LOXAHATCHEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Friends of Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge http://www.loxahatcheefriends.com
New Neighbors
Purple Gallinule & chicks -- Click Mark Renz image for more photos
ARTHUR R. MARSHALL LOXAHATCHEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SCHEDULED PROGRAMS May 2012
Guided Canoe Trips Saturday, May 19, 8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Saturday, June 2, 8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.
Full Moon Guided Canoe Trips Saturday, June 2, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 3, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 1, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday, August 31, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Cost for this tour is $10.00 per person besides the regularRefuge entrance fee. (Tour price includes canoe rental; you may not bring your own.) RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
- PLEASE CALL LOXAHATCHEE CANOEING at 561-733-0192.
Swamp Strolls Every Sunday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Meet a naturalist for a guided tour of the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk.
Early Morning Bird and Butterfly Walks Every Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Roving Naturalist on Marsh Trail Every Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. A volunteer naturalist will be strolling around the Marsh Trail, discussing Monday, May 7, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. A volunteer naturalist will be strolling around the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk, answering questions and discussing flora and fauna of the swamp.
For more information, please call the Visitor Center at (561) 734-8303 .
2012 Contest Photos The winning photographs from our 2012 contest will remain on display in the Visitor Center auditorium through the end of May. All are on sale for $25, including the frame, with the exception of the Grand Prize Winner. All proceeds help support the Friends' ongoing Refuge projects.
Free 3-Day Grant-Writing Workshop Tuesday, May 15, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. -and- Wednesday, May 16, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. -and- Thursday, May 17, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Our Refuge was chosen by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to host a 3-day workshop centered around grant writing for conservation.: Friends of Loxahatchee, 10216 Lee Road,
There's something about birds flying into the Moon that makes me wonder if they'll actually get there. Such scenes bring out the dreamer in me. Think it brings out the dreamer in the birds too?
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined the chorus of academics, policymakers, and security analysts concerned about the "dramatic" impacts of climate change on national security.
"Rising sea levels, severe droughts, the melting of the polar caps, the more frequent and devastating natural disasters all raise demand for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," said Panetta at a recent event at the Environmental Defense Fund.
While Congress continues to waver on mitigation measures and debate the science, the U.S. defense, development, and diplomacy establishments are already grappling with the impacts of climate change in their work at home and abroad.
The latest Quadrennial Defense Review recognized climate change as an "accelerant of instability or conflict" and emphasized the challenges U.S. and partner militaries will face in light of rising sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events, desertification and water scarcity. USAID is working to integrate climate change into its development efforts, particularly in their agriculture and technology programs. And at the State Department, U.S. negotiators are exploring options to make the Green Climate Fund a reality to support climate change adaptation in vulnerable countries.
Understanding climate change and integrating its anticipated effects into our defense, development and diplomacy strategies will be crucial in addressing the security challenges that Panetta highlights. Crisis scenarios are made increasingly complex by the intersection of climate change with other geopolitical trends like human migration.
The Center for American Progress's new report on Climate Change, Migration, and Conflict in North Africa, part of CAP's Climate, Migration, and Security Project, outlines exactly the sort of complex crisis Panetta forecasts. The report links Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, and Morocco as a contiguous region or "arc of tension" in which climate change impacts could exasperate existing conflicts and worsen migratory conditions.
Author and columnist Thomas Friedman also highlighted the implications of climate change in conflict scenarios in his recent piece on "The Other Arab Spring." While the exact casual relationships between climate and conflict have not been fully studied, both Friedman and Secretary Panetta realize that climate change must be factored into our assessments of national and regional security.
Water security, for example, is central to these challenges, as outlined in a new Intelligence Community Assessment on Global Water Security from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.:
During the next 10 years, many countries important to the United States will experience water problems-shortages, poor water quality, or floods-that will risk instability and state failure, increase regional tensions, and distract them from working with the United States on important US policy objectives. Between now and 2040, fresh water availability will not keep up with demand absent more effective management of water resources. Water problems will hinder the ability of key countries to produce food and generate energy, posing a risk to global food markets and hobbling economic growth. As a result of demographic and economic development pressures, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia will face major challenges coping with water problems.
The impacts of climate change, including salt intrusion, drought, and more frequent floods will continue to shape the already complex global water security scenari0.
