GULF BREEZE — The National Park Service will celebrate World Oceans Day on Saturday, June 8. The national seashore will host special programming and offer a free plastic bag exchange at the Fort Pickens Area. World Oceans Day has been coordinated by The Ocean Project since 2002 to highlight actions directed toward healthier oceans.
Park programs on June 8 will include: junior ranger snorkeling programs at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at the Battery Worth Picnic Area, a family friendly beach walk at 10:30 a.m. starting at the Fort Pickens Bookstore, and Creature Feature, an educational program centered around inhabitants of the ocean at 3:30 p.m. at the Fort Pickens Bookstore.
In addition to park programs, the park will host a plastic bag swap. Plastic bags impact oceans and sea life, especially sea turtles who mistake them for food. Individuals can trade in clean plastic bags, in bundles of five or more, for a free reusable tote bag at the Fort Pickens Discovery Center from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last. Plastic bags collected will be taken to an appropriate recycling facility.
All programs are free and open to the public. Programs can change or be cancelled without warning, particularly due to weather. There is an entrance fee for the Fort Pickens Area.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: World Oceans Day at Gulf Islands National Seashore