2022 CWP Conference – Field Trip 4

Trip 3. Weeden Island Preserve Hiking Tour
The tour will begin with a 15-minute introductory video describing the history of the Preserve’s establishment, the natural resources protected by the Preserve, and the important cultural resources of the Preserve associated with its occupancy by Native American for over 5,000 years.
We will then tour the gallery of the Cultural and Natural Resource Center, beginning with an 1,100 year-old canoe found buried at the Preserve. The gallery provides exhibits about the natural resources found at the Preserve, exhibits about the everyday lives of the Native Americans who occupied the site, exhibits about early archaeological research conducted at the site, and examples of cultural resources that have been collected at the Preserve.
The tour will conclude with a guided walking tour of the some of the boardwalks and trails of the Preserve. A discussion of the unique biology of the extensive mangrove forest that covers most of the Preserve will be provided, along with a discussion of how the Native Americans used the resources of the site in centuries past. Hopefully we will also see examples of the numerous species of waterbirds found at the Preserve. The hike will cover approximately 2 miles, time permitting.