About Latino Conservation Week

Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF). Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources.

During this week, community, non-profit, faith-based, and government organizations and agencies hold events throughout the country. From hiking and camping to community roundtables and film screenings, these activities promote conservation efforts in their community, and provide an opportunity for Latinos to show their support for permanently protecting our land, water, and air.

This experience is facilitated by Outdoor Connections USA and the Virginia Key Outdoor Center. It is funded by the Hispanic Access Foundation. Thank you for all the sponsors and facilitators for making this possible!

About This Tour

Meet us on the water to connect and uncover what nature has for you here at Virginia Key!

Learn about the ecological and historical significance of the island on this 2-hour kayak and paddleboard Eco excursion. During our tour, participants will have the opportunity to encounter wildlife such as Herons, Egrets, Osprey, Manatees, Pelicans and Dolphins.

We launch from our tranquil lagoon. Guests will participate in an interpretive Eco Tour and learn about the history and ecology of Virginia Key.

Depending the conditions, guests will have the choice to snorkel at a rock piling where we have seen Sea Turtles, Lion Fish, and other sea life! If that spot is unavailable, participants can expect to snorkel around the grass bed and jetties. We have seen rays, different kinds of fish, eels, and sea turtles.

Participants MUST be 8 years old or older to participate. All Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

How To RSVP

This tour is 100% Free. Spots are VERY limited. You must RSVP by visiting: www.vkoc.net/lcw2022

Time And Place:

Meet at Virginia Key Outdoor Center, 3801 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149.

Please arrive at least 20-minutes before your event start time. Late arrivals are non-refundable.

Tour Includes

• FREE parking for registered participants in the VKOC lot! Normally $8 at the Gate.
• Guided Tour
• Snorkel & Goggles
• Kayak or Paddle Board + Safety Equipment
• Souvenir photos (shared electronically)
• Private bathrooms and outdoor showers
• Parking in the VKOC lot
• Fun is FREE if you let it happen

Is This Tour Suitable for Beginners?

This paddle is suitable for experienced beginners. Conditions will determine the length and final route. Not recommended for first-time paddleboarding or kayaking. We will paddle at a leisurely pace.

A brief introduction to kayaking and paddle-boarding is given before departure. Participants must be comfortable with water.

This experience is a challenge by choice, meaning you are not required to get into the water to snorkel. It would be fun if you do though :-) We will be snorkeling in maximum 5-6 feet of water (if high tide)

Lily Marie Antonini (Lil-E) is a bilingual singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and pianist whose vocal range goes from tenor all the way to high soprano. She has performed at Berklee many times as a student, with up to 20 instrumentalists by her side. Antonini has produced albums and EPs of pop, dance, Latin, jazz, disco, religious, and a cappella music, which can be found on streaming platforms such as Spotify and iTunes.

July 18, 2022 (Mon.)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join us for a convening of local organizations hosted at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In this half-day event, enjoy an educational and relationship-centered agenda featuring:

• Connecting and relationship-building with other local organizations.
• Discovering synergies for how we can help celebrate Latinx leaders in our community and provide outdoor access to more groups. 
• Experiencing a blended-language sea otter feeding.
• Touring our new exhibit Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean (En lo Profundo: Explorando Nuestro Océano Desconocido).

No cost to participate, however, each participant is responsible for transportation; street parking is available. Lunch will be catered and served at the Aquarium. 

Who should apply

We are looking for representatives of local organizations to join us in this convening. Organizations that are an immediate fit are:

• Located in Monterey, Santa Cruz, or San Benito counties. 
• Focused on removing barriers or creating access for the Latinx community to outdoor spaces.
• Working to engage or celebrate stewardship and conservation efforts of the Latinx community.

How to apply

Space is limited! As such, attendance is limited to selected participants. To apply to participate, apply using the link below by July 1, 2022. This event is in-person only; there will not be the option to participate online. Please submit one application per organization.

Apply now at www.montereybayaquarium.org/communityconveningapply   

Join Virginia Ansaldi, Shley Suarez-Burgos, and native plant landscaper, Jean Sarmiento, as they take you on a guided kid-and-pet-friendly walk through The Underline. Learn about native plant species and best practices to support native pollinators, and receive your own native seed bomb kit to make at home! 

Free with RSVP: https://forms.gle/9kkU6n8jLD8nWzAK9

Never have visited the wetlands? This will be an excellent opportunity to dedicate and enjoy time in nature with your loved ones. Bring your family and join us on this day for a nature guided walk where you will learn about the wildlife that live in this ecosystem, as well as the native plants that are naturally flourishing this summer.  Participants will learn about Watsonville’s trail system that surrounds the wetlands and how to protect them. Families will receive a gift bag with items  to help them reduce the use of single-use plastics as part of Watsonville’s July Plastic- Free campaign!  

To join the event and for more information contact Nancy Porto at (831) 726-3161 or email nancy.porto@gmail.com

On Sunday July 24th we are planning to take the entire Church families, Children and Youth to a local Regional Park called Yucaipa Regional Park. Our hope is to be able to highlight the important of local, regional, state and National Park access for all. During this outing during Latino Conservation Week 2022 we plan to showcase why local spaces are important for physical health as we exercise, hike, walk, bike, swim, play sports and so much more. It is also important for Mental health as we utilize these spaces we get away from our normal routines, meditation, and reflection. We are showing local residents and members of our church that they should have and enjoy access to these spaces. and enjoy open spaces for everyone to enjoy. 

