Category: Hiking

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Sign up for these programs before season ends!

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!

CREW Marsh Trails Guided Walks

Dates: March 7, 11, 21; April 4, 8, 18

Time: 9-11:30 a.m.

Place: CREW Marsh Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee, FL 34142

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.

Time: 9-11:30 a.m.

Place: Bird Rookery Swamp Trails, 1295 Shady Hollow Boulevard West, Naples, FL 34120.

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.

photo by volunteer Bill Zaino

 

 

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Merry Christmas and Happy CREW Year

Happy Holidays from all of us at CREW!

 

Christmas is just days away and, once the wrapping paper settles and the cookies disappear, it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. We’ve got a few ideas for last minute holiday gifts and ways to make 2017 the best year yet.

Give the gift of guided walks

Our guided walks are free, but the knowledge of our volunteer leaders is highly valuable. Sign yourself up and head to Bird Rookery Swamp for two hours of George’s or Bobby’s stories or go out with Dr. David Cooper for a tour of CREW Marsh Trails. Better yet, sign up a friend. Guided walks are a great way to build confidence in new CREW visitors, and that confidence level increases the chances that they will return to explore more of the trails.

Share nature with kids and grandkids

The electronic hatching egg everyone is clamoring for will only engage kids for so long, and by New Year’s Day, it will be forgotten in a pile of toys. Memories last much longer, so give the gift of time and take your kids or grandkids out to your favorite trail.

The going may be slower as they stop to see every tiny flower or search for animal tracks, but it’s the memories that count, not the miles. And if they ask a question and you don’t know the answer, give them homework and tell them to google it, then get back to you with the answer.

If you are looking for a way to wrap up that idea, make a coupon for one guided hike with Nana or Uncle Todd (insert your name) and give it with a field guide or binoculars or kid-sized hiking stick. (Hint hint, we sell those at the CREW office).

They’ll talk for years about seeing one-eyed Ida and completely forget about whatever game they got for their NintendoDS.

This holiday season, hit the trails with friends and family and help us spread our mission of protecting and preserving our watershed.

Honor a loved one

While Christmas and New Year’s is a time of celebration, it can also be a time of reflection for those that have lost loved ones and friends this year.

Consider making a donation to CREW as a way to memorialize a grandparent who first introduced you to birding or always remember a sun-filled day when you spent the morning identifying butterflies with your visiting best friend.

New Year, new you

The top New Year’s resolution each year is fitness. Gym memberships surge and by mid-February, everyone is back to their old habits.

At CREW, we’ve got a great way for you to get active and stay active all year long: volunteer as a Trail Steward.

After a short training session, you’ll have a snazzy blue volunteer shirt and be ready to hit the trails, acting as an ambassador for CREW and answering questions as you stroll your favorite trail system. There are no set hours; we just ask that you wear your volunteer shirt when you go hiking, then log your volunteer hours when you get home.

You’ll not only stay committed to your resolution, but you’ll be sharing your love and passion with others while helping CREW continue our mission of protecting and preserving our watershed. It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

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What you should know if you visit the CREW Marsh Trails…

In a few weeks, the CREW Marsh Trails will get more exciting. Winter is the CREW Trust’s premier time for guided walks and this includes field trips of all kind. So, don’t be alarmed if you drive out to the Marsh Trails and see a group for a guided hike, 120 third graders or a class of college students.

The CREW Marsh Trails opened in 1994, and since then we have been expanding and enhancing our education programs for all ages.image018

  • Guided hikes: Dr. David Cooper will present his enjoyable and informative walk every second and fourth Tuesday and the second Saturday of each month at 9:00AM.
  • 3rd Grade Field Trips: Collier County third graders come to CREW to take a “Walk through the Watershed” where they spend time dip-netting, getting to know where their water comes from, and the importance of protecting the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed.
  • College Field Trips:  Students take a walk through the five beautiful ecosystems that the Marsh Trails have to offer while exploring the concepts of sustainability, sense of place and interdisciplinary connections to our environment.

As part of our mission to protect the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, these educational IMG_0273programs are important to developing support for the watershed and engaging people in its protection.

So, the next time you go out to the CREW Marsh trails on a weekday, you might run into many people learning about the wonders of this 60,000-acre watershed. If you would like to join them, check out our programs and register in advance by clicking here.

