Check with Allison@CREWtrust.org to make sure your membership is current so you can take advantage of early registration for all CREW Trust programs.
Member’s only week is starting October first this year, so be sure to mark your calendars and check back often to CREWtrust.org for more information on all our programs.
Season Preview
Back by popular demand – the Fall and Spring Wildflower walks with Roger Hammer. Enjoy new birding programs and carnivorous plant Specialty Walks. A whole new line-up of Strolling Science Seminars, exciting new family friendly programs and overnight experiences.
Final details
Members will have the first week in October to sign up ahead of the general public. Stay on the lookout for our pop-up programs throughout the year, such as our seasonal Wet-Walks and Moonlight tours.
CREW Trust Season of Events will go on sale at 8 AM, October 1st, 2022. General admission will begin on October 9th at 8 AM.
We know you’re excited for this season of programs and we can’t wait to share all the incredible hikes, bikes and talks with you. Register for something different every month or make visiting the CREW trails a part of your regular schedule with the weekly guided walks. Pop-up hikes and programs may be added when trail and weather conditions are right! Stay up-to-date on our website, CREWTrust.org.
Registration for our 2019-2020 programs will open on Tuesday, September 3rd to CREW Trust Members. Non-member registration will open one week later on Tuesday, September 10th. You must be a current CREW Trust member to register during our first week, so please make sure your membership is up to date or join today online at crewtrust.org/become-a-member/.
Strolling Science Seminars
Our scholarly walks for ages 18 and older are always a hit and sell-out quickly! This year we have four programs scheduled and may add more as schedules allow.
December 6: Florida Panthers– with Ashlee O’Connor
January 18: Strange Plants in a Strange Land– Join Anne Reed, writer, storyteller and CREW Trust volunteer naturalist for a scholarly walk and talk on the history of our beautiful, pesky and sometimes deadly invasive species.
February 7: Herpetology- with Shane Johnson
March 6: Nature by Any Other Name– with Dr. billY Gunnels
Strolling Science Seminar 2019
Specialty Walks
October 12: Fall Wildflower Walk– Join Brenda Thomas for a stroll along the trails where you’ll see the bounty of Florida’s fall wildflowers! And, if you’re lucky, it might be pine lily time.
January 24: Birding with Brian Beckner of Native Bird Boxes. These sessions are for everyone from serious birders to beginners.
April 14: Spring Wildflower Walk- Springtime means a new rush of color on the trails! Participants will stroll through the CREW Marsh Trails with Roger Hammer, author of several wildflower books including The Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers.
April 18: GeoCache Day- Milla and Pete will be hosting a day of Geocaching at the Cypress Dome Trail for everyone to come and explore the outdoors!
photo by Bill Zaino at Flint Pen Strand
Free Guided Walks
Our free guided walks schedule has changed this year and walks will be offered on select dates.
2020 CREW Concert Under The Stars & Silent Eco Auction: February 29, from 5-9 p.m. featuring the High Voltage Band at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Sponsorship options and tickets available on our website, CREWTrust.org.
Registration for members opens on September 3; for non-members on September 10. All programs require registration; visit eventbrite.com after registration opens. CREW Trust members will receive an email on September 3 when registration opens.
THIS EVENT WAS CANCELLED due to humidity levels dropping too low for a permit to be issued.
Conditions are right, and the permits are issued!
On Thursday, January 10, join Joeseph Bozzo and Thaddeus Penfield, SFWMD land managers for the CREW Project, along with CREW Trust staff, for an informative working Strolling Science Seminar on the use of prescribed fire as a land management tool.
You will learn about the role of fire in Florida’s natural landscape and how fire is used within the watershed. Participants will also observe a prescribed burn in-progress.
CLOTHING: Participants must wear long pants, closed-toe shoes or boots (and socks) and 100% cotton shirts (no polyester). Leather work gloves are recommended as well. Please bring water with you (plenty of water).
Tickets are limited to 15 participants. Member tickets are $15; non-member tickets are $20.
We’re very excited for this season’s programs and crossing our fingers for no large weather events and good trail conditions!
Registration for our 2018-2019 programs will open on Tuesday, September 4 for all CREW Trust Members. Non-member registration will open one week later on Tuesday, September 11. You must be a current CREW Trust member to register during our first week, so please make sure your membership is up to date or join today online at crewtrust.org/become-a-member/.
