Friends of Pinellas Master Naturalists

06/07/2026

Friends of Pinellas Master Naturalists participated in World Oceans Day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium yesterday. Thank you to everyone who came out to support the health of our oceans!

05/26/2026

Come see your Friends as we celebrate World Oceans Day on June 6 at the Clearwater Aquarium!

Protecting our blue planet starts with us. This year, Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is proud to partner with Keep Pinellas Beautiful and the Tampa Bay Roots & Shoots Alliance to host a premier World Oceans Day celebration.

05/07/2026

FPMN members rang in Cinco de Mayo with a boat tour of the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary to see nesting birds. Everyone had a great time! They saw young pelicans chicks, hundreds of ibis, shorebirds, and a handful of spoonbills who remained more hidden in the island's interior. Many thanks to Barb & Dave Howard of Friends of Tampa Bay Wildlife Refuges for making this outing possible! ...and to Debra Vowell for sharing her photos with us.

04/24/2026

Fun day today on the Rainbow River wading, paddling, and snorkeling with Friends of Pinellas Master Naturalists and turtle expert extraordinaire George Heinrich.

A mere $20 annual FPMN membership gives you access to wonderful field trips like this throughout the year. Check it out at https://pinellasmasternaturalists.org/.

04/24/2026

“Seagrass is the foundation of a strong underwater ecosystem and an indicator of water health.”

On a sunny but windy April morning, researchers jumped into the water seeking seagrass.

04/15/2026

We'll be paddling the Rainbow River next Friday to learn more about its turtles from field biologist George Heinrich. While we're there, we'll probably spot some river otters too--a common sight there. Check out this lovely video from Linda Wilinksi about this charismatic creature that thrives in spring-fed waters...

Their slender bodies move effortlessly through the water. Their charismatic and curious energy is highly infectious. Otters are not only fascinating to ob...

04/13/2026

FPMN MEMBERS: Join your Friends on April 24 to paddle a scenic stretch of the Rainbow River with field biologist George Heinrich to observe, identify, and learn about the river’s turtle species. Registration details were emailed on April 8. FIVE SPACES REMAIN for this fun and educational field day!

03/03/2026

Friends who went on our Archbold Biological Station field trip last week delighted in seeing many Scrub Jays. Check out Audubon Florida's JayWatch 2025 Annual Summary to see how this species is doing and find opportunities to get involved with conservation efforts: https://media.audubon.org/2026-03/JayWatchReport2026_v5_web_accessible%202.pdf?ms=digital-eng-email-ea-x_20260302_fl-jay-watch-report-2025&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_content=single_cta&utm_campaign=engagement_20260302_fl-jay-watch-report-2025&contactdata=5xCi4nqZi1iLMKBvPdyRjyvDtkj5KTjb%2fCdNVNunsa9TPD85qJlNueXoJ9%2f64lWZWhEPopRkHnskajJNYHGwbr7ZpWS6wwqUDmL9JilWBtFXZAVUBLsknQIRzExqRvRKwDPvxWKBFEfqeu2u6B0bJy50OwUwmDCaRTsX%2fpJhhxrS4zLY6akjRJ2jf4TWlBcrotjyD6417Hy8aDKqaZsDfiNk3aadz0goss8UI96rWSb28AxI7GdP+bCberFs4M9v6FqRS8bROWZnJ5ndGa8UuGP5vCuDJfX1QsvwNzaGjnQ%3d&emci=768ac4c4-0d17-f111-a69a-000d3a1f0a97&emdi=e451acb1-1117-f111-a69a-000d3a1f0a97&ceid=899708

02/24/2026

This lady makes it all happen for FPMN. President Joan Landis hit it out of the park again for us today by orchestrating fascinating tours and lectures by the dedicated and brilliant staff at Archbold Biological Station. We are so lucky to have Joan at the helm!

01/24/2026

"The proposed port would threaten the health of our shared watersheds, including Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and beyond. Claims about economic benefits and ecological preservation obscure the real, serious harm this terminal would inflict on our waterways, our health, our businesses, and our way of life." Help protect our Tampa Bay ecosystems--sign the petition today!

A new cruise ship terminal, tentatively called the Knott-Cowen Cruise Port, has been proposed on the seaward side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, on the Knott-Cowen tract, near Terra Ceia Bay and Rattlesnake Key. The project, put forward by SSA Marine in partnership with the Tampa-based Slip Knott LL...