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Ready, Set, Hike… 2016-17 Free Guided Hike Schedule

Ready, set, go! Guided Hike season is almost upon us. The CREW Trust has outdone itself again. This coming season’s programs are over the top!

Starting in November and continuing through the end of April 2017, the CREW Trust volunteers will be presenting over 14 free guided walks each month! Come on out and take a walk with one of your old favorites or one of our new guides. If you’ve never walked with us, then makes plans to do it right away. You won’t regret it.IMG_5272

CREW Marsh Trails – Dr. David Cooper will present his enjoyable and informative walk every second and fourth Tuesday and the second Saturday of each month at 9:00AM.

Dr. David is the Dean of the CREW Trust guides and one of its charter volunteers. He is a wealth of knowledge and a very entertaining guide. A morning with Dr. David will change the way you think about the CREW Marsh.

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp – Bobby McLoughlin will be guiding his walk the second and fourth Tuesday and the fourth Saturday each month at 9:00AM. Every Wednesday at 9:00AM, George Luther and Bob Melin will conduct their walk.

During January through April, on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 1:30PM (notedeer_1128_2the afternoon starting time, please), Jeff and Pauline Suss will lead their walk.

From February through, and including, April 13th., at 9:00AM, Chrissy Podos and Dr. Jack Shine will conduct their walks. Chrissy will lead on: 2/2, 2/16, 3/2, 3/23, and 4/6. Dr. Jack will lead on: 2/9, 2/23, 3/9/, 3/16, 3/30, and 4/13.

Each of these guides interpret the trail in their own style. Each has their own areas of expertise and each provides a remarkable experience.  Bird Rookery Swamp was again been recognized by TripAdvisor with a Certificate of Excellence for 2016.

All of these hikes are free because of the generosity of the CREW Trust members. Donations are gratefully accepted. Registration is required for these walks. Further information can be found at CREWTrust.org.

To register for any of these walks, click here http://www.eventbrite.com/o/crew-land-&-water-trust-1047111831

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Talk a Walk with the Wildflower Guru- Roger Hammer

Want to learn more about the beautiful wildflowers you see on the side of the road, or on the trail you hike? Then join our special guest, Roger Hammer, for an entertaining and informative wildflower walk on October 29th  from 9-12pm.

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Registration is required- click here to sign up.  

Roger Hammer  is an award-winning professional naturalist, author of Everglades Wildflowers and Florida Icons, botanist and photographer. He has spent many days on the CREW trails – pine_lily_0907_3and all over Florida – searching for new species and photographing flowers for his books. His stories and depth of knowledge will delight and inspire you.

Quick Tip: 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.

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August 11th Wet Walk at CREW- Can you handle it?

Never been in a Florida swamp? Well this is your chance. Sign up today to join Jessi Drummond, our Environmental Education Specialist, on a wet walk through CREW’s Cypress Dome Trails on August 11th at 9am. To preregister for this hike click here.

wet popash slough 2013 square

On this hike enjoy the White Loop at the CREW Cypress Dome Trails and experience a magical, and beautiful place. This 3+ mile hike takes you deep into the woods on a narrow trail where barred owls perch and old, curvy palm trees reach for the sun. With no boardwalks, this trail lets you get your feet wet as you slog through the popash slough and then up into some of the most gorgeous pine flatwoods at CREW.

Bring plenty of water to drink, sun protection (sunscreen, hat, glasses), bug spray or long sleeves, camera/binoculars if you like, and be prepared to get wet (and muddy) up to your knees or even thighs, depending on how much rain we get this summer.

We’ll wrap up by noon. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to eat at the pavilion or benches in the parking area afterwards.

To register click here.  CREW Members are current members of the CREW Land & Water Trust. General Public/Non-members may join CREW (and become eligible to take advantage of the member discount for this workshop) by going to https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com and clicking on the DONATE button or by calling 239-657-2253.

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Abandon the Fear: Learn How Cool Snakes Really Are

BEST

Join Dr. John Herman an instructor at FGCU for a fun filled hike at Bird Rookery Swamp. This hike is a part of our Strolling Science Seminar series, scholarly hikes for adults. On this strolling expedition you will learn how to safely observe and share outdoor areas with snakes, as well as their importance to the ecosystem.

