Citrus: Nature notes

Nature notes

By Times staff writer

HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION: The Citrus County landfill will accept household hazardous waste from noon to 4 p.m. on Jan. 11. Citrus County residents may bring up to 50 pounds of chemicals for disposal, free of charge. These include pesticides, household cleaners, solvents, pool chemicals, paint, aerosol cans and gasoline. Residents may dispose the following materials at the landfill at any time free of charge: used motor oil or antifreeze (five gallons maximum); fluorescent bulbs and batteries. Call 746-5000.

BOATING SAFETY: A boating safety and seamanship class will be from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Jan. 16. The class will at St. Martins Preserve, at the end of State Park Street, Crystal River. Topics include legal requirements for boats, boat handling and trailering, navigation and basic radio procedures. Course is free, but there is a charge for textbook and course materials. Call Al Alborano, 637-7293.

BOATING CLASS: A 14-session boating class will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays from Jan. 8 to Feb. 23 (final class will be on a Friday) in the community room of the Lecanto campus of Central Florida Community College, County Road 491 S. Class taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Cost is $5. Call 746-6721.

RUN AND FUN WALK: The fifth annual Run and Fun Walk is Feb. 17 at Chinsegut Nature Center, located about 7 miles north of Brooksville. Late registration begins at 7:30 a.m. A 5K run starts at 8:30 and a one-mile fun walk starts five minutes later. Entry fees are $10 for the 5K and $6 for the walk. Make checks payable to Wildlife Foundations of Florida, and mail to Chinsegut Nature Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, Brooksville, 34601. Call (352) 754-6722.

POTATO DAY: A cleanup of the invasive exotic plant air potato will be from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 27 at Chinsegut Nature Center, located about 7 miles north of Brooksville on U.S. 41 and County Road 476. Bring gloves and a sack lunch. Call (352) 754-6722.

ANIMAL TRACKS: Join Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist Jason Burton as he checks for animal tracks in Big Pine Tract forest at Chinsegut Nature Center. He will also have animal scent stations to examine. Meet at Big Pine Tract on Old Crystal River Road, just north of Brooksville. Chinsegut Nature Center is located about 7 miles north of Brooksville on U.S. 41 and County Road 476. Call (352) 754-6722.

BUTTONWOOD BONSAI CLUB: The club meets at 9:30 a.m. the third Friday of every month from September through June at First Presbyterian Church, 1501 U.S. 19 S, Crystal River. The club also holds a non-formatted meeting at Hobson's Herbs 131 NE Crystal St., Crystal River, at 9:30 a.m. the last Saturday of every month.

ASK A MASTER: A Master Gardener will be available to answer plant questions from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Coastal Region Library, 8619 W Crystal St., Crystal River. The program is held in the community room and there is no charge. Call 795-3716.

POWER SQUADRON: The Crystal River Power Squadron meets the second Tuesday of every month except July and August. For information on boating safety classes, call Jim Barker at 795-1026 or for membership call Barbara Kane at 726-2476. GARDEN CLUB OF CRYSTAL RIVER: Meets at 1 p.m. the second Monday of each month at Seven Rivers Golf and Country Club, Crystal River. Call June Mantey 795-0909.

RAILS TO TRAILS: General membership meetings are at 7 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the Lakes Region Library, Inverness. To get on the agenda, call Janice McCann at 637-3744. Rails to Trails is a support group for the Rails to Trails State Park.

SHOOTING CLUB: The Citrus County Shooting Club meets from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Kane's Ace Hardware shooting range on U.S. 19 in Homosassa. Call Don Hills, 746-0851, or Don Cook, 527-1598.

PLANT CLINIC: The Lakes Region Library on Druid Street, Inverness, has plant clinics from 2 to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Master gardeners from the Citrus County Extension Office are on hand to answer questions about plants and gardening.

MEET THE BEETLES: A discussion of the Southern pine beetle will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 9 at Chinsegut Nature Center, located about 7 miles north of Brooksville on U.S. 41 and County Road 476. Call (352) 754-6722. Hernando County forester Anthony Petellat will discuss management techniques for the pine beetle.

- Nature Notes is published every Tuesday in the Citrus Times. To submit an article, e-mail it to sanchez@sptimes.com, fax it to 860-7320 or mail it to 301 W Main St., Inverness, FL 34450.