Halloween Happenings

Scarecrows in the Gardens
Daily, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
Tallahassee

Haunted Tram Rides
Fri.-Sat., Oct. 27-28; 6-10 p.m.
Eillie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Homosassa

EstuSCARY Festival and Haunted Forest Trail
Fri.-Sat., Oct. 27-28; 6-9 p.m.
Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve
Ponte Vedra Beach

Family Halloween Festival
Sat., Oct. 28; 4-7 p.m.
Koreshan State Historic Site
Estero

Orman House After Dark
Sat., Oct. 28; 5-9:30 p.m.
Orman House Historic State Park
Apalachicola

Spirits of the River Fall Gathering
Sat., Oct. 28; 4-9 p.m.
Little Manatee River State Park
Wimauma

What's Going On

Cleanup Crew Descends on Park

Hurricane Irma forced Broward County to reschedule the 2017 Coastal Cleanup for early October at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park. Nearly 455 volunteers scoured the park, including 305 students, parents and staff members from New River Middle School. One group from the school tackled the jetty area and did an outstanding job. Thank you to all who volunteered.

Parks Honor First Responders

To show appreciation for the dedication, sacrifice and service of Florida First Responders during and after Hurricane Irma, Florida State Parks is offering Florida First Responders Passes to first responders, electric utility workers and their families. The pass is good through Oct. 31, 2018.

4-H Joins Storm Recovery Effort

The 4-H group with park manager
Jennifer E. Roberts; assistant park
manager Kyle Easley; park services
specialist Jenni Leve; OPS park ranger
Chelsey Young; and park rangers
Ronny Glisson and Falon Hoak.

A group of young people from Florida 4-H joined in Hurricane Irma recovery efforts at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale. They worked hard with staff members to get the park back up and running.

Rescuing six manatees is a big job

Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves was asked by Brevard Zoo to assist with a manatee rescue coordinated by SeaWorld and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The manatees became trapped in a small pond in a Melbourne backyard when flooding from Hurricane Irma receded. The rescue team determined there were six manatees in the pond, including a mother and calf. All animals were pulled safely from the pond, assessed by veterinarians from the University of Florida and released into an adjacent creek.

Volunteers Tackle GTM Beaches

Fifty volunteers donated nearly 125 hours to assist with cleanup of beach access points and trails at Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve. A lot of debris, heavy pieces of wooden structures and even a toilet were removed.

Wetlands Permitting 101 is a Hit

Early this month, the South District held its first training program since Hurricane Irma. District Permitting Administrator Megan Mills and Permitting Manager Daniel Sensi led a two-hour class on wetlands. The session drew 60 participants, including general contractors, homeowners, environmental consultants, and representatives of local governments and other agencies. Topics included the function of wetlands, the permitting process and the technical assistance DEP provides. The class was followed by a robust Q&A and networking.

October Retirees,
We Bid You a Fond Adieu

Timothy Patterson
State Lands

John Svec
Waste Management

Heidi Vandor
Southeast District

Ronald Walters
South District

Floyd Waters
Recreation and Parks

Kudos ... and Other News

DEP Joins Panel at 2017 Brownfields Conference

From left: Sally Cooey, P.G. (Northwest District); Yanisa
Angulo, P.E. (Southwest District); Diane Pupa
(Southeast District); Patricia Goense (South District);
Carrie L. Kruchell, P.G. (Brownfields and CERCLA
administration, Tallahassee); and Kim Rush, P.E.
(Central District); with three county representatives.

A number of staff members represented the department at Florida’s 2017 Annual Brownfields Conference held in St. Petersburg. More than 200 people attended. DEP staff joined delegated local program brownfield coordinators to participate in a panel discussion and provide information to consultants, the public and members of the Florida Brownfields Association.

 Off-Site Session is Opportunity for Team Building

Southeast District Assistant Director Jason Andreotta organized an off-site meeting for the Compliance Assurance Program to thank staffers for accomplishing level-of-service commitments for the federal fiscal year. He also took the opportunity to praise staff who went above and beyond the call of duty after Hurricane Irma. The off-site meeting was held at Okeeheelee Park in West Palm Beach and allowed staff to take a break from the daily routine, enjoy nature and engage in team-building activities.

Workshop Covers Waterfront Topics

The Northwest District held a workshop in Pensacola on marinas and other waterside facilities. The 26 attendees learned about the different regulatory programs that can affect these properties and about chemicals and products that should be handled as hazardous waste. Wetland experts discussed dock and seawall projects and the details of submerged land leases. The final discussion of the day pulled all the tips and tools together to explain how a facility can become a Clean Marina. The district will offer the workshop again in Panama City on Nov. 1.

South District Partners with Power Squadron

In the past, South District Clean Marina/Boating Coordinator Rich Miller and Outreach Coordinator Terry Cerullo have attended several Power Squadron boating safety programs. This year, the South District was invited by District 22, which includes squadrons from St. Petersburg to Marco Island, to attend its fall conference and present a seminar on the Clean Marina program and pumpout stations. More than 200 members of the nonprofit educational organization were at the conference. Many expressed interest in working with the district on boater safety programs.

Northeast District Joins Environmental Symposium

DEP’s Northeast District participated in the City of Jacksonville’s Environmental Symposium held annually at the University of North Florida. The NED outreach team was an exhibitor at the event, promoting the department’s vision, strategic goals, values and the brownfields redevelopment program. 

Birders Find Unusual Sight at Bill Baggs State Park

Twenty early-morning birders on a walk at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park spotted more than 40 species, including painted buntings and gray catbirds. The birders also witnessed the tensile strength of a spider web that snagged an ovenbird. The group successfully rescued the bird from the web built by a golden silk orb-weaver, commonly called a banana spider. Thank you to the Tropical Audubon Society for the photo.

LagoonFest will Promote Valuable Urban Estuary

Staff from the Southeast District, along with Palm Beach County and the South Florida Water Management District, are working hard to coordinate the upcoming LagoonFest on Nov. 4. The event was created to encourage the public to discover the marvels of the Lake Worth Lagoon and the importance of protecting this urban estuary. DEP continually works with its partners to help improve habitat and water quality in the lagoon.

SWD Hosts Booth at Bradenton Condo Expo

The Southwest District’s Michelle Holton and John Sego hosted a DEP booth at the Bradenton Area Condo & Homeowner Association Expo. Members of homeowner and property management groups and real-estate companies came together to network and learn from industry experts. A variety of topics were discussed, including sanitary sewer overflows, mangrove trimming and potable water quality. Attendees also enjoyed the 100 one-day Florida State Park passes that were given out at the booth. Many attendees expressed their appreciation for what the department does and for the chance to discuss issues one-on-one.

State Acquires 28 Coastal Acres in Panhandle

The Division of State Lands has accepted the donation of 28 coastal acres in Santa Rosa County by the nonprofit Trust for Public Land. The property, valued at $249,400, will join the 4,000-acre Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area. Managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the property is known for its white-top pitcher plants and Florida black bears. In addition to protecting upland species, Escribano Point functions as a vital buffer for the aquatic ecosystems to the east and for Eglin Air Force Base to the west.

Central District Comes to the Rescue

Pictured is one of two abandoned raccoons that appeared by the back door of DEP’s Central District office. They were about 10 weeks old, dehydrated and hungry. Thanks to the good work of three district staff, the raccoons are now in good hands at a rehab center where they’re being prepared for release.