Volunteers, your continued commitment to conservation is inspiring! In this edition, we celebrate all that you do, from the enjoyment of volunteering after a successful career to the many species and habitat accomplishments that keep you engaged and active in conservation. You are the heart of our efforts!

We also recognize that many of our volunteers might have been impacted by Hurricane Ian. Know that our FWC officers are working tirelessly to perform search-and-rescue, welfare checks, reconnaissance, and public safety missions for those impacted by Hurricane Ian. If you are in need of food, water or basic supplies, visit a Point of Distribution near you: floridadisaster.org/info/.

For those who are available to volunteer and assist with Hurricane Ian Relief Efforts, connect with Volunteer Florida at https://Volunteer.volunteerflorida.org/search. We will also share Hurricane Ian conservation-related volunteer opportunities on our Facebook page (@FWCVolunteers) as they come available.

Warmest wishes to our volunteer family as we move into the fall season!

— the FWC's Volunteer Program Team

Welcome!

Welcome Rhett Barker to the FWC’s Volunteer Program Team! He is joining the agency as the new Volunteer Program Biologist for the FWC’s Northwest Region.

Rhett received his Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida and his Master of Fine Arts in Science and Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State University. His thesis film was a 360-video documentary about the Santa Fe River. Rhett grew up in Live Oak and spends most of his time exploring this state’s springs and rivers. He is excited to work with the public to help protect Florida’s natural resources! When he isn’t working, Rhett is usually out exploring the great outdoors.

Suncoast Work Day

On Friday, August 26, the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center hosted a volunteer day focused on harvesting marsh grasses. The team of volunteers worked together to collect 500 Spartina patens plants and 500 Spartina alterniflora plants. The grasses were pulled from an area where they were beginning to overgrow and given to a local partner who transplanted them into another wetland. These plants are beneficial for erosion control, water filtration, and providing habitat in and around the water. Together, the two species of grass will help restore the site at which they were replanted. Along with the 22 volunteers and three staff who participated in this 2-hour volunteer event was a surprise guest – a wild dolphin swam through the on-site Newman Branch Creek while everyone was out pulling the grasses and put on quite a show catching fish in the water!

Kestrels, Bluebirds and Scrub-Jays, oh my! 

By Amy Compare

The FWC’s Northeast (NE) Region completed a successful season of avian volunteer projects, including Southeastern American Kestrel nest box monitoring, Florida Scrub-Jay monitoring through Florida Audubon’s Jay Watch program, and Eastern Bluebird nest box monitoring!

Southeastern American Kestrel Monitoring

This season in the NE Region, seven FWC volunteers and a handful of Marion County Audubon volunteers helped monitor Southeastern American Kestrel nest boxes in Marion, Levy, Sumter and Citrus counties.

A Southeastern American Kestrel peeked out from a kestrel nest box at the Ocala Recharge Park. Photo by Bonnie Halsell.

For the past several years, the boxes along Marion County roadways have been monitored by Jason and Preston Ballard. They have continued to show exemplary leadership and commitment to their monitoring this year. Preston recently graduated from high school and moved to Tallahassee to start his academic career at Florida State University. We are grateful for the time Jason and Preston have spent monitoring kestrel boxes over the years. As they move on, new volunteers are joining the monitoring program. This July, Bailey McClellan, Nick McClellan and Anna Pettypool came out for the last monitoring day of the season. We hope to see them back next season!

Volunteers (left to right), Bailey McClellan, Nick McClellan and Anna Pettypool monitored kestrel boxes along Marion County roadways this July.

Kestrel boxes along Levy County roadways had been monitored in the past but had been neglected for a few years. This season, we had some dedicated volunteers help monitor boxes again. Cindy Leppala helped monitor for the first half of the season and April Russell jumped in for the second half. Just as in Marion County, volunteers monitoring kestrels provided critical data that FWC biologists used to determine the timing of chicks hatching to be able to band them at an ideal age.

Volunteer Program Biologist Amy Compare (left) and April Russell (right) monitored kestrel boxes in Levy County. 

Juvenile kestrel banded at the correct age in Levy County thanks to data collected from volunteers.