It is clear that Secretary Panetta - indeed, virtually the entire military establishment - understands the security implications of climate change and is working to prepare the U.S. military for the challenges ahead. Congressional lawmakers need to wake up and address the problem with the same sense of urgency.
Arpita Bhattacharyya is Research Assistant to Distinguished Senior Fellow Carol Browner at the Center for American Progress. She works on both domestic and international climate and energy issues.
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northern portion of the Fakahatchee Strand of the Big Cypress Swamp. Each month from five to eleven Florida panthers den, hunt, and roam within the refuge. Black bear, bobcat, white-tailed deer, Big Cypress fox squirrels and wood stork utilize the refuge. Large concentrations of wading and water birds feed, nest, and roost on the refuge. The refuge is composed of a variety of wetland and upland habitats including pine flatwoods, cypress strands and domes, wet prairies, tropical hardwood hammocks and hydric pinelands. Rare orchids and bromeliads are found throughout the refuge. The Native Orchid Restoration lab is located on the refuge. The goal of the lab is to promote the restoration of native orchids on public lands in south Florida.
Refuge Goals
Provide optimum habitat conditions for the Florida Panther.
Restore conserve the natural diversity, abundance, and ecological function of refuge flora and fauna.
Conduct research, monitoring and evaluations to improve management of flora and fauna on the refuge and within the South Florida ecosystem.
Develop appropriate and compatible wildlife-dependent recreation and environmental education programs.
Promote interagency and private landowner cooperation for the protection and management of natural and cultural resources within southwest Florida.
One Wisconsin Congressman is not happy that the Farm Bill mark-up slashes the current level of support for conservation programs by $6.3 billion.
"These programs are vital to our family farmers and our clean water supply," said Rep. Ron Kind. "In addition, many state economies rely heavily on outdoor conservation and tourism. This is the wrong time to be making these drastic cuts to conservation."
Conservation funding supports incentive-based land and water programs to help reduce sediment flow that would otherwise pollute our rivers and streams, and is vital to helping farmers be good stewards of the land. Today, more than half of the farmers applying for conservation programs are turned away due to inadequate funding.
"Clearly the farm bill needs reform, but deep cuts to conservation programs are not the answer," Kind said. "There is waste to be found - including the billions of dollars in farm subsidies supporting few but very large agribusinesses or the taxpayer funds going to subsidize Brazil's cotton industry. We've got to weigh our priorities here and ensure a smart farm and food bill for the 21st century."
Just the Beginning of Process
Don't forget that this is draft farm bill. It must now be considered by the full Senate, then reconciled with a House version of the bill, which must be passed by the House Agriculture Committee and the full House and signed by the President.
Much discussion and maneuvering for programs will be next as commodity groups and politicians lobby for changes.
Further ReadingYou can view the 2012 US Farm Bill by clicking here.
A South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Working Group meeting will be held Wednesday, May 16 from 9 a.m - 5pm at the Coral Springs Marriott in the Orchid Room, 11775 Heron Bay Blvd., Coral Springs, FL 33076.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District will be holding a Project Delivery Team (PDT) meeting for the Central Everglades Planning Project Monday, May 14 from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the South Florida Water Management District Headquarters in the Governing Board Auditorium, Building B-1, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406. PDT meetings enable federal, state and local agencies and tribal governments to provide their input into the Central Everglades Planning Project. Members of the public may attend the PDT meeting and provide public comment at the end of the meeting. The meeting is webcast. A public workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 15th, at the same place for discussion of the project.
This page outlines several south Florida ecosystem restoration projects that were not authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA), the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). They are however interrelated to the overall efforts to restore the south Florida ecosystem.
C-111 South Dade Project C&SF Non-CERP This project enhances freshwater wetlands and improved freshwater flows in the Southern Glades and Model Lands in southern Miami-Dade County. It improved the hydrology of Taylor Slough and coastal marshes of northeastern Florida Bay. The C-111 South Dade project includes a state expedited component. Preliminary design for the Frog Pond Impoundment is complete. This will reduce seepage from Taylor Slough to the lower C-111 canal system. http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Planning/Branches/Environmental/ Projects_C111.htm
Everglades Construction Project The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is responsible for projects which include but are not limited to the construction of stormwater treatment areas, hydropattern restorations, water diversions, and other improvements. The SFWMD is one of the state's five water management districts. It is the regional governmental agency responsible for water quality, flood control, water supply and environmental restoration in 16 counties, from Orlando to the Florida Keys. The Everglades Construction Project is one of these elements that made a contribution to the Everglades Program.
