Sams House at Pine Island offers numerous educational opportunities for naturalist interests.  The following article is an excerpt from Brevard County Parks and Recreation for upcoming events planned in October.  Space Coast visitors and residents alike should try to take advantage of one or more of these unique learning experiences.

October is 'Fossil Month' at Sams House at Pine Island

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – The Sams House at Pine Island will offer a variety of free activities throughout October as part of “Fossil Month."

• Ice Age Hike, 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 6: Enjoy a two-mile guided hike along one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the county. Hikers must be prepared for uneven terrain. Discover where Ice Age fossils were found and discuss what Florida was like 20,000 years ago.
• Owl Prowl, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, Oct. 12: Back by popular demand. Join the search for resident barred owls and other creatures of the night along the 1/2-mile hammock loop trail. Limited to 20 participants. Reservations required. Call Katrina at (321) 432-3231 or email katrina.morrell@brevardparks.com.
• Fossil Fish, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 13: Sturgeons have changed little over the past 200 million years. Mike Randall with the U.S. Geological Survey will discuss the biology of these unique fish and how Native Americans, pioneers, and commercial fisheries have historically exploited them.
• Florida Fossils Display, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 13: Central Florida Fossils owner David Celli will set up a display of Florida fossils spanning the past 10 million years.
• From Ice Age Megafauna to Ancient Peoples of Pine Island, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20: Mastodons and giant ground sloths once called Pine Island home. See a presentation on these Ice Age megafauna and then take a short walk to the Indian Burial mound on site where we’ll discuss the ancient people who lived here.
• Appalachian Trails and Tales, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27: Rex and Colleen Derin will share their gear and many humorous stories from their adventures hiking the Appalachian Trail. Don't miss the return of this fantastic presentation.

The Sams House at Pine Island is owned and managed by the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program.  It is located at 6195 North Tropical Trail in Merritt Island, a half-mile west of State Road 3. The Center is open Thursdays to Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours of the cabin and the adjacent 1888 home are offered every Thursday at 3 p.m. For more information, call (321) 449-4720.