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 Dear WILD Ones, Spring has finally arrived! During the past few months, our network has been busy training new WILD educators, participating in outreach, and mentoring the next batch of WILD facilitators.
Some of these exciting outreach experiences include the 29th MarineQuest celebration, the annual open house of the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. For over 25 years, MarineQuest has welcomed thousands of people to learn more about Florida’s fish, wildlife, habitats, and the research that scientists are leading all around the state. In other outreach news, the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center participated in a full week of programming during spring break in Hillsborough County. The youth center hosted the second annual LadyFish Luncheon, where thanks to a grant from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, participants were able to learn skills through a fishing clinic, as well as take home their own fishing rod and reel with tackle box. It was a great day full of many smiling faces and a few ladies even caught their very first fish! As we continue growing, evolving, and making connections, I am reminded of the Project WILD activity, Habitat Circles, where we each play a pivotal role in keeping our habitats thriving while supporting wildlife and human needs. If one of us" lets go of the rope", our habitat circle falls apart. These connections must be maintained for populations and species to survive, just as we have learned to strengthen each other by sharing resources and experiences. As we enjoy the changes in weather, and anticipate new life and growth in the spring, let's make time to enjoy our natural resources with family, friends, and loved ones. From The Florida panhandle to the beaches of Miami, Florida continues to stay WILD! Thank you workshop facilitators and educators! Yatska Valentin
Project WILD Coordinator
FLProjectWILD@myfwc.com
yatska.valentin@myfwc.com |
 Florida Project WILD coordinator, Yatska ValentÃn teaching fishing regulations at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach for their LadyFish Luncheon event Project WILD workshop particpants at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens  Project WILD participants from Kenneth Kirchman Foundation at Lake X  Project WILD workshop particpants getting ready to do the Gone Fsishin and Water Canaries activity  Florida Yotuh Conservation Centers Network Regional Coordinator, Keaton Fish with WILD workshop participant Aaron Gross  WILD workshop participant Kelby Collier, who looks forward to becoming a Project WILD facilitator soon!  Do you want to adapt Project WILD lessons to incorporate local species? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has tons of information about birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and more at MyFWC.com. Check it out! Looking for facilitator resources? Visit the Facilitator's Corner for up to date forms and resources for your workshops! https://myfwc.com/education/educators/project-wild/corner/ |
 We ask that you have at least 10 interested educators and provide us with 6-8 weeks notice. - Project WILD educational materials are available to educators who attend instructional 3- to 6-hour workshops offered by certified leaders.
- Project WILD workshops are useful to classroom teachers as well nonformal educators including scout and club leaders; nature center, museum, zoo and aquarium staff; park rangers; and home school parents.
- Workshops types include Project WILD, Aquatic WILD, Flying WILD, Schoolyard Wildlife, Black Bear, and Growing Up WILD.
Please see the calendar below for dates of upcoming workshops. Or, contact Yatska Valentin for a workshop request form or to answer questions - we want you WILD! Yatska.Valentin@myFWC.com |
Click Here for Up-to-Date WILD Calendar of Events If you have attended at least 2 Project WILD workshops and are interested in leading your own workshop, then we're ready for you. Being a Project WILD Facilitator means: - Recognition as a leader in Florida’s environmental education community.
- Professional development opportunities, including an invitation to the annual facilitator awards recognition weekend - Call of the WILD.
- Support from and networking with other volunteer facilitators.
For an application, please contact: Yatska.Valentin@myFWC.com or FLProjectWILD@myFWC.com |
 The North American Conservation Education Strategy (CE Strategy) is proud to offer a series of free, interactive webinars to discuss the many resources available to agencies and other partners.
Click the link to access the list of pre-recorded webinars on AFWA's Vimeo channel and Strategy Webinar Archive Over the next year, the Project WILD program at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies will develop three new online courses. The intended audiences for these courses will be educators of students in middle and high school—including formal educators (classroom teachers) and nonformal educators—as well as staff at fish and wildlife agencies. You can access the Survey of Content for Project WILD Online Courses at: https://forms.office.com/r/RnWDfkCBR6 If you have any questions about this survey or wish to discuss this project, please contact Elena Takaki at etakaki@fishwildlife.org. |
 Project WILD curriculum provides opportunities to learn about fishing and conservation. Gyotaku or Japanese fish printing is an ancient Japanese art form that helped anglers keep a record of fish. They would apply to one side of a fish, then cover the fish with rice paper and rub to create an image of the fish. The ink was non-toxic and allowed fish to be processed for eating, while preserving records of fish species and sizes. Check out a short video from TED-Ed detailing the history of this ancient art form here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mG-Ka4mv8 In other fish related news, FWC is currently accepting applications for the annual School Fishing Club Program grant. The application period is now open for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) School Fishing Club Program. The grant application period is open now until May 17, but grant funding is not required to participate in the School Fishing Club Program. All selected grant applications will be announced Aug. 16. This annual educational program focuses on teaching youth anglers about best fishing practices to help ensure the future of fishing in Florida.
Contact: Brandon Stys at Brandon.Stys@MyFWC.com or 850-617-6012 for more information. No matter the reason, every fishing adventure is an opportunity to gain a new understanding about different fish species and their habitats, while building outdoor skills.
Would you like to get your fishing license?
Find more information about purchasing a license here: https://myfwc.com/license/ |
 Students practice catch and release fishing at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center at Apollo Beach, FL during the Impowered Minds event "Absolutely enjoyed my day. Many strategies will be used with youth" – Jenn Downes "Loved it!" – Megan Crawford "These are great resources for educators and the materials cover so many topics and disciplines." – Bria Beardsley "Interactive games are fun! Helps imagine how games are executed. Having everything set up before we engage was very smooth and helpful." – Dakoeta Pinto "This was so informational and fun. I am an animal obsessed person so I learned a lot from today. I didn't know a lot about bears until this. Thank you." – Madison Hall "Loved that you shared how you change the activities to fit your needs as it gave me some ideas of how I could do the same when I use them." – Jamie Maingot Thank you everyone, for all you do to help keep Florida WILD! |
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