You are invited to join us for our monthly bird banding program at the GCBO headquarters in Lake Jackson on the third Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Licensed bird banders and GCBO Research Associates Robert and Kay Lookingbill  band at the sanctuary on a regular basis. Birds are captured for banding in very fine nylon nets known as “mist nets” because they are almost invisible in the environment. Captured birds are weighed and measured and their species, sex, and age are recorded. Each is fitted with an aluminum leg band with a unique number provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and released unharmed. If the bird is captured again, the band provides the link to retrieve this history, which then provides important information on the routes used by migrating birds, their longevity, and general physical condition.

The purpose of the project is to establish baseline data for the GCBO property on both resident and migratory bird populations. About half of the 34-acre headquarters tract is old growth Columbia Bottomland hardwood forest. The remaining acreage is partially cleared woodland with the larger trees remaining, the new constructed wetland, and the edges of Buffalo Camp Bayou. Banding will allow us to obtain information about the physical condition of migrants at this intermediate location between the coast and the bottomland forests lying well inland. Both coastal woodlots and inland bottomland forests are known to be extremely important stopover habitats for nearctic-neotropical migrants that move through the Gulf of Mexico region. Birds that are captured for banding can provide valuable information about their relative physical condition. Fat deposits, which provide the fuel necessary for the arduous undertaking of the twice annual travel of hundreds to thousands of miles, can be estimated by examining handheld birds. Recently arrived migrants generally exhibit little or no fat, as their fuel “tank” is depleted by the long flights they have just finished. The importance of stopover habitat to migrants is that it provides them with both shelter and a source of rapid replenishment of the fat reserves necessary to continue migration. In addition, bird banding is an excellent form of public outreach and education.

Along with providing valuable data for conservation, banding is also a great way for the public to see birds up close! Come by to watch the banding process, learn about the birds, and get outside!

We invite community members and families to join us in celebrating Latino Conservation Week with Latinos in Tech of WA, Techqueria Seattle Chapter Members, Latino Community Fund of WA, and EarthCorps. Come and join us for a fun outdoor picnic and potluck. Enjoy activities and games while also learning about outdoor and environmental organizations and Latinx resources in Washington. 

We’re thrilled to join Latino Outdoors, the Hispanic Access Foundation and others as we kick off Latino Conservation Week 2021! LCW is an annual initiative of the Hispanic Access Foundation showcasing outdoor engagement and conservation advocacy by Latino communities.

Learn more about the week and find a virtual event at latinoconservationweek.com #LCW2021

We recommend you bring the following:

- Blanket to sit on the ground or a lawn chair

- Sunscreen 

- Comfortable shoes and a hat 

- Reusable Water bottle 

*You can bring your pet. 

Please, bring a mask if you are not covid vaccinated or partially vaccinated. For specific guidance about when & where to wear your mask, visit doh.wa.gov/masks

----------

Invitamos a los miembros de la comunidad y las familias a unirse a nosotros para celebrar la Semana de la Conservación Latina con Latinos en Tecnología  de WA, miembros del Capítulo de Techqueria en Seattle, Latino Community Fund of WA y EarthCorps. Ven y únete a nosotros para un divertido picnic al aire libre y compartir comida. Disfrute de actividades y juegos mientras aprende sobre organizaciones ambientales y al aire libre y recursos latinx en Washington.

¡Estamos encantados de unirnos a Latino Outdoors, la Hispanic Access Foundation y otros en el inicio de la Semana de la Conservación Latina 2021! LCW es una iniciativa anual de la Hispanic Access Foundation que muestra el compromiso al aire libre y la defensa de la conservación por parte de las comunidades latinas.

Obtenga más información sobre la semana y encuentre un evento virtual en  latinoconservationweek.com #LCW2021

Te recomendamos traer lo siguiente:

- Manta para sentarse en el suelo o silla de jardín

- Bloqueador solar

- Zapatos cómodos y sombrero.

- Botella de agua reutilizable

* Puedes traer a tu mascota.

Por favor, traiga una máscara si no está vacunado por covid o parcialmente vacunado. Para obtener orientación específica sobre cuándo y dónde usar su máscara, visite doh.wa.gov/masks

Este Sábado 24 de Julio a las 8:00 am, tendremos un tiempo familiar en el Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge en Alamo, Texas.

Incluirá enseñanzas de la vida animal y forestal guiadas por Thamara S. Hernandez, Urban Park Ranger del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre, de los Estados Unidos.

Se formarán equipos para recoger basura, recorrer diferentes partes del refugio, asi como visitar un puente colgante elevando y una torre. Habrá una enseñanza por grupos para compartir el libro de HAF "Cuidando nuestro planeta.", y para  compartir la importancia de unirnos en proyectos de conservavión e iniciativas de ley para conservar la tierra.

Tendremos el Lunch juntos para intercambiar experiencias en este día familiar.

Agradecemos a Hispanic Access Foundation por todo su gran apoyo para celebrar Latino Conservation Week en el Valle del Rio Grande de Texas.