Florida Keys Water Quality Improvements Program (FKWQIP) On December 21, 2001, Public Law 106-554 authorized the Corps of Engineers to provide technical and financial assistance to carryout projects for the planning, design and construction of treatment works to improve water quality in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The primary purpose of this effort is to improve water quality in the Florida Keys, by implementation of several wastewater and stormwater master plans previously prepared for Monroe County and various municipalities within Monroe County.
Herbert Hoover Dike Rehabilitation Everglades and South Florida The Corps of Engineers is strengthening the 143 mile dike that surrounds Lake Okeechobee. It is an integral part of the C&SF Project. Construction is now under way on the most vulnerable southeast section. The project is expected to span two decades.
Kissimmee River Restoration Project (KRR) The KRR project is intended to restore over 40 square miles of river and floodplain ecosystem including the 43 miles of meandering river channel and 27,000 acres of wetlands. Restoration efforts will re-establish and environment conductive to the fauna and flora that existed there prior to the 1960s, when the river was dredged, straightened and widened to provide flood protection. http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Everglades/Branches/ProjectExe/ Sections/UECKLO/KRR.htm
Lakeside Ranch STA - Part of the Taylor Creek /Nubbin Slough Storage and Treatment Area State of Florida This project. includes areas north of Lake Okeechobee and Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Reservoirs, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Stormwater Treatment facilities, and modifications to the Lake Istokpoga Regulation Schedule (Highlands County tributary).
Long Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality Goals in the Everglades Protection Area Projects State of Florida This is largely a State of Florida effort to ensure that all surface water discharges entering the Everglades Protection Area meet water quality standards, in accordance with Florida's Everglades Forever Act. There are many projects planned to achieve this, including the STAs. The Corps and others are partnering with the state to achieve these standards. The plan is revised in an adaptive manner to ensure new information is included.
Miami-Dade County Regional Canal Study The purpose of the Miami-Dade County Regional Canal Study is to determine whether modifications should be made to the existing Central and Southern Florida Project to provide flood damage reduction and solutions to other related water resource problems within Miami-Dade County.
Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park (MWD) The overall purpose of the Modified Waters Delivery to Everglades National Park project is to restore the natural hydrologic conditions in Everglades National Park, which was altered by the construction of roads, levees, and canals. There are four major components of MWD: 8.5 Square Mile Area Flood mitigation, Tamiami Trail Modifications, Conveyance and Seepage Control Features, and Combined Operation Plan. All four components are necessary to provide substantial flow increases to Everglades National Park.
Seminole Big Cypress Reservation Water Conservation Plan CRITICAL PROJECT Everglades and South Florida The Seminole Big Cypress Reservation Water Conservation Plan is a comprehensive watershed management system designed to achieve environmental restoration on the Seminole Tribes Big Cypress Basin Reservation, the Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Everglades Protection Area. The project will reduce flood damage and promote water conservation. The Seminole Tribe will construct an expansion of conveyance canals in the eastern basin of the Big Cypress Reservation to transport water from Confusion Corner, where the SFWMD will deliver the Tribe's water entitlement through a new SFWMD pump station. The canals will carry the water to the Reservation's west basin, where the Corps will construct water storage cells and water resource areas. http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Divisions/Planning/Branches/Environmental/ Projects_Critical.htm
West Palm Beach Canal/Stormwater Treatment Area 1-E C&SF Non-CERP This project provides flood control, water quality and water supply to the C-51 basin in Palm Beach County. One component is Stormwater Treatment Area 1-East (STA - 1E). This is complete, but repairs are needed in one area of the project for it to be fully functional. These repairs will be made by the Corps of Engineers in 2009 and 2010.
Why cowboy accidents are on the rise. Mark Renz photo
Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed bills that will streamline environmental permitting and allow sponsorship of state trails.
The governor acted on the last of 280 enrolled bills that were presented to him after the legislative session on March 9. Of those 280, 266 were signed including the state budget. Two bills became law without his signature and he vetoed 12 bills.
HB 503 relating to environmental permitting passed the House and Senate without any votes against it. The bill had faced early environmental opposition but that disappeared as the bill was modified.