Any ecosystem, including CREW, can only truly be healthy if all of its parts are filling their roles. We can’t pick and choose which parts to protect based on if we find them “cute” or “cuddly”. This seminar’s purpose is to bring snakes out from the shadows of fear and into the light of respect and protection.

What to wear/bring: Wear comfortable outdoor walking clothes and closed-toed shoes. Please bring some water to drink and to use to rinse hands. Also please avoid putting sunscreen, lotion, hand sanitizer, or any other chemical on the palms of your hands during this session.

Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/snake-in-the-grass-not-always-a-bad-guy-a-crew-strolling-science-seminar-tickets-18218159004

 

 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.

 

 

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A View of Bird Rookery Swamp- Wading Birds before the boardwalk

Bird Rookery Swamp observations
Saturday, December 5
6:30 am–1:05 pm

“Cloudy skies and light rain all morning should have made sightings rather slim, and it did for butterflies, dragonflies, mammals, and herps. However, it was a great day for birds with 42 species seen and identified.

A 6:30 start in the parking lot caught a lot of the early birds flying in and out from their night time roosts. We were up to 25 species before we reached the start of the boardwalk.

The large flocks of White Ibis and other waders including three Roseate Spoonbills; Wood Storks; Little Blue, Great Blue, Black-crowned Night and Tri-colored Herons; Great and Snowy Egrets all flew in within 15 minutes of each other. A Barred Owl called from deeper in the cypress while Goldfinches, Common Yellowthroats, Cardinals, a House Wren, and Palm Warblers were active in the shrubby vegetation to the west orosp_1205f the parking lot and gravel path.

A quartet of Pied-billed Grebes swam, dove, and preened in the canal beside the gravel path while Red-shouldered Hawks and a trio of Double-crested Cormorants flew over. It was a great way to begin the day.

One pocket of small birds a little later included a Black-and-white Warbler, a Yellow-throated Warbler, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, lots of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and a few woodpeckers. The most unexpected avian sighting was a Cooper’s Hawk that flew over while we were watching a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks.

The only mammals we saw were a Raccoon and a River Otter, plus several Gray Squirrels. Due to the inclement weather, we could only find 18 gators. Other herps were a Red-bellied Turtle and Green and Brown Anoles.

Butterflies were limited because of the weather, too. We only found eight species. The Long-tailed Skipper in the photo was one of two seen. White Peacocks were again the most common with 47 individuals counted, followed by 11 Barred Yellows.

Even with the rain and cloudy skies, visitors still came. Most were bicyclists, but one early jogger did the entire 12-mile loop. Walkers didn’t appear until late morning and early afternoon. Ida was in her pond but floating in the back next to the raft”.

skppr_long-tailed_1205
BIRDS
Pied-billed Grebe – 4
Anhinga – 10
Double-crested Cormorant – 3
Great Blue Heron – 6
Great Egret – 15
Snowy Egret – 2
Little Blue Heron – 11
Tri-colored Heron – 4
Green Heron – 4
Black-crowned Night Heron – 13
White Ibis – 81
Roseate Spoonbill – 3
Wood Stork – 3
Black Vulture – 19
Turkey Vulture – 48
Red-shouldered Hawk – 13
Cooper’s Hawk – 1
Mourning Dove – 26
Common Ground Dove – 2
Barred Owl – 1
Belted Kingfisher – 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 16
Downy Woodpecker – 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – 1
Pileated Woodpecker – 3
Eastern Phoebe – 8
Great-crested Flycatcher – 5
Tree Swallow – 1
Carolina Wren – 9
House Wren – 2
Tufted Titmouse – 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 9
American Robin – 3
Gray Catbird – 21
Blue-headed Vireo – 2
Black-and-white Warbler – 1
Yellow-throated Warbler – 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 5
Palm Warbler – 12
Common Yellowthroat – 5
Northern Cardinal – 8
Common Grackle – 23
American Goldfinch – 2

BUTTERFLIES
Tiger Swallowtail – 1
White Peacock – 47
Viceroy – 2
Barred Yellow – 11
Fiery Skipper – 1
Long-tailed Skipper – 2
Brazilian Skipper – 7
Tropical Checker – 4

