Florida Youth Outdoor Experience is Fun and Free
Children of all ages and their families are invited to the second annual Florida Youth Outdoor Experience on Saturday, May 12, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at theOcalaConservationCenterin the Ocala National Forest.
The event is free and includes a chance to try shooting a shotgun, rifle and bow and arrow, as well as fishing, canoeing, kayaking and more – all with expert instruction.
The United Waterfowlers – Florida, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), are partnering to present this hands-on program.
“Our goal is to give families a better appreciation of the many fun, safe and healthy outdoor recreational activities and opportunities available,” said Greg Workman, director of the FWC’s Ocala Conservation Center and event co-organizer.
In addition to many hands-on activities, demonstrations and seminars, everyone will be served lunch, also for free.
“The Youth Outdoor Experience is a great chance for kids of all ages, and their parents, to come out to a beautiful setting in the forest and learn several outdoor activities under the watchful eyes of experts,” Workman said.
For more information on the second annual Florida Youth Outdoor Experience, call Workman at the FWC Ocala Conservation Camp, 352-625-2804.
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission came into existence on July 1, 1999 - the result of a constitutional amendment approved in the 1998 General Election as part of the package proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission.
In the implementation of the Constitutional Amendment, the Florida Legislature combined all of the staff and Commissioners of the former Marine Fisheries Commission, elements of the Divisions of Marine Resources and Law Enforcement of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and all of the employees and Commissioners of the former Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.
Five years later, after consulting stakeholders, employees and other interested parties, the FWC adopted a new internal structure to address complex conservation issues of the new century. The new structure focuses on programs, such as habitat management, that affect numerous species. It will focus on moving the decision-making process closer to the public and did not require any additional funding or additional positions.
