Notes regarding time
Times Vary Depending on DayDescription
Learn about Volusia County’s conservation lands and land management practices during free Explore Volusia programs in March. Environmental specialists will lead a variety of outdoor adventures and volunteer and learn programs.
Registration is required; call 386-736-5927.
Upcoming events include:
Ponce Preserve hike: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 2. Take a leisurely hike to view local wildlife and beautiful scenery. Participants will hike the 41-acre park to view a shell midden, maritime hammocks, mangrove forest, and dune systems. Meet at Ponce Preserve, 4401 S. Peninsula Drive, Ponce Inlet.
Explore Volusia challenge: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 4. A guide will share details about the monthly challenge and help participants navigate the iNaturalist app. Meet at Wiregrass Prairie Preserve, 1751 Lopez Road, Osteen.
Longleaf lunch and learn: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 8. Ride the eco-buggy through Longleaf Pine Preserve while enjoying the scenery and learning about the importance of the lands. Pack a lunch for a stop at the pavilion, where the group will learn about the area’s incredible marine mammals. Meet at the preserve’s west entrance, 3637 E. New York Ave,Deland.
Spruce Creek bike-about: 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 10. Ride a segment of Martin Dairy Trails in Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve while learning about the local ecosystem. Moderate skill is preferred due to rough terrain, up and down hills, and soft sand. Bring a bicycle and helmet and meet in the dirt parking lot on Martin Dairy Road, New Smyrna Beach.
Volunteer and learn: Pollinator gardening: 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, March 13. Celebrate Plant a Flower Day and Learn about Butterflies Day by volunteering in Lyonia Environmental Center’s pollinator garden. Volunteers will learn about the benefits of native plants as pollinators and then do various gardening activities. Meet at Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona.
Volunteer and learn: World Wildlife Day: 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, March 20. Learn about World Wildlife Day and the international treaty that has protected many species, including sea turtles. Volunteers will see the Marine Science Center’s sea turtle hospital and exhibits with species protected by the treaty. After the short program, volunteers will assist with landscaping, trimming and vine removal on the grounds. Meet at the Marine Science Center, 100 Lighthouse Drive, Ponce Inlet.
Volunteer and learn: Storm drain marking: 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 21. Learn about World Water Day’s “accelerating change” theme before marking storm drains with “no dumping” signs in the Blue Lake area. Afterward, volunteers can let their friends and neighbors know that storm drains flow directly into local waterways. Meet at the boat launch on North Blue Lake Terrace between Ohio and Wisconsin avenues, DeLand.
Deep Creek bike-about: 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 25. Take a bicycle tour of this 8,000-acre natural and agricultural land to learn about important plant communities. Participants may see carnivorous plants and the rare Sherman’s fox squirrel. Meet at 964 S. State Road 415, New Smyrna Beach.
Volunteer and learn: Manatee Appreciation Day: 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 29. Celebrate Manatee Appreciation Day at Smyrna Dunes Park. Volunteers will learn about manatees and the threats they face before cleaning up parts of the park. By removing discarded line and trash, volunteers will provide a cleaner, safer environment for manatees and other wildlife. Meet at 2995 N. Peninsula Ave., New Smyrna Beach.
Heart Island eco-buggy tour: 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, March 30. Take a ride through Heart Island Conservation Area, part of the 35,280-acre Lake George Wildlife Management Area. Natural communities include basin swamps, floodplain swamps, basin marshes, hydric hammocks, mesic flatwoods and scrub. Meet at 6348 Lake Winona Road, DeLeon Springs.
Participants should bring water and insect repellent and wear comfortable clothes and hiking or walking shoes.
