What’s Happening?

To celebrate Latino Conservation Week, HEAL Utah and our partners have teamed up for our second annual Gear Swap Festival at Uinta Brewery in Glendale. This is a free event providing fun and education on conservation and outdoor recreation with nonprofit organizations and businesses dedicated to the outdoors and sustainability. Learn new skills, get informed, and participate in a free gear swap.

Bring all your old outdoor gear and clothing for a free (yes, free!) gear swap! This gear swap gives a second life to items that take up room and ultimately may end up in the trash. By recycling and handing down your old and unused gear, you are giving someone the opportunity to have access to some gear they may have never been able to afford.

There will also be tabling from outdoor businesses and nonprofits, information about outdoor recreation and conservation, food trucks, and great vibes! Learn more about Latino Conservation Week here.

What: Latino Conservation Week Gear Swap

When: Saturday, July 16, 2022

Where: Uinta Brewing

1722 South Fremont Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84104

¡Acompáñanos a celebrar en el Patterson Park durante la Semana Nacional de la Conservación Latina 2022!
Evento Bilingüe y gratis (todos son bienvenidos)
-Explorando el Patterson Park-

• Sábado 16 de Julio
  9:00 AM- 1:00 PM
• Enseguida de la Torre de Observación
  (anteriormente conocida como la pagoda)

|Descubramos la magia de las aves y de la naturaleza en nuestro parque de Baltimore|

• Observación y anillamiento de Aves
• Actividades para toda la familia
• Paletas gratis para las primeras 50 personas

Para mas informacion: https://fb.me/e/2sOlnuBfd

Para confirmar su participation: https://forms.gle/8XcKq36x3hsuvKb99

Join Virginia Ansaldi, Shley Suarez-Burgos, and local herpetologist, Sean Liz, as they take you on a guided hunt for invasive pythons through the Everglades.

This event is for participants 18 years and older.

Space is limited. Participants will be chosen in by lottery system. Register to enter: https://forms.gle/DjA8TKjN1Rcgxscv7

Learn about water safety with the park's Student Conservation Association bilingual interns and park rangers. Learn what to do if you get caught in a rip current and other beach safety tips to make sure you and your family are safe in the water. Water safety games and activities available plus prizes.

MISS (Minorities In Shark Sciences; misselasmo.org) invites you to celebrate Latino Conservation Week at SharkCon!

Find the MISS booth on July 16th & July 17th to learn more about sharks, with some activities offered in Spanish.

Please also join us on Sunday July 17th at noon to hear one of this year's guest speaker and MISS member Dr. Camila Cáceres talk about her shark research, talk will be offered both in English and Spanish.

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