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The FWC’s volunteers continue to amaze! In this quarterly edition, we showcase volunteer work with scrub-jays, shorebirds, nonnative plants and animals, debris removal, oyster monitoring, scallop rodeos and much more. We are thankful for our volunteers and cannot succeed without their dedication and support. Along with volunteers, we are able to have a positive impact for Florida’s fish and wildlife. If projects in this newsletter interest you, we encourage you to get involved and become part of the FWC community. Continue to check us out, like and share our Facebook page by searching for FWC Volunteers! Enjoy!
— FWC's Volunteer Program Team
Jay Watch
Jay Watch advanced training participants. Photo courtesy of Jacqui Sulek.
Jay Watch Training
Audubon Florida and the FWC co-hosted an Advanced Training for seasoned Jay Watch participants. Volunteers learned how to fine tune their data collection and navigational skills in the Ocala National Forest. Many of these volunteers served as group leaders during this year’s Jay Watch surveys. Advanced trainings prepare experienced Jay Watchers to lead teams in the field and ensure accurate data is recorded.
Volunteers Virginia Hall, Brinda Curran, Carey LaRosa, and Scott LaRosa tackle a day in the scrub! Photo courtesy of Logan McDonald.
Jay Watch Surveys
That’s a wrap! Another year of Jay Watch surveys were successfully completed around the state. During June and July, dedicated volunteers collected invaluable data on the Florida scrub jay. We would like to thank all the dedicated volunteers that have helped to conserve Florida’s only endemic bird species!
Pet Amnesty Day
Thank you to the volunteers who helped June 1st at the Central Florida Zoo for Exotic Pet Amnesty Day! Volunteers took photos, greeted guests, and helped with setup and break down of the event. By the end of the day, 29 animals found new homes. The Exotic Pet Amnesty Program aims to prevent the release of nonnative pets into the wild. Thanks for supporting the mission, Don’t Let It Loose!
A bearded dragon ready for a new home. Photo by FWC staff.
Ridge Rangers
Ridge Rangers remove roofing shingles, some of which were embedded in the soil. Photo by FWC staff.
In August, the FWC's Ridge Rangers took action to remove debris, mostly roofing shingles, from the Carter Creek Scrub Preserve. The shingles had been dumped on site before the FWC property had been fenced. Ridge Rangers used shovels and rakes to load the shingles onto a trailer to be removed. Over three tons (6,000 lbs.) of shingles were hauled off the property over two workday events. Thank you to everyone who participated in this cleanup!
Showy Rattlebox Removal
Volunteers and staff brave the Florida summer temperatures removing the showy rattlebox plant from an eight-acre area of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area. Photo by FWC staff.
On September 11, eight volunteers, contributing 36 hours, assisted FWC staff to hand pull an invasive plant called showy rattlebox from the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area in Brooksville, Hernando County. Showy rattlebox is a nonnative plant that can be poisonous to dogs and livestock. It displaces many of Florida’s native plant species. Staff and volunteers removed the plant from approximately 10 acres, preventing its continued spread.
Volunteers and FWC staff removed showy rattlebox at the Big Pine tract of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area. Photo by FWC staff.
Pelican Nesting Materials Update
Photo by Kim Middlebrooks, FWC staff.
In February, volunteers took sticks and other nesting material to a small spoil island in Bay County. Thanks to this effort brown pelicans were able to build over 140 nests on the island. The island looked so inviting that over 500 laughing gulls nested there as well!
Bay County Oyster Project
Volunteers measure oysters. Photo by FWC staff.
Another successful monitoring season has wrapped up for the West Bay Oyster Reef Restoration project in Bay County! Eleven volunteers contributed over 170 hours assisting staff in measuring reef height, counting and measuring oyster spat, and conducting seagrass coverage surveys. We appreciate their hard work and effort to contribute to oyster and seagrass restoration in the bay!
Bay Scallop Rodeo Results
Volunteers show off the collected scallops. Photo by Jen Granneman, FWC staff.
The Second Annual Scallop Rodeos were held on July 20th and August 3rd in St. Andrews and St. Joseph Bays, respectively. Between these two events, 144 volunteers collected over 8,000 scallops that will be used in restoration efforts. The collected scallops were returned to the bay in predator-exclusion cages in closed areas to discourage predation and promote successful spawning. Thank you to everyone who participated!
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