The Trailblazer

Prescribed Fire Fest is BACK for 2026 and it's going to be the biggest year yet! Join us at Medard Park on February 21st from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. for this free event offering activities sure to please all ages. This year we've added even MORE kid's games, activities, and giveaways. Fire Fest will have something for everyone, from the curious Florida newcomer to the seasoned naturalist. Read about some of the things you can look forward to, and learn more by visiting the event page here . 1. What is Fire Behavior? Visit the NEW Prescribed Fire Education Base Camp to learn the factors that influence how fires burn, and how we plan for them. We expanded last year’s Prescribed Fire Education Station and created a full-blown Base Camp! Visitors of all ages can explore how weather, fuels, and topography influence prescribed fire planning and behavior. Interactive demonstrations will take place throughout the day. 2. Learn how a prescribed fire works from above at a Sandbox Demonstrat...

  Since 2016 this festival has been a can’t-miss event! The  Florida Birding & Nature Festival  aims to promote appreciation and conservation of Florida’s birds, its wildlife and their habitats through responsible nature-based tourism and public awareness. After the storms in 2024, the festival planners decided to move the festival to the spring, coinciding with the spring migration and the birds' return, This year the festival will be held from April 9th through the 12th   at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) Suncoast Youth Conservation Center at 6650 Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL. Field trips and hikes will be held nearby at  Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, Cockroach Bay Nature Preserve, Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park, Blackwater CReek Nature Preserve, Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve, Fred and Ida Shultz Nature Preserve  and many other wild locations throughout Hillsborough, Polk, Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota counties! The festi...