The FWC has continued into year two of a partnership with Marion Audubon and Ocala City Parks with monitoring kestrel boxes that have been placed in Ocala City Parks. Thank you to all the Marion County Audubon volunteers who monitored the boxes this season for FWC biologists and a huge thank you to Josie Muncy who organized Audubon volunteers and to Tami Reece who led box monitoring this summer.

Left to right, Linda Howell and Josie Muncy monitored a kestrel nest box at the Ocala Sportsplex during a volunteer training day.

As they have been doing for years, Brinda Curran and Virginia Hall have been monitoring kestrel boxes at Potts Preserve WMA and Panasoffkee WMA. Thank you, Brinda and Virginia, for another great season!

Jay Watch 2022

This summer, FWC volunteers helped with Jay Watch, Florida Audubon’s annual statewide Florida Scrub-Jay survey. In Marion County, FWC volunteers helped with surveys at the Cross Florida Greenway Triangle, Potts Preserve WMA, Halpata Preserve, and Ross Prairie State Forest. Thank you to Brinda Curran, Virginia Hall, Scott LaRosa and Carey LaRosa for leading survey teams this year! And thank you to Tami Reece, Cherryl Marlan, Cheryl Varona, Victoria Hawk, Ashley Dolan, Kim Rexroat, Louise Roy, Kent Weakly, and Mason Sylvester for participating in surveys this year! Your commitment and enthusiasm helped everything go smoothly.

Volunteers surveyed for Scrub-Jays at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve. Photo by Jacqui Sulek.

Brinda Curran turned on a Scrub-Jay call recording, following the Audubon Jay Watch survey protocol.

Lois Posey spent eight days helping to survey in Ocala National Forest.

Brinda and Virginia also helped Greenway Triangle Land Manager Laurie Dolan with the banding of juvenile jays. They have participated in this for the past several years and banding would not be nearly as successful without their help.

Left to right, Jennifer Klindt (Florida Forest Service Biologist), Brinda Curran (FWC Volunteer), Laurie Dolan (Greenway Triangle Land Manager), Virginia Hall (FWC Volunteer), and Monica Folk (Wild Folk, bird bander) banded juvenile Scrub-Jays at the Greenway Triangle this August! Photo by Brinda Curran.

A juvenile Scrub-Jay after being banded at the Greenway Triangle. Photo by Brinda Curran.

Bluebird Nest Box Monitoring

Volunteers Carey and Scott LaRosa spent about 4 hours every other week leading monitoring of bluebird boxes in Ross Prairie State Forest from February through August. Their dedication and commitment to monitoring was a huge help to FWC biologists!

Scott and Carey LaRosa monitored bluebird boxes.

Macaela Irwin monitored bluebird boxes in Ross Prairie State Forest. Photo by Carey LaRosa.

If you are interested in participating in any of these projects for next season, please reach out to volunteer@myfwc.com and specify which projects you would like to join and where you are located.

Chick Shelter Construction

American Daughters of Conservation members stand in front of chick shelters they built. 

Thank you to the American Daughters of Conservation who came to the Chinsegut Conservation Center to build shorebird chick shelters! Chick shelters are set up on beaches and are used to provide cover for flightless shorebird chicks from predators and protection from extreme temperatures. Seven volunteers from American Daughters of Conservation, including Stacy Whittum, Jessica L. Carter, Brittnie Curley, Gayle Deshong, Jeanene Arrington Fisher and Beth Qualey spent about 11 hours constructing these shelters!

Support

In addition to your generously donated time and talent, we welcome tax-deductible monetary contributions to the FWC's Volunteer Programs. Visit the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to make a donation. Your support will help us expand volunteer opportunities as we work to foster a statewide network of conservation volunteers. Thank you for supporting Florida's fish and wildlife resources!

Regional Connection

Our Regional Volunteer Program Biologists are specialists who bring their biological and citizen science expertise to recruit, train and manage volunteers for research, habitat enhancement and stewardship projects throughout Florida. Click here to locate your region to identify your regional volunteer program biologist.

