Giving back to the community

Volunteerism is so important in so many ways. 

First, it helps someone else, which in turn, is rewarding on its own. 

But even better are the really great people that you'll meet.

(Setting up at 8am for the Taste of the Tropics)

I recently volunteered at the Taste of the Tropics event sponsored by the Master Gardeners of the Stuart Garden Club. Interestingly, there are by-laws that prohibit the Garden Clubs from showing any political affiliation, but we (the group I represented) were the exception to the rule. Quite honestly, I never considered myself a political person, but I was asked to represent Florida's Water and Land Legacy, an environmental cause I absolutely support.
http://floridawaterlandlegacy.org.

(All ready to collect signatures for Florida's Water and Land Legacy)

Many members of the Garden Club were the first to sign the petition to put an amendment on Florida's  constitution to dedicate a portion of the state's budget (less than 1%) to environmental conservation and preservation. Although funds had been dedicated to the environment in the past through Florida Forever, the funds have not been put toward it in a very long time, and the state's natural resources are suffering.

(Wekiva Springs, Apopka, FL)

Wekiva Springs used to be as blue and beautiful and the crystal clear waters where the Mermaids swim in the Weeki Wachee. Sadly, pollution caused algae and the water turned green and unhealthy.

(Thanks @Facebook.com/Weeki Wachee)

Florida's natural resources are her greatest assets. Have comfort in knowing that there are people who are actively looking out for the environment, but if you love nature, make sure you speak up for it, too, because if there are a lot more people like us, we can make a difference.

Be the change.

Quiet Dignity

 You never know when a life experience will become a humbling one.
For me, each job site offers a new adventure and no day is ever the same.
Each site offers something different, whether it's coastal,
upland, wetland or somewhere in between,
and that's what I love about being out in the environment.

(Nature Love - Thanks to Facebook.com)

The former marina area needed a seagrass survey. The site was on the edge of a fairly poor area of Miami, and I had the usual concerns about personal safety. The two men I was working with were in the water identifying the grasses, while I took notes and marked the site map with the seagrass species and locations. I thought that I had the easier job on land because it had dipped below 40 degrees that morning, and the air was chilly. I really did not want to have to go snorkeling on such a cold day if I could avoid it. I got lucky on this one.

That thought quickly escaped my mind when I saw two very large dogs, a Rottweiler and a German Shepherd, baring their teeth at the North side of the perimeter fence, and the clothes of a homeless person hanging at the South side of the property. I had to go in both directions alone, and wondered which was worse - the growling dogs, or the unknown homeless person. With a baggie of wheat thins in my hand in case I needed a distraction, I carefully walked toward the guard dogs and started taking site notes. To my relief, the dogs' owners had seen us working and took them inside.

 Moving South was going to be even more interesting. As I approached the bridge, I noticed two pairs of pants had been hanging out to dry on the far perimeter fence, along with a blanket. Underneath the bridge, up where it met the road, tucked under the bridge, was a makeshift bed - but there was no one in it. There was a garbage can with a plastic liner just outside the broken gate that led under the bridge. The area was fairly tidy for a bridge easement.

We were standing at the sea wall next to the bridge as we finished up the study. We were reviewing the map, and comparing the data, when an older man with gray hair coasted down the hill toward the water on a beach cruiser bike. He locked the bike to the fence, and unpacked his fishing gear. He settled in under the bridge, and dropped a line in the water, wiggling it every now and then. He looked over and sized us up with one glance. He nodded with approval when we told him where the fish were swimming under the bridge. This was obviously his home. Everything he cared about was on his bike, or under the bridge. He traveled light.

(Smiling Pansies. Thanks @amazing things in the world)

He didn't say much, but what he did say was a pleasant surprise of quiet dignity.
 He welcomed us into his home, looked at us and said,
"What a beautiful day. What a beautiful day to be fishing, I feel blessed."
That was it, but for me, it was enough for me to forget my own problems
and to remember what is truly important.
Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
Cherish it.

Creativity in Nature

Creativity in nature comes in so many different shapes, sizes and colors. 

Sometimes it appears in the most unusual places.

Whether it develops from a cutting, or finds a way to grow around something, 

it has a way of adapting to survive.

(Thanks to Lilly S., one of my favorite former students, and Facebook.com for the photo and story)

Left by a soldier who went to war in 1914 and never returned, 

the tree continued to grow and the bike became part of it.

Adaptability comes in many forms, but sometimes it just comes naturally- 

leading me to believe that Mother Nature has quite a sense of humor.

(Special thanks to Science is Awesome)

Psychotria elata, also known as the Hot Lips plant, 

is a real plant guaranteed to make anyone smile. 

Beware! 

The little ant battalion formed to survived the flooding waters 

of Tropical Storm Isaac has a mighty bite. 

The almost perfect circle of red ants navigate toward higher ground for survival. 

(Thanks @ Julie Garberg)

Some of the most beautiful things are the simplest things, 

like sunrise on the beach during a morning run.

And some of the littlest things are the sweetest.

