Coastal Companion

Your ultimate guide to the coast

Butterfly Festival Treehill Nature Center – Jacksonville, Fl

by

The Butterfly festival at Treehill Nature Center in Jacksonville, Florida, is a great event for the whole family. The festival takes place on April 25th, 2009, from noon to 5:00 p.m. and culminates with nature’s fireworks – a live native butterfly release. This is something you can’t miss.

“You will experience a close encounter with 1000 of the gossamer-winged creatures at Tree Hill Nature Center’s signature event,” promises Lucy Cortese, executive director.

But there’s a lot more to the festival. If you ever thought about starting your own Butterfly garden, this is the event to visit. Here you can see a butterfly exhibit, lots of games and activities for children, and live music. There’s also Art in the Park where local artists showcase their works. In the Get Back to Nature area you can meet experts from local nurseries who can tell you all you need to know about native plants and herbs. You can also shop at the Monarch Mall for everything from plants to jewelry and much, much more.

Last year, almost 5,000 visitors came to the festival. So came early, and plan to stay all day. The 2009 festival commemorates Tree Hill’s 38th anniversary as Jacksonville’s Nature Center. The 2009 event will focus on Edutainment – education that is entertaining and enlightening to both children and adults.

The cost is $10 per family or $5 per individual. The proceeds goes to support Treehill Nature Center.

Click here to print out your discount coupon.

For more information about the event, visit www.treehill.org


Winter Celebration in Mandarin at Walter Jones Historical Park

by

Come celebrate the beginning of the holiday season at the Winter Celebration in Mandarin. The whole family can enjoy a variety of fun activities such as hayrides, rides on the putt-putt train, visits with Santa, games and nature crafts, nature exhibits and making Victorian ornaments and much more. The ninth annual Winter Celebration in Mandarin will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, in the Walter Jones Historical Park, 11964 Mandarin Road. The 1875 farmhouse will be open for tours all day.
This event is free, but some activities have a fee. Call 904 268-0784 for more information.

The schedule of events includes:

11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Hayrides. Train ride. Re-enactors.
Crafts and games. Gift shop. Museum.

12:30 – 4:00 p.m. Webb/Jones farmhouse open.

1:30 – 4:00 p.m. A visit from Santa Claus – Entertainment at the farmhouse:

11:30 – 12 noon. Mandarin United Methodist Church Cherubs Choir and the Kings Kids Choir.

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Mandarin Presbyterian Church Children’s Choir

1:00 and 2:00 p.m. Reading and book signing by Jane Wood, author of the children’s book Trouble on the St. Johns River.

The Walter Jones Historical Park is located at 11964 Mandarin Road. For more information or direction s, call the museum at (904) 268-0784 or visit: www.mandarinmuseum.net

Secrets of the Salt Marsh – Amelia Island, FL

by

Fall SamplerJoin a park ranger and discover the importance of estuarine systems that surround the inshore sides of barrier islands like those of the Talbot Islands State Parks complex. This ranger-guided hike along the salt marsh will help point out why these areas are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, the many roles the salt marsh plays, the plant and animal life found in this natural community, and the impacts humans have on this system. This program will take place at the Ribault Club on Fort George Island Cultural State Park. No reservations are necessary and the program is free. For additional information on any of these programs, call the Talbot Islands Ranger Station at (904) 251-2320. For more information about Florida State Parks, visit www.FloridaStateParks.org .