Join UF Gulf Scholars and GatorCorps to assist with hurricane recovery at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Randell Research Center in Pine Island, Florida.

We’re inviting Gulf Scholars to join GatorCorps at the Florida Museum of Natural History Randell Research Center on Pine Island in southwest Florida to assist with post-hurricane recovery. The center includes the Pineland Archaeological Site Complex, a Calusa village for over 1500 years that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This trip offers you a chance to volunteer, learn, and network at a site of archaeological and environmental importance. We have limited spots available. Travel, lodging and some meals will be covered for students selected to participate.

During this trip you will:

• Assist with post-hurricane recovery

Pine Island was severely impacted by hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton , and the area is still in the recovery phase. You’ll contribute to the recovery efforts through manual labor, helping the Randell Research Center restore its environmentally, archaeologically, and community significant resources.

• Learn and explore

The Randell Research Center contains archaeologically significant areas like Brown’s Mound, Randell Mound, the Grand Canal, and the Calusa Heritage Trail. In addition to volunteering, you’ll hear from experts about the site’s rich history and ecology as well as heritage resilience and community response. This is a chance to explore one of Florida’s key cultural and natural treasures!

Date and Time

November 22-25, 2024.

We will be departing UF at 3 PM on Friday, November 22, and returning around 6 PM on Monday, November 25.