Hikers at Bird Rookery Swamp by Bill Zaino
Strolling Science Seminars
Our scholarly walks for ages 18 and older are always a hit and sell-out quickly! This year we have four set dates and will have a pop-up Strolling Science Seminar on Prescribed Burning when conditions are conducive to hosting that event.
November 8: Mad Batters of CREW: Join CREW FWC biologist and bat expert Kathleen Smith for a batty evening at Bird Rookery Swamp! This a hands-on experience for a small group of participants. We will set up and monitor mist nets and learn about the different bats that call Bird Rookery Swamp home.
November 10: Not-So-Naked-and-Afraid: Roger Hammer, wildflower expert, amazing story teller and friend of CREW has also worked as a consultant on the television series Naked and Afraid. Think you could survive 21 days with no clothes and no supplies in the wilds of CREW? Roger will tell you what to do – and what not to do – along with a lot of stories from his time on the trails and time working on the shows.
December 7: Exploring the Outdoors with your Inner Child: Our weekly guided walk guests at the CREW Marsh trails often see Ricky Pires’ field trips or the CREW Trust’s field trips in action and ask us “What are those kids doing?” If you want to learn about CREW from a kid’s point of view, join Ricky and Jessi Drummond, our former education coordinator, for dip netting, scent stations and more! Plus you’ll get to play some games like Oh Deer! and Save the Wildlife Bingo.
February 23: Descent with Modification: Natural Selection: On this walk with Jack Berninger, participants will discuss the foundation principles that explain how all life developed on planet Earth. The pillars of this foundation are variations; reproduction, selection and time. These supports will be viewed in the flora and fauna as you stroll the trails.
Prescribed Fire: Thaddeus Penfield and Joe Bozzo, our CREW South Florida Water Management friends, will lead a pop-up strolling science seminar in January or February on prescribed burning. They will discuss the role of fire in the natural history of the landscape and show how they use fire today to manage the acres within the CREW Project.
Specialty Walks
October 20: Fall Wildflower Walk: Join Brenda Thomas for a stroll along the trails where you’ll see the bounty of Florida’s fall wildflowers! And, if you’re lucky, it might be pine lily time.
January 26 and March 9: Birding with the Master: It’s the return of Dr. Bernie Master! After a year spent travelling the world, Dr. Master is back and leading two birding sessions in Bird Rookery Swamp. These sessions are for everyone from serious birders to beginners.
April 13: Spring Wildflower Walk: Springtime means a new rush of color on the trails! Participants will stroll through the CREW Marsh Trails with Roger Hammer, author of several wildflower books including The Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers.
Free Guided Walks
Our free guided walks schedule has changed this year and walks will be offered on select dates at Bird Rookery Swamp and the CREW Marsh Trails.
Save the Date: 2019 CREW Concert Under The Stars & Silent Eco Auction: February 16, 2019 5-9 p.m. featuring the High Voltage Band at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs.
Registration for members opens on September 4; for non-members on September 11. All programs require registration; visit eventbrite.com after registration opens. CREW Trust members will receive an email on September 4 when registration opens.
Looking to fill out your already bustling December calendar? We have something for everyone this December!
For the insectually curious and those itching for a bit of fun, join FGCU instructor and President of the Florida Mosquito Control Association Neil Wilkinson for Mosquitos of the Marsh: a CREW Strolling Science Seminar on Friday, Dec. 8. You’ll learn about the life cycles and histories of fresh floodwater and natural container species of mosquitos common to Southwest Florida. From identifying adult mosquitos caught in traps set the night before to using dip nets to survey for mosquiot predtaors, this is sure to be a can’t miss event! For more information or to purchase tickets, head to eventbrite.com.
Tuesdays are TrailDays at the CREW Marsh Trail! Volunteer naturalist and spider enthusiast Janet Bunch leads our free weekly guided walks from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. What can you expect in December? From the small boardwalk, you might spy string lilies blooming. Butterfly sightings may include Gulf Frittilaries and Zebra Longwings, both often spotted close to Suzanne’s Pavillion. The view from the observation tower will still show lush green sawgrass as the water levels are just beginning to dry down from our very wet rainy season. Red-shouldered hawks are pairing up and filling the air with their boisterous calls. As always, what we see depends on the day, which makes each walk different from the last! Register today at eventbrite.com. Can’t make it out to the trails on Tuesdays? You’re in luck! December’s Saturday Walk will be at the CREW Marsh Trails on Dec. 9; register at eventbrite.com.
