Nature Connection 2026 Coming To Bay County In March - Mark Your Calendar!

BAY COUNTY, FL - Nature Connection 2026, our 4th Nature Connection, is coming in late March, with two offerings. We have invited a Plant expert, and an Owl expert, to present on their respective realm of expertise. There are two dates, two locations, one week apart, so Save The Dates. Here’s a summary of our two Program components:
 
I. Doug Tallamy, Saturday March 21, Captain Anderson’s Event Center.
II. Scott Rashid, Saturday March 28, FSU PC Holley Center.
 
Doug Tallamy, Saturday March 21, Captain Anderson’s Event Center
Dr. Douglas Tallamy is an insect expert, an entomologist. He is professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at The University of Maryland. He is a nationwide spokesperson promoting the use of native (local) plants instead of exotic species from other geographic areas thereby fighting invasive species which can displace local ecosystems. His presentation is entitled “Homegrown National Park”. If everyone planted part of their yard with native plants, this area of millions of yards would be bigger than our National Parks! Doug’s big idea is to plant local species of flowers, bushes, and trees, which will attract and feed local insects, which will then nourish local caterpillars, bees, moths, butterflies, and birds as part of local natural ecosystems.

So, if your home has a yard, you need to hear Dr. Tallamy. He will discuss why and how you can change your yard into a natural landscape full of the web of life. Dr. Tallamy’s latest book is appropriately entitled “How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard”. Help him help us learn how to make our yards more nature friendly by attending his presentation on the morning of March 21 at the Captain Anderson’s Event Center, close to Captain Anderson’s Restaurant. Exact details later.

We thank Sweetbay Chapter Florida Native Plant Society in Panama City and Sandhills Native Nursery in Fountain for assisting with bringing Dr. Tallamy’s message to our locale.

Scott Rashid, Saturday March 28, FSU PC Holley Center
Scott Rashid is a bird, mainly owls, expert: an ornithologist. Scott has spent over 30 years working as a researcher, state and federal licensed bird bander (approaching 20,000 bandings), licensed bird rehabilitator, lecturer, educator, and author of 7 books primarily about species of owls and other birds, such as the American Kestrel and Northern Goshawk. He will also exhibit his incredible watercolor nature artwork while here. In 2011 Scott established and is the director of the non-profit Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute (CARRI), located in Estes Park. See www.carriep.org. For 26 years Scott has conducted banding classes at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, catching over 15,000 birds with the standard mist nets and banding them, with audience participation.

In early 2025, Scott was awarded the Champion of Owls Award by the International Owl Center and inducted into its World Owl Hall of Fame. Scott knows Owls! During his week here, Scott will present programs in schools and meet with home schooled children and parents, sharing his love of nature and Owls.
 
At the FSU Holley Center in the evening of March 28th, Scott will present a multi-media compilation of his formidable knowledge of owls and other birds from three decades of field work, with videos, photos, anecdotes and owl box camera images. Exact details later. Ticket information and schedule of events for both Programs will be available soon on our website: (baycountyaudubon.org).