Wednesday July 6, Thursday July 7, and Friday July 8

Remove Invasive Natal Grass at Seminole State Forest/Warea Tract

Near Clermont

The Florida Forest Service is requesting help removing invasive Natal Grass from the Warea Tract on three days: Wednesday July 6, Thursday July 7, and Friday July 8.

You'll be moving through a high-quality, recently burned Sandhill found at the Warea Tract and hand pulling Natal Grass and placing in trash bags.

The work times are from 8 am to 4 pm each day, but you can help as much or as little as you want.

To register and for more details/directions, please contact Michael Jenkins at Michael.Jenkins@freshfromflorida.com

The rainy season has begun - now is the time to plant!

The goal of the 2016 scrub oak plantings is to create a wildlife corridor connecting the scrub habitats to the north and south of the 2015 plantings.

We’ll be planting on four dates:

Saturday, July 9

Wednesday, July 20

Saturday, July 23

Saturday, July 30

All planting dates have two start times: 7:30 am (to avoid the heat) and 8:30 am, and you can choose either as you sign up. We’ll be wrapping up around 11 am.

Each planting date will cover one zone, and we’ll have shade, cold drinks, and watermelon!

Click on the dates above to learn more, get directions, and register. Come join us!

Saturday, July 16. .

Plant Pine Seedlings in the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest

Near Frostproof

The Florida Forest Service and the Ridge Rangers will be doing a  pine seedling planting to restore damaged wildlife habitat in the Lake Wales State Forest on Saturday, July 16, 2016.

We'll be using special shovels and plant tublings that allow everyone to plant quickly and easily.

From 8 AM to Noon. See http://outreach.myfwc.com/event/StateForestJuly16 for maps and details and to sign up.

Volunteers from the Florida Trail Association will joining us on this workday!

Remove Invasive Plants at Mackay Gardens & Lakeside Preserve

Lake Alfred, FL

Help restore the Sandhill and Scrub habitats at the Preserve. We will be walking the trails and removing Caesar Weed, Balsam Apple, Rosary Pea and others.

Two workdays are scheduled for this effort:

Saturday July 9

Saturday August 20

This work effort will be led by Ridge Ranger Juliet Rynear, Please register at the above links, and meet Juliet in the parking lot for Mackay Gardens on the workday.

Thanks to Ridge Ranger Diana Miller, the Ridge Rangers Fund has received a $2,000 grant from the Disney EARS to You Program! The mission of the EARS to You program is to develop opportunities for Disney employees and their families to contribute personal time, expertise and effort to make a positive impact on our community while furthering the ideals of The Walt Disney Company.

The Ridge Rangers fund is used to purchase items for the Ridge Rangers program that state regulations don’t allow, like gear and food for workdays. This grant will be very helpful to the Ridge Rangers, and a big thanks goes to Diana Miller!

It’s Hot … Stay Hydrated!

Ridge Rangers and everyone else who are working or recreating out in the Florida summer months are reminded that staying hydrated is very important. Best way to do this is by getting a head start on water intake, as once you’re out there in the heat you can sweat it out faster than you can drink it in!  

Are You Hydrated? Take the Urine Color Test! See chart by the US Army Public Health Command.