The wading birds are flocking to Bird Rookery Swamp and will join us on our Wednesday walks!! Egrets and herons and Roseate Spoonbills are filling in the small ponds and are even visible at times from the trail parking lot. String lilies are blooming throughout the swamp and you may even spy an adult or juvenille water moccasin swimming slowly around the bases of the cypress trees and knees. The pied-billed grebes are back in the small canal and we’re hoping to see little tiny grebes this spring. We’re still waiting on the full trail to re-open but our Wednesday walks will continue, covering the shell path and boardwalk, then expanding onto the grassy traim once the district completes repairs and restoration. Sign up for your free spot today at eventbrite.com.
Members, make sure your calendar is marked for our Member Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, January 13! Want to join in the fun, but aren’t a member? You can become a member today and you’ll receive an invitation to our picnic, our very popular wine and cheese social under the stars; our quarterly newsletter; and discounts on Strolling Science Seminars and other CREW Trust programs.
For me, it started with something as simple as an odd bird call.
We heard the loud call at dusk and tiptoed into the backyard. I turned on my phone to record the sound and shushed the kids, afraid we would scare away the bird.
(apologies for the video being sideways- I was a bit excited)
A quick text to a birding friend revealed it was a Chuck-will’s-widow and, while it was new to us, it wasn’t as uncommon as we thought. A little curiosity about our backyard resident led to a bit of research and learning for our family. I added the bird to my lifetime birding list (which is admittedly shorter than I’d like it to be). The experience certainly meant something to my family but, beyond observation, would it count to anyone else?
Making our wildlife observations count is the topic of the CREW Trust’s final Strolling Science Seminar this season. Dr. Win Everham will lead us along the trail at Bird Rookery Swamp in Naples for a hands-on learning experience.
Our everyday observations can be scientific and can help conservation efforts. It’s just a matter of knowing how.
One of our volunteers, Tom Mortenson, wanted to learn more about the wildlife in his new Florida home. He set up game cameras, similar to those he had up north, on parts of the CREW Project. That led to his first images of Florida panthers and he now submits the data he collects to the FWC panther biologists. His curiosity led to his contributions as a citizen scientist.
From backyard calls to uncommon sightings, your observations count.
Want to learn how you can also be a citizen scientist? Join us on April 29 at 9 a.m. Tickets are $15 for members, $25 for non-members, and must be purchased in advance (eventbrite.com).
If you do, then you are familiar with natural products produced by plants.
Join CREW Land & Water Trust and Dr. Maureen Bonness for an informative guided walk through Bird Rookery Swamp, located at 1295 Shady Hollow Blvd. in Naples, on Saturday, March 18 at 9 a.m.
Dr. Bonness will discuss plant natural products and how these products have profound effects in swamp ecology, including the interactions between plants and their swamp co-inhabitants. Toxins, colorants, scents, herbs and medicines are all plant natural products that humans use. While many plant products are used for their beneficial properties, some are used nefariously.
Tickets are $15 for members and $25 for non-members; reservations are required and spaces are limited. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com.
It’s almost March and we are nearing the end of our seasonal program schedule. If you haven’t reserved a spot on one of our guided walks or were waiting to purchase a ticket for a Strolling Science Seminar, check out our final program offerings and sign up today!
Join Dr. David Cooper, Florida Certified Master Naturalist, for a guided walk along the marsh trails. You’ll learn about wildflowers, dragonflies, the importance of the sawgrass marsh and the history of the 60,000 acre CREW Project. Reservations required; visit eventbrite.com.
Zebra longwings at CREW Marsh Trails
CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Guided Walks
Dates: February 25, 28; March 1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, 30; April 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 19, 22, 25, 26.
You don’t have to walk very far to see wildlife on this trail! Join one of four volunteer naturalists for a guided walk down our boardwalk and onto a wide grassy trail offering views of the swamp on both sides. You’ll learn about the swamp, the CREW Project, the importance of water and all of the wildlife along the trails, including alligators and wading birds. Reservations required; visit eventbrite.com.
photo by volunteer Bill Zaino
Birding with the Master – Bernie Master
Date: March 11
For information on place and time, please reserve your spot and purchase a ticket eventbrite.com. Cost is $15 for members, $25 for non-members. Registration is limited and walk-ins will not be accepted.