Munching on a peanut while checking out the surroundings, 

the squirrel became a regular visitor to a vacationing friend. 

Sometimes the squirrel brought a friend and shared the peanut. 

Nature is awesome like that.

(Thanks @ Amazing things in the world)

Marked for life.

The flower-nosed cat. 

Mother Nature strikes again!

Sandhill Cranes enjoying a beautiful, 

sunny day have no problems sharing the bike trail. 

Nature is cool like that. 

When we create an area with sustainability in mind, it benefits nature. 

This site at one time had been a dump. 

The builder purchased the site and incorporated wetlands with passive recreation for the residents. 

Whether it occurs naturally, or we create it by happenstance, 

creativity in nature reminds me of a few basic concepts. 

Maintain simplicity in design, plan for the future through sustainability, 

and always keep a good sense of humor.

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, 

under whose shade you do not expect to sit.

                                                                                   - Nelson Henderson

The Crying Indian

Preaching to the choir is a term that I hate to hear because it becomes many people's excuse to do nothing. I've heard it a lot in the environmental realm, but I choose to ignore it. If I'm preaching to the choir, then the choir has to sing louder because it seems like no one is listening. Think I'll change the tempo too, and put some fire under it to get people to do some moving and shaking.

It's time to stand our ground and get angry about the neglect of Florida's springs, rivers and natural resources. Tourism generates billions of dollars annually because of the natural beauty of the beaches and waterways that we all love, but it's more than that. Nature here is unique and we need to stop disrespecting it by allowing continued dumping of cancer-causing wastewater into the rivers; we need to preserve the spring heads by better regulating consumptive water use permits; and we need to protect our uplands and wetlands subject to mitigation banking by allowing ONLY 'like for like' wetland swaps for FDOT purposes, as originally intended. If the Indian from the memorable 70's commercial were paddling his canoe down Rice Creek, he'd be crying, and then probably die from some type of horrific form of cancer from exposure to dioxin. The crying Indian paddling down a river polluted with trash left a lasting impression on me as a child and I never forgot the message. Be a good steward of the environment and don't pollute. But after writing story after story about Florida's environment and natural areas, that's how I feel, like the crying Indian - and I know I'm not alone. My choir is every environmentalist in Florida, and we're all singing the blues.

Nature reminds us that we are not alone.

Maybe some people are so far removed from nature that they forget how grounded it can make you feel, or how minute, especially when an 8 foot wave is towering over you, ready to roll you to the bottom of the sea in an undertow, simply to remind you how awesome nature really is and how insignificant we can be in comparison. Yet, nature still tolerates us - to a point.

We are also reminded that nature is so much bigger than us, 

and she can be a good girl gone bad when she wants to be.

(Ch. 5/Fox 29 Weather-WPB, FL)

Born and raised on the Jersey shore, it was awful to see the destruction of my hometown beach of Sea Bright, and even worse to watch my friends and neighbors suffer without the basic necessities that many take for granted. 

Living in a coastal town in Florida, we've experienced quite a few hurricanes, but nothing ever prepares you emotionally for the days and weeks of clean up after the storm. Amazingly, it is through times like these that some of the most incredible things happen. We grow, we learn to take care of each other better, we love more, and criticize less. We become better, more human. We are stripped out of our normal routine and forced to face acts of nature, whether we want to or not. 

Nature humbles us and forces us to pay attention.
It reminds us of what is truly important.

We learn to appreciate people again, and not stuff. It teaches us to take a look at the bigger picture and our environment around us, because it is so much bigger than us. We are not alone and we need to remember that. We need to take care of each other, and our environment.

It's time to pick up the tempo, start banging the drums, and make some noise. 

Can't we all just get along?

Animals communicate directly and do not leave anything for the imagination like humans, that's why I love nature. No second guessing. While maintaining a wetland, I stepped into this crab's territory, and he let me know it.  As far as he was concerned, I didn't belong. He gave me 'the claw', which I totally understood, and left. His boundaries were clearly outlined. I respected that.

Sometime boundaries are easily defined, and other times we move and redefine the lines to adapt to the environment. 

Often times we don't realize just how interdependent our environment is, or how one small disruption in the system can affect everybody.

The most successful systems have learned to adapt as the environment changes.

Using aquatic plants to improve water quality benefits the environment because it uses existing natural resources and provides habitat to numerous species, benefiting all. Nature is perfect like that.

Whether flying the coop, or outstanding in the field, animals have learned how to just 'be'.

A simple concept that we should practice more often to get some peace. 

It seems to work for the animals and it reminds me that watching nature over the years has taught me a lot about life.

It's important to take the time to just 'be' (the bee). 

Be respectful of others, but don't take any crap and stand your ground (the crab). 

If anything gets to be too much, go above and look at the big picture (the hawk).

Be clever and resourceful (the tortoise).

Leave the earth a better place because you were here (Fleurs di lis).

When will the Everglades Restoration be done? NEVER!

A very simple question was asked lately of an authority
on Everglades Restoration. 

