"To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass
is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug."- Helen Keller (1880-1968), American author & activist
Home Landscape, Sweet Home Landscape
Spend your Thursdays this month – all five of them – learning how to add to the beauty and value of your home through landscaping. The Summer Home Landscape Series returns to Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach with presentations that will help you do just that. Lectures in the long-running free program are from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the park’s Julia Hall.
- Aug. 2 – “NatureScape” (Rose Bechard-Butman, NatureScape Broward)
- Aug. 9 – “Orchids for the Landscape” (Broward Orchid Supply, Hollywood)
- Aug. 16 – “Weedology” (Alyssa Lavoro, Alexander Landscaping & Plant Farm)
- Aug. 23 – “Pollinators & Pests” (Aaron Mullins, University of Florida)
- Aug. 30 – “Vegetable Gardening” (Scott Bryan, Secret Woods)
In conjunction with the lecture series, put your new knowledge to work in your own home landscape by stocking up at a Go Native Plant Sale, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 25. For more information on the lectures or the plant sale, call the park at 954-357-8884. Secret Woods is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #6.
Nature Nurture
It’s never too soon to start exposing your kids to the joy and beauty of nature. That’s why we have several programs designed to do just that. Nature Tots, for ages 2 to 4, has been around the longest and involves several parks, where it runs from 10 to 11 a.m. once a month: on the first Tuesday at Miramar Pineland (954-357-8776); second Thursday at Fern Forest Nature Center (954-357-5198) in Coconut Creek; third Tuesday at West Lake Park (954-357-5161) in Hollywood; and fourth Thursday at Secret Woods Nature Center (954-357-8884) in Dania Beach.
At Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center in Davie, there are also two monthly programs geared to children ages 3 to 5. Preschool Play ‘n’ Learn is held on the second Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m., while Knee-High Naturalist meets on the last Wednesday of the month, also from 10 to 11 a.m.
Each naturalist-led session of these programs features age-appropriate activities for the tots and their parents, such as games, crafts, storytelling, and outdoor adventures. Different themes may be explored monthly. The fee is $5 per child, and preregistration is required. Fern Forest is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42, Secret Woods via Route #6, and West Lake via Routes #4 and #12. (There are currently no routes that serve Long Key or Miramar Pineland.)
Keeping Your (Summertime) Cool
While we want you to enjoy our parks, nature centers, and natural areas year round, we also want you to make sure you stay safe and healthy while having outdoor fun. We’re approaching the height of summer heat, so be sure to drink lots of water when you’re being active outside. Water helps keep our bodies healthy by regulating our temperatures, protecting our organs, and helping break down the food we eat. Because water makes up so much of our bodies – 75 percent of muscle, 10 percent of fat – you have to drink water to stay healthy.
Our bodies lose water by being active, breathing, and sweating. When our bodies lose too much water, we get dehydrated. Common signs of dehydration include extreme thirst, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and/or not sweating. Here are some steps to take if this happens to you or you see someone showing symptoms while being active in the sun:
- Stop the activity immediately.
- Get out of the sun and find a shaded place to rest.
- Slowly sip water or some kind of cool fluid.
- Get checked out as soon as possible to ensure you are okay.
The goal is to stay hydrated, so drink before, during, and after any outdoor activities.
…And Everything Else
Other nature-related programming at Broward County parks in August. Many programs require fees and/or preregistration; contact the relevant park for details.
• Wed., Aug. 1, 10-11 a.m. – Nature Explorers – Secret Woods Nature Center (954-357-8884)
• Fri., Aug. 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – Fun Friday Nature – Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center (954-357-8797)
• Fri., Aug. 3, 12:15-12:45 p.m. – Bite-Sized Learning Lunch – Easterlin Park (954-357-5190)
• Sat., Aug. 4, 9 a.m.-noon – EcoAction Volunteer Workday – Miramar Pineland (954-357-8776)
• Sat., Aug. 4, 11 a.m.-noon – Fish Printing Fun – Anne Kolb Nature Center (954-357-5161)
• Sun., Aug. 5, 10-10:45 a.m. – Trail Stroll – Anne Kolb
• Wed., Aug. 8, 10-11 a.m. – Nature Explorers – Secret Woods
• Fri., Aug. 10, 9-10 a.m. – Guided Hike – West Creek Pineland Natural Area (954-357-5100)
• Fri., Aug. 10, 10-11 a.m. – Tot Walk – Secret Woods
• Fri., Aug. 10, 10 a.m.-noon – Nature in Depth – Secret Woods
• Fri., Aug. 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – Fun Friday Nature – Long Key
• Fri., Aug. 10, 8-9 p.m. – New-Moon Hike – Long Key
• Sat., Aug. 11, 9-10:30 a.m. – Scrub-a-Dub-Dub Cleanup & Hike – Deerfield Highlands Natural Area (954-357-5100)
• Sat., Aug. 11, 9-11:30 a.m. – Basic Kayak Class – West Lake Park (954-357-5161)
• Sat., Aug. 11, 9 a.m.-noon – EcoAction Volunteer Workday – Secret Woods
• Sat., Aug. 11, 10-11 a.m. – Along the Water’s Edge – Anne Kolb
• Sat., Aug. 11, 10-11 a.m. – Zooming in on Nature – Fern Forest Nature Center (954-357-5198)
• Sun., Aug. 12, 9-11:30 a.m. – Paddling EcoTour – West Lake
• Tues., Aug. 14, 9-10 a.m. – Guided Hike – Quiet Waters Park (954-357-5100)
• Tues., Aug. 14, 11 a.m.-noon – Investigate It! – Secret Woods
• Fri., Aug. 17, 8-9 p.m. – Night Hike – Helene Klein Pineland Preserve (954-357-5100)
• Sat., Aug. 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m. – Geocaching Adventure Series – Military Trail Natural Area (954-357-5100)
• Sun., Aug. 19, 10-10:45 a.m. – Trail Stroll – Anne Kolb
• Sun., Aug. 19, 10-11 a.m. – Family Nature Walk – Secret Woods
• Sun., Aug. 19, 2:30-4:30 p.m. – Team/Family Shutterbug Photo Hunt – Fern Forest
• Tues., Aug. 21, 9-10 a.m. – Naturalist-Led Tour – Easterlin
• Fri., Aug. 24, 9-10 a.m. – Guided Hike – Quiet Waters Park
• Fri., Aug. 24, 7:30-8:30 p.m. – Full-Moon Forest Stroll – Fern Forest
• Sun., Aug. 26, 10-11 a.m. – Guided Hike – Long Key
• Sun., Aug. 26, 1-4 p.m. – Jamming in the Park – Secret Woods
• Sun., Aug. 26, 7:30-9:30 p.m. – Moonlight Paddle – West Lake
• Tues., Aug. 28, 9-10 a.m. – Guided Hike – Military Trail
• Wed., Aug. 29, 8 p.m. – Sea Turtles & Their Babies – Anne Kolb
Parks Foundation
The Parks Foundation of Broward County is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2014 in support of Broward County Parks and Recreation Division. The foundation welcomes individual memberships and corporate partnerships at all levels to help promote our parks and programs, preserve our natural areas, and provide more green space for our community.