This hike is for the birds! Learn about winter residents and CREW nesters as well as what birds are using this valuable habitat and why.
An internationally recognized conservationist, Dr. Bernie Master has a Birding Life List that includes over three-quarters of the world’s bird species, in excess of 7,700 birds. He is the first American to see a representative of every bird family in the world. He was honored by HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands for his contribution to conservation. A previously unrecorded songbird in Colombia, Vireo masteri, the Choco Vireo, is named for his family and the discovery published in IBIS, October 1996.
Ovenbird, photographed by Dr. Bernie Master
SSS: Murder, Mutualism and Medicine
Date: March 18
For information on place and time, please reserve your spot and purchase a ticket at eventbrite.com. Cost is $15 for members, $25 for non-members. Registration is limited and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Join the CREW Trust and Dr. Maureen Bonness for a stroll along the CREW trails, where Dr. Bonness will use local plants to discuss the topic of plant natural products – a plant “language” generally inaudible to humans, yet with profound effects on interactions between plants and their swamp co-inhabitants. The primary focus is the role of plant natural products in swamp ecology, with an undertone of how people use these chemicals, sometimes nefariously.
Spring Wildflower Walk
Date: April 1
For information on place and time, please reserve your spot and purchase a ticket at eventbrite.com. Cost is $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Registration is limited and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Join FGCU instructor and wildflower expert Brenda Thomas for this fabulous walk to identify wildflowers and grasses along the trails. The spring flowers are always spectacular after the dry winter season. This is your chance to learn from someone whose passion for plants is unsurpassed!
Nature Walk for Families
Date: April 8
For information on place and time, please reserve your spot and purchase a ticket at eventbrite.com. Cost is $5 per family for members, $10 per family for non-members. Registration is limited and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Come join CREW for a fun family walk in the woods with activities that will get you dirty, inspire you and engage all your senses. This is a great opportunity for families new to the CREW trails to learn from a naturalist and become familiar with the family-friendly trails. You’ll learn about the CREW project and why it is important along with learning about the flora and fauna that call the trail systems home.
SSS: Making Wildlife Observations Count
Date: April 29
For information on place and time, please reserve your spot and purchase a ticket at eventbrite.com. Cost is $15 for members, $25 for non-members. Registration is limited and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Join Dr. John Herman for this hands-on strolling science seminar where you will learn how to turn your love of hiking into something more. On this hike, you’ll see how your every day observations can be turned into scientific data and used to help conserve wildlife.
The humanity of wildlife: Exploring dangerous ideas that connect the experiences of humans and wildlife led by Billy Gunnels December 16, 2016, register here!
Join CREW Trustee Dr. Billy Gunnels on a fascinating stroll on the CREW Trails where we will explore anthropomorphism and its place in the scientific world. As children, we are taught to think about wildlife in very human terms. Animals, in all their various shapes and forms, are the most common protagonists in fables that serve as parables to teach us about morality, socialization, and other life lessons. This role of and perspective about animals changes dramatically as we mature and are taught to avoid such anthropomorphic perspectives as adults – wildlife are not people and people are not wildlife. This “adult” insight has value. However, anthropodenial is also scientifically inaccurate. In this strolling science seminar, we will look at cases where humans and wildlife share similar experiences and motivations and cases where they do not. This will provide a richer and more complete understanding of wildlife at CREW.
Billy Gunnels is a father, scientist, and educator. Professionally, he is an associate professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. Where he explores animal behavior, social evolution, and human-animal interactions in both research and teaching. When asked about CREW he replied, “ I love CREW and the role that this landscape has on our region. As such, I have served as a trustee on the CREW Land and Water Trust for many years”.
Want to learn more about anthropomorphism? Dr. Billy Gunnels recommends the two articles below:
De Waal, F. (1997). Are we in Anthropodenial? Discovery Magazine
De Waal, F. (2016). What I learned from Tickling Apes. New York Times This is part of the CREW Strolling Science Seminar series, an annual series of scholarly walking seminars designed specifically for adults to gain in-depth knowledge about the science of CREW. Become a CREW Member and get a discount on your ticket TODAY. Non-members may join CREW and become eligible to take advantage of the member discount for all workshops by going to https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/become-a-member/ or by calling 239-657-2253.