South Region Volunteer Program Biologist - Graysen Boehning

• Graysen.Boehning@MyFWC.com
• (561) 882-5716

Northwest Region Volunteer Program Biologist - Rhett Barker 

• Richard.Barker@MyFWC.com
• (850) 767-3620

Ridge Rangers Volunteer Coordinator - Jamie Henry 

• Jamie.Henry@MyFWC.com
• (863) 991-0198

Please see State of Florida Careers - People First if interested in applying for open Volunteer Program Biologist positions in the FWC's Northeast and Southwest Regions.

Volunteers Support Outreach Events

By Gina Russo

Volunteers are essential to furthering the FWC’s mission of managing fish and wildlife for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.

Gavin Gardner was instrumental in setting up and working the FWC display booth and Wildlife Alert exhibit at the Central Florida Outdoor Expo in Brooksville. Gavin, 14 years of age, assisted his grandfather, Charlie Gardner (Fish and Wildlife Research Institute) and Gina Russo (Department Marine Fisheries Management) to educate the public about fisheries and wildlife conservation.

Gavin Gardner at the Central Florida Outdoor Expo. 

FWC Volunteer Hunting Instructors, Kazik and Halina Wlodarczyk, assisted FWC Staff at the Florida Outdoor Expo in West Palm Beach. Besides teaching hunter safety classes in the Southeast Region, they volunteer to work the FWC booth at large outreach events to educate the public about hunter safety and the courses that are available.

FWC Volunteer Halina Wlodarczyk worked the FWC Booth and Wildlife Alert Trailer at the Florida Outdoor Expo.

FWC Volunteer Kazik Wlodarczyk taught Hunter Safety to Cub Scouts from Wellington, Florida.

Super Shorebird Stewards

Every year, FWC volunteers work with the Florida Shorebird Alliance and give their time for the conservation of shorebirds. Volunteers help monitor beach-nesting birds and birds that nest on rooftops. They also act as Beach Stewards to educate the public about beach-nesting birds, and are on-the-ground protection for the birds, especially on weekends and major holidays when beaches are crowded.

This year, a group of volunteers in the Space Coast Partnership played a huge role in monitoring and stewarding shorebirds in Satellite Beach. Not only did these dedicated volunteers find a huge least tern colony and report it so that it could be posted, but they spent all season stewarding the site and educating the public about the colony, as well as monitoring rooftops and beach routes for the Florida Shorebird Alliance. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and expertise for the birds!

Beach Stewards and Beach Monitors Catherine Vecchio and Jennifer Therrien. Photo by Catherine Vecchio. 

Beach Steward Shannon Morrison educated the public about beach-nesting shorebirds. Photo by Catherine Vecchio. 

A least tern in Satellite Beach. Photo by Anthony Therrien. 

Rooftop and beach monitors Ruth Ellen Piepert and Ann Hicks surveyed a rooftop colony.

Career to Volunteer: Steve Dicks

Steve has been a valuable member of the Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area crew by participating in prescribed burns.

Many of our volunteers join us after they retire and continue to gain new skills and experiences. One of these volunteers is Steve Dicks. Steve is a multi-generational Floridian who has been volunteering at Chinsegut Wildlife and Environmental Area for four years. After retiring from a career at the Southwest Florida Water Management District running mapping, GIS, and Information Technology groups, Steve decided he wanted to experience hands-on land management. He lives close to Chinsegut and started out helping land managers with invasive plant management before moving on to assisting on prescribed burns. So far, Steve has been on about 35 burns, including about 10 this year. He has always been interested in learning more about longleaf pine ecosystems and restoration management, and volunteering with the FWC allows him to do that. He thinks volunteering for organizations like the FWC is a good way to get people involved in the process of conservation, and his advice for future FWC volunteers is to think about what you are interested in and look for opportunities in your community.

Volunteer to Career: Nicole Holmes

In her internship, Nicole helped fresh-prep inviable hatchlings.

Nicole Holmes began her journey with the FWC as a Sea Turtle Migration intern while working toward her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. The objectives of her internship were to determine what loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings eat and what the turtles do during nesting season. She sorted through various clumps of Sargassum, finding, collecting, and photographing any microscopic prey. She also weighed various samples, dry ground albumin and egg yolks for ASE testing, entered data, and fresh-prepped inviable hatchlings.

