoise Day\nApril 10th was officially adopted by the Gopher Tortoise Council as Gopher Tortoise Day! In Florida\, gopher tortoises are found in parts of all 67 counties and are frequently encountered in neighborhoods\, along roadways\, and in many of Florida’s public parks and forests. The goal of Gopher Tortoise Day is to increase awareness and appreciation for these long lived\, gentle reptiles. \nJoin us for a Scrub Hike to learn about scrub plants and the wildlife that reside in this habitat\, including Gopher Tortoises and the Florida Scrub Jay. \nScrub Ridge Trail hike (field trip – walking)\nThis trail is a 0.9-mile loop and considered to be an easy hike. It is flat and has almost no shade. We’ll walk for approx. 45 to 60 minutes in hopes of seeing gopher tortoises and Florida Scrub Jays. Along the trail we will stop periodically for our trip leaders to share information about native plants found in the scrub and the significance of Gopher Tortoises as a keystone species. Depending on our observations\, we may travel to a second location nearby to observe a grouping of active gopher tortoise burrows. \nFollowing our hike we will gather at Sendler Education Outpost (large\, open air pavilion with picnic tables) to enjoy a group picnic and receive Gopher Tortoise activity kits. To add to the fun\, we will have some Gopher Tortoise themed engagement prizes to encourage attendees to ask questions\, share learnings\, and participate in activities. \nWhat to bring: water\, snack\, binoculars (let us know if you need to borrow a pair)\, bug repellent\, sun protection and picnic lunch.\nSuggestions for the best comfort: wear closed toed shoes (no flip flops)\, long pants\, and a good sun protection hat.\nWhat’s provided: Gopher Tortoise activity kits\, snacks\, and raffle prizes. \nLogistics:\nPlease park at the entrance to Scrub Ridge Trail inside the Merritt Island NWR. You can get a map of the Refuge at the Visitor Center (located 3.5 miles from the Max Brewer Bridge) or view the cutout section in the photo gallery on Meetup. There are limited parking spaces\, so please park to make maximum use of the dirt parking area or consider carpooling from the visitor center. Some vehicles may need to park along the road to the Scrub Ridge Trail. This trail does not have any restrooms. Flush toilets are available at the Visitor Center. \nSendler Education Outpost (lunch location) has lots of parking and two entrance gates. There are vault toilet restrooms by the pavilion. Use of the pavilion is provided by Special Use Permit. \nAbout Our Leaders:\nPaul Schmalzer\, PhD is a plant ecologist. He recently retired from his role with the Integrated Mission Support Services at Kennedy Space Center\, Florida. His research interests include: effects of fire on vegetation and soils\, restoration of scrub ecosystems\, distribution of rare scrub plants\, and composition and dynamics of barrier island plant communities. Dr. Schmalzer serves on the Board of Directors of the Sea Rocket Native Plant Society. \nGráinne O’Grady earned her Masters of Fisheries\, Wildlife\, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State University. She has served in roles as an Avian Technician\, Wildlife Techniques Teaching Assistant\, and a Museum Technician. Gráinne is passionate about wildlife biology\, wildlife ecology\, Ornithology\, Wildlife Habitat Management\, human dimensions of wildlife\, and Museum Collections.
URL:https://miwarefuge.org/event/national-gopher-tortoise-day-scrub-hike/
LOCATION:Scrub Ridge Trail\, MINWR
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240416T120000
DTSTAMP:20260514T074928
CREATED:20240315T150810Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240401T164011Z
UID:360-1713261600-1713268800@miwarefuge.org
SUMMARY:April 2024 Butterfly Walk
DESCRIPTION:  \n \nButterfly Walks are Back! \nMerritt Island Wildlife Association (MIWA) and Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program invite you to our Spring Series of Butterfly Walks\nFlutter with excitement! Join us for a fascinating exploration of the butterfly life cycle and the importance of native plants. Our program will start with a short education session to learn butterfly basics including differences between skippers\, swallowtail and whites/yellows. The education session will include photographs of butterflies commonly seen in our area along with some tips on how to enjoy butterfly watching. Following the presentation\, we will visit the native plant gardens to look for butterflies and their host plants. No prior knowledge or skill is required. All ages welcome. We will have the following resources available to use while exploring in the gardens: butterfly checklists\, field guides to reference for identifications\, and folding guides with butterfly images. Our Gift Shops will have butterfly resources available for sale if you want to take a book or guide home to practice. \nHome school groups – Meetup limits registration online to 5 guests. Please note in the event comments the total number of students and parents that will be attending if there will be more than 6 in your group. \nSams House at Pine Island \, 6195 N Tropical Trail · Merritt Island\, FL.  Meet near the Pioneer House (log cabin) \nAbout our instructor (Ed Perry): \nEd Perry recently retired as a 32-year Park Ranger at Sebastian Inlet State Park. He enjoys fishing\, butterfly gardening\, growing & grafting tropical fruit trees\, beachcombing (for sea-beans!)\, tropical fish aquaria\, wildlife photography\, and sharing life with his twenty-four-year-old daughter Gayle (single father). Ed is a 56 year-old Florida native that graduated from the University of Florida in 1988. In his retired life he became interested in being involved in butterfly counts and protecting tracts of native\, wild lands within our beautiful state of Florida.
URL:https://miwarefuge.org/event/april-2024-butterfly-walk/
LOCATION:Sams House\, Pine Island\, 6195 N. Tropical Trail\, Merritt Island\, FL\, 32953\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240427T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240427T130000
DTSTAMP:20260514T074928
CREATED:20240222T183748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240222T183748Z
UID:349-1714212000-1714222800@miwarefuge.org
SUMMARY:"Florida's Living Beaches": Author Meet & Greet with Book Signing
DESCRIPTION:Authors Blair and Dawn Witherington will be at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) Visitor’s Center\, for a Meet & Greet and Book Signing for their highly acclaimed book\, Florida’s Living Beaches. Book signing and meet & greet will be at 10am.  If you purchase a copy of Florida’s Living Beaches at this event\, you will receive 10% off your total purchase at MIWA’s Nature’s Treasures Gift Shop\, located inside the MINWR Visitor’s Center. \nThe first edition of Florida’s Living Beaches (2007) was widely praised. Now\, the second edition of this supremely comprehensive guide has even more to satisfy the curious beachcomber\, including expanded content and additional accounts with more than 1800 full-color photographs\, maps and illustrations. \nIt heralds the living things and metaphorical life along the state’s 700 miles of sandy beaches. The expanded second edition now identifies and explains over 1400 curiosities\, with lavishly illustrated accounts organized into Beach Features\, Beach Animals\, Beach Plants\, Beach Minerals and Hand of Man.
URL:https://miwarefuge.org/event/floridas-living-beaches-author-meet-greet-with-book-signing/
LOCATION:Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center\, 1987 Scrub Jay Way\, Titusville\, FL\, 32782\, United States
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