DRAGONFLIES/DAMSELFLIES
Eastern Pondhawk – 12
Needham’s Skimmer – 6

MAMMALS
Gray Squirrel – 1
River Otter – 1
Raccoon – 1

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS
Alligator – 18
Brown Anole – 11
Green Anole – 2
Red-bellied Turtle – 1

By Dick Brewer
http://www.dickbrewer.org/CREW.html
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What you can do at CREW 2015-2016!

laura write up picture

Just in case you missed Laura Tichy-Smith’s great article on CREW Field Trips, here is what you need to know. The article titled “Field Trip” was released October 25th, 2015 in The News-Press Coastal Life. laura write up picture

  • We have 2 free primitive campsites with grills, picnic tables, and fire rings. Get your permit here: https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/2011/08/11/camping/
  • All events require registration through the CREW website or by phone 239-657-2253.
  •  Guided walks at the CREW Marsh Trail Start at 9 a.m.-noon on First and third Tuesday and second Saturday monthly (November- April)
  • Guided walks at Bird Rookery Swamp start at 9-11:30 a.m. every Wednesday and fourth Saturday monthly (November-April). As well as in the afternoons: 1:30-4 p.m. first
    Sunday monthly (November- April)
  • Our Strolling Science Seminars cost: $25 non-members; $15 CREW members. They are adult only:
    • Dec. 4: Dendrochronology (tree coring science) with Dr. Disturbance by Dr. Win Everham, FGCU
    • Saturday, Jan. 16: Snake in the grass: Not always a bad guy by Dr. John Herman, FGCU
    • Saturday, Feb. 6: Birding with the master by Dr. Bernie Master (international conservationist)
    • Friday March 11: Adaptation or extinction: The lives of CREW’s
      most interesting plants by Jack Berninger
  • Other specialty hikes:
    • Nature’s peace at CREW: A nature walk for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients at 10:30 a.m.-noon on the First Mondays monthly (November-April)
    • Get your vitamin N: A nature walk for families at 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 5
      and Saturday, March 19
    • Bike tours at Bird Rookery Swamp at 8 a.m.-noon on Friday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Feb. 12. You must provide own bicycle, and helmet.
    • CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction at 5-8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13. Located at Riverside Park, 27300 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs
    • Spring wildflower walk with Roger Hammer at 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, April 2
  • We have 2 member-only events, you can sign up to be a member and get discounts on all events at https://crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com/become-a-member/
    • Wine and Cheese Social on Thursday, Jan. 21
    • Campfire and S’mores Social on Thursday, Feb. 25

To see the full article visit: http://www.news-press.com/story/life/coastal-life/2015/10/24/crew-offers-recreational-opportunities/74490760/

Thank you Laura Tichy-Smith for such a great article

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Guided Hikes at CREW Trails Starting in November

guided hike

Join our excellent volunteers for an entertaining and informative 2.5-hour guided walk on a portion of the Bird Rookery Swamp trails near Naples, FL. Learn the history, see wildlife and enjoy the view.BRS eventbrite pic

 

  • Wednesdays (9:00 – 11:30 AM) – November through April
  • 1st Sundays (1:30 – 4 PM) – November through April
  • 4th Saturdays (9 – 11:30 AM) – November through August

The Bird Rookery Swamp Trail is part of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (owned by the South Florida Water Management District). It includes a 1500 ft. boardwalk and nearly 12 miles of raised trails on old railroad trams. The cypress/maple swamp is home to wading birds, owls, deer, bear, panther, bobcat, limpkins, and much more.

Register ahead at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/bird-rookery-swamp-guided-walks-tickets-17327245257

 

Join CREW Land & Water Trust volunteer and FL Master Naturalist, Dr. David Cooper, for a humorous and informative 2.5 to 3-hour guided walk at the CREW Marsh Hiking Trails. Learn about the watershed as a whole, view wildflowers, animal signs, birds, butterflies, and more.marsh trails for eventbrite

  • 1st and 3rd Tuesday (9:00-12:00) November-April
  • 2nd Saturday  (9:00-12:00) November-April

 

The CREW Marsh Trails are part of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (owned by the South Florida Water Management District). These trails meander through pine flatwoods, along the edge of the marsh, to oak hammock and popash slough. The Marsh Trails are home to FL black bears, FL panthers, bobcats, limpkins, many songbirds, and more.

Register ahead at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/crew-marsh-trails-guided-walks-registration-17800793653