Nicole always knew she wanted to be an FWC employee, and in February of this year, she was hired as FWRI’s receptionist. Shortly thereafter, her dream became reality when she was hired as an OPS Biological Scientist I in FWRI’s Molluscan Fisheries lab! She spends her time working in the field on monthly oyster monitoring trips to obtain live oysters for dissections on the east coast, in Tampa Bay and in south Florida. She studies their recruitment, reproduction and the presence of dermo disease. She also works with marine gastropods, bay scallops and stone crabs.

Nicole holding a sea star found during a gastropod survey.

Habitat and Species Conservation Volunteer of the Year: Ron Taylor!

Ron Taylor received his award from Melissa Tucker, Director of the FWC's Division of Habitat and Species Conservation. 

Congratulations to Ron Taylor! He is the 2020-21 Volunteer of the Year for the Division of Habitat and Species Conservation.

Ron has logged hundreds of volunteer hours on the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. He helps with outreach events, mobility impaired hunts, wildlife surveys, grounds maintenance and check station operation.

Randy Cohron, Senior Wildlife Technician at the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area had this to say about Ron, “I don’t know of any better volunteer than Ron Taylor. He is dedicated, self-motivated, a critical thinker who can work independently. He knows what needs to be done and does it. And the best part is he loves the Hutton Unit and its mission – wildlife management. He is a great ambassador for the Hutton Unit and the agency in general.”

We are grateful for Ron’s service and passion for the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. Thank you, Ron!

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Volunteer of the Year: Jake Coons!

Congratulations to James ‘Jake’ Coons! He is the 2020-21 Volunteer of the Year for the FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

Arthur Bernhardt, Freshwater Fisheries Biologist, can’t say enough good things about Jake, “Jake has allowed our office to continue our operations seamlessly and has become a reliable member of our team during a very busy time of year. Need otoliths read? Boom! He's on the scope for 8 hours. Short a crew member for electrofishing? Boom! He is on the boat, net in hand! Need to find some tagged fish in the river? Boom! He has the antenna! We have been impressed by his can-do attitude, eagerness to learn and ability to help wherever needed.”

We are grateful for Jake’s service. He is exceptional. Thank you, Jake!

Panama City Crayfish

Panama City Crayfish. Photo courtesy of Lisa Kepner.

The Panama City Crayfish (Procambarus econfinae) is only found in Bay County and FWC volunteers are helping monitor the crayfish. Our volunteers collected water quality data and helped dipnet for the federally threatened invertebrate, providing invaluable information for its conservation in years to come.

Volunteers Ben Brady and Madeline Young helped sample for the Panama City Crayfish last month.

Home sweet home: Panama City Crayfish live in the shallow, ephemeral wetlands surrounding Panama City. Photo by Peter Russ.

A selfie at the end of a full sampling day. From left to right: Biologists Thomas Kuhn and Rhett Barker with volunteer Peter Russ. Photo by Peter Russ.

National Public Lands Day

Volunteer Tim Sterling used a string trimmer to clear wire grass from around an RCW tree.

Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to the Citrus Wildlife Management Area for National Public Lands Day to help FWC staff prepare Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) trees! Red-cockaded woodpeckers live in longleaf pines in ecosystems that require frequent, low-intensity fire. To ensure that trees with woodpecker cavities or nest boxes are not damaged during fires, FWC land managers remove vegetation within a 10-to-15-foot radius of these trees. Larger vegetation is cut with a brushcutter and removed with McLeods (rakehoes). This is followed by using a string trimmer to remove wire grass and a rake to remove all cut grass and duff. This important land management practice is time intensive and physically taxing, and all 5 volunteers who participated approached the task with enthusiasm. Over the course of the morning, the group was able to prepare over 20 trees. Some volunteers used a brushcutter or string trimmer for the first time and some saw a Red-cockaded Woodpecker for the first time! We are appreciative of everyone who gave their time to help improve and manage our public lands!

National Estuaries Week

In celebration of National Estuaries Week, September 17-24, the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center (SYCC) hosted a weekend cleanup. This cleanup represented a commitment to Suncoast’s budding partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, as well as raising awareness about the Tampa Bay Estuary! Guy Harvey was kind enough to provide some sweet shirts to give out as a thank you for our volunteer participation. Via kayak and by foot, SYCC staff and 26 volunteers collected 155 pounds of trash that morning!