When will the Everglades restoration be done? 

The answer was simple...never. 

The Everglades will never, ever look the way it did decades ago because it simply can't happen. If we all moved out of the state of Florida, there's a chance that it may revert back to what it used to be, but as long as we're all living here, it will never be what it used to be. It simply can't.

 The Everglades have adapted to the changes we forced it to make.  It is now our responsibility to restore what we can and adapt the best way we know how to rehabilitate the River of Grass, and the habitat of many of nature's endangered species.
Adaptive management and sustainability- words to live by.

The Ties That Bind

The love of nature begins within the family. 

Our children learn and understand what we teach them. 

(Kyle 5, Alex 3)
My sons, Kyle and Alex, years ago with their father, Randy, looking at what he caught in a dip net. It didn't really matter what we did together outside, the kids were happy to be with us. We just happen to like nature, and we shared that love with our children.

(Kyle- 7)

My son, Kyle, after he planted his first few bulrush- helping out the family environmental restoration business, EnvironMend. He was so proud of himself that I had to capture the moment. Because of the nature in our business, mainly snakes and alligators, the kids were only allowed to help with newly constructed lakes. 

(Alex, age 5, and Kyle, age 7, at Mt. Arenal, Costa Rica)

The funniest thing is years later, when he attended the Environmental Research and Field Academy (JERFSA) in high school, one of Kyle's professors said that he didn't seem enthusiastic on class trips because he didn't participate enough in the wetland plantings. Kyle explained to me later that it was because the other kids needed to know what it was like, he learned a long time ago how awesome nature was. 

(Kyle, 21)
His love of nature took him to the beach where he has been an avid surfer his whole life.

Kyle is now studying to become an engineer with a solid environmental background. He learned about stress fractures with his surfboard when he 'shot a tube' and it closed down on him, breaking his surfboard into pieces. Yes, respect the ocean, it harnesses extreme energy. 

(Alex, 19)

My youngest son, Alex, just finished his first year of college on the Dean's list. Although he's an excellent musician, he's not sure exactly what he wants to major in yet, but he excels in science and journalism. Both Kyle and Alex help me with EnvironMend when they're not attending school.

(Water lilies)

Throughout the years, my kids basically grew up with plants and our love of environmental restoration. One of the places that holds very special memories for us as a family is the Holman Ranch, located just west of Vero, FL. The Holman Ranch had to be one of the very best places to visit for work. We collected plants there for over a decade, until the place was sold. Used as a certified pick site for environmental restoration, we visited often and developed a wonderful friendship with the family. Peter's crazy horses followed us everywhere, while the cows could care less.

(Crinum lilies)

The vast ranch, used for agriculture (mainly cattle) was dotted with cypress heads, occasional ponds for water for livestock, fields of Blue Flag Iris, tall pines, and within close proximity to Blue Cypress Lake. The first and last time I ever saw a Sherman's Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger shermani) in its habitat was on the Holman Ranch. Listed for a long time as endangered, it was great to see the Sherman Fox Squirrel living large at the Holman.

(Courtesy of Google.com)

One of my favorite wetland/transitional plants to use, Blue Flag Iris, produces a beautiful periwinkle blue flower annually- usually around March. Fields of Blue Flag Iris in full bloom covered the land on both sides of the road leading up to the ranch in the Spring, a very warm welcome.

The Holman Ranch was a special place and I have great memories of my kids running and playing where some of the greatest baseball players relaxed- and played too. The lodge on the Holman Ranch was used by the LA Dodgers during spring training as a retreat during the 1960's-1980's.

(Courtesy of Google.com)

 The lodge was a simple old-style Florida house, lifted up off the ground with a tall roof and large mounted ceiling fans for circulating the warm, humid air. The great room, completely paneled in pecky cypress, had heads of deer mounted all around;  a large fireplace with a huge cypress mantel took up a whole wall at the far end of the room. The largest deer bust with the most points was mounted over the mantel, staring glassy-eyed across the room. A long solid wood table with matching benches on each side ran the length of the room. Pictures of many of the players in their Dodger's uniform were mounted on the walls throughout the room and down into a long hallway that led to the bedrooms. Each picture was carefully labeled, year after year. Time stood still.

(Courtesy of Google.com)

Small dormitory-like bedrooms dotted both sides of the hallway. The rooms were simple, with custom made wooden bunk beds and a matching dresser, the pecky cypress still looked new and smelled fairly fresh.  Autographed mini baseball bats were mounted in each room and framed photographs of the different players that were members of the Dodger's club throughout the years were neatly mounted throughout the rooms. All young and bright-eyed with hopes and dreams of a great career. The Holman Ranch helped make a lot of dreams come true, including mine.

(Blue Cypress Lake)

Nature has so much to teach us. Infusing nature in life keeps a necessary balance. 

In life, sometimes we are the student, and sometimes we are the teacher- but no matter what, 

we are our children's first teacher. 

In the end, we conserve what we love.

We love what we understand.

We understand what we are taught.

                                                 -Baba Dioum