PORT ST. LUCIE - The Oxbow Eco-Center, St. Lucie County's environmental learning center, has several events scheduled for the month of February for people of all ages, including birding classes, guided hikes, lectures on "Living Green" and more.

· The Oxbow's "Wake-Up Lecture Series" presents "Creating Sustainable Communities" with Dr. Mark Hostetler on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. Dr. Hostetler with the University of Florida's Office of Sustainability will give a presentation on whole-community design that utilizes low-impact concepts and engages residents in living more simply. The event is free, but reservations are required as space is limited.

· A Volunteer Brown Bag Lunch will be held Tuesday, Feb. 6 at noon. Love the natural world? Want to learn more and share your knowledge with others? Join like-minded folks in giving back to your community. Become part of the Oxbow Family and attend our Volunteer Brown Bag Lunch. Join us at noon for the opportunity to learn a little, meet some new friends and find out the latest happenings at the Oxbow! Lunch will be followed by an educational presentation by one of the staff. Invite a special friend or neighbor, but please RSVP.

· The Oxbow staff and the St. Lucie Audubon Society will offer "Birding for Beginners" through a three-part series Feb. 20, 27 and March 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per person. Field trips will be held each Saturday following the class.

· "Indian River Lagoon Listening Session" Thursday, Feb. 22 from 6 - 8 p.m. Come share your opinions at the Oxbow Eco-Center. Some of the objectives of this meeting include: Understanding the public's values, goals and knowledge of Indian River Lagoon-related issues, increase recognition of the Lagoon as an Estuary of National Significance and more. For more information, call Kathy Hill at (321) 984-4950 or e-mail khill@siwmd.com.

· The Oxbow staff continues to offer guided hikes every Saturday at 10 a.m. Join an Oxbow naturalist as they lead visitors along a series of trials, discussing the plants and wildlife that live in the different habitats along the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.

Additionally, several club meetings and programs are also held at the Oxbow Eco-Center:

· The St. Lucie Audubon Society will meet Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. with Larry and Holly Tetzolff presenting: "An African Journey."

· The Photography Club will hold its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. All photographers, from novices to experts, are encouraged to attend. Field trips take place the following Saturday.

· The Florida Native Plant Society (Lakela's Mint Chapter) will hold its monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13 beginning at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m. Bob Bergen will presents: "The Magical Power of Estuaries."

· St. Lucie Regional Herp Society will hold it monthly meeting Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Guests are encouraged to attend and learn more about snakes, lizards, frogs and other reptiles.

Please note the following events have already reached maximum capacity for registered attendees: the Oxbow's "Nature at Night" program on Feb. 2 featuring Fabulous Frogs and other amphibians and reptiles; the Nature for Families program on Feb. 10 featuring paper-making; and the St. Lucie River Canoe/Kayak Tour on Feb. 17.

For more information about all Oxbow Eco-Center events call the staff at (772) 785-5833 or visit www.stlucieco.gov/erd/oxbow. Situated on a 220-acre preserve on the North Folk of the St. Lucie River, the Oxbow offers a rare glimpse of "the real Florida" with nature trails, boardwalks, observation towers and an interactive environmental learning center. Located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive, Port St. Lucie (across from the Publix Shopping Center), the Oxbow's trails are open from dawn until dusk, while the education center is open Tuesday through Friday 1-5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 5 p.m.

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