Visitors to the Anne Kolb Nature Center this weekend can walk away with a greater understanding of plants, snails and crabs.
Two hikes — Shells and Claws on Saturday and Plants of the Anne Kolb Nature Center on Sunday — have been designed to let people get in touch with nature and have a closer look at the center’s surroundings, naturalist Joanne Howes said.
“It’s a wonderful area,” Howes said. “We have a vital nursery for wildlife and fish, and some very interesting plants.”
Each hourlong hike will be led by one of the three naturalists at the center, 751 Sheridan St., Hollywood. Cost is $3 a person, per walk.
The Shells and Claws Hike, starting at 1 p.m., will showcase critters in their native habitats.
Visitors may see blue claw crabs, fiddler crabs, mangrove tree crabs, giant land crabs, Marsh Periwinkles snails and coffee bean snails, which sit in the swamp mud at low tide or cling to the base of trees, Howes said.
They also will find out the roles crabs and snails play in the preserve’s mangrove swamp ecosystem. “A lot of them are a source of food for other animals,” she said. “They’re important to the food chain.”
The Plants of the Anne Kolb Nature Center Hike, set for 11 a.m. the next day, will feature native flowers, trees and shrubs growing on the grounds around the nature center’s exhibition hall, Howes said.
“We’re going to share some of the wonderful native plants we have here,” she said.
These include the gumbo limbo tree and beach sunflowers. A naturalist will explain how each of the flowers, trees and shrubs attract different insects and wildlife, she said.
The two hikes this weekend are among the many various themed walks that staffers conduct year-round, usually several times a month. Depending on the season, a single nature walk can attract up to 25 participants, Howes said.
The hikes are open to visitors of all ages. Howes suggested bringing along bug spray, bottled water and a hat.
IF YOU GO
What: Two hikes
When: Shells and Claws 1-2 p.m. Saturday; Plants of the Anne Kolb Nature Center 11 a.m.-noon Sunday
Where: Anne Kolb Nature Center, 751 Sheridan St., Hollywood
Cost: $3 a person, per hike
Call: 954-926-2480