But the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later raised concerns about how the bill prohibited local permitting agencies from requiring state or federal permits before taking action. FEMA later said its concerns were resolved when state officials said they would ask communities to place conditions on their permits requiring federal and state permits.
Associated Industries of Florida on Friday praised the bill and sponsor Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City.
The bill "creates a better climate for businesses by reducing the time it takes companies to navigate through the regulatory process, without posing any negative effects to the environment," AIF President and CEO Tom Feeney said in a statement.
HB 503 also closes a loophole created by legislation in 2010 that would have allowed some counties with garbage incinerators to claim they were recycling more than 100 percent of their waste, which is impossible.
SB 268, allowing sponsorships of state trails, faced opposition from outdoor enthusiasts who said it would allow the corporate naming of trails and advertising in natural areas.
A compromise eliminated the naming and advertising along trails and allowed sponsorship of only seven trails. But the Florida Trail Association requested a veto after the bill was amended on the Senate floor to allow sponsorships on any trails with approval by state park officials.
"The Florida Trail Association does not support this bill as it will promote commercial sponsorship signs at trails where the public goes to enjoy wilderness settings and natural landscape without the intrusion of commercialization," the group said in a April 25 letter to Scott.
As the search for cheap, safe and non-carbon emitting sources of energy continues, a band of scientists say the answer may be nuclear reactors fueled by thorium. Others caution that thorium reactors pose waste and proliferation risks. Ira Flatow and guests discuss the pros and cons of thorium reactors.
The 9th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference is coming to Orlando Florida, June 3-8, 2012.
We are pleased to announce the Society of Wetland Scientists and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Conference will meet in conjunction with INTECOL 9, and their presentations on planning, policy and science will be integrated into the program. We welcome our colleagues to this premier event - the largest wetlands conference in the world.
Mark your calendar now and make plans to attendthis dynamic conference which will attract more than 1500 of the world's leading wetland scientists and policy makers.
Thistles and Thuch Click Mark Renz image for more photos
Please suggest that members of your organization sign up for the Eco-Voice Daily Digest to keep up on news about environmental issues affecting South Florida. Delivered to their inbox each morning by 6 AM, the Eco-Voice Daily Digest gives them details of meetings and conferences, links to articles, forums and advocacy opportunities for a broad range of environmental topics as well as some great photos from Mark Renz. If you post details of your events/meetings and links to articles of interest to the Eco-Voice Facebook page you multiply your outreach.
Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 14,000 acre preserve located near Naples, Florida in the heart of the Western Everglades. It is home to the largest remaining stand of old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America. A 2.25 mile boardwalk trail, which winds its way through 4 native habitats, is open to the public 365 days a year.
The DEP announces the initiation of the Triennial Review of state surface water quality standards. The Department has prepared a Factsheet and has scheduled public workshops as follows:
May 15, 2012 at Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast District Office, 400 North Congress Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida (5/15 Agenda)
Underscoring the state's commitment to Greater Everglades ecosystem restoration, the Florida Legislature in 2007 expanded the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act to strengthen protection for the Northern Everglades. This is being achieved by restoring and preserving the Lake Okeechobee watershed and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. The legislation required watershed plans for Lake Okeechobee (including Fisheating Creek), the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers and their estuaries. Features of the Northern Everglades & Estuaries Protection Program:
Recognizes that the Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie watersheds are critical water resources of the State
Builds upon and consolidates numerous restoration activities into a comprehensive approach
Expands use of the Save Our Everglades Trust Fund to include Northern Everglades restoration and extends it through 2020
Initial phases of these plans are now being implemented, as is planning for feasibility studies of sub-basins within each plan. Details of each of these plans, developed in 2007 and 2008 in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as well as with stakeholders and members of the public, are listed below.
We need your financial support to keep going. Please make a donation today. Checks can be sent to: Post Office Box 50161 Fort Myers, FL 33994
Eco-Voice, Inc. has 501c3 status.
Promote Your Event
You too can promote your organization's upcoming event - complete with a link to your web site - for seven days, by sponsoring the Daily Digest with a donation of $25. Send your message, dates you want it to run, and logo to sponsorship@Eco-Voice.org.
Eco-voice, Inc. is an independent, volunteer-run organization and provides this website as a public service. The opinions of those posting on this site are not necessarily those of the site managers or their sponsors.
License to solicit: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES By CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.'' REGISTRATION# CH31394. "
Post Online
To post to the website: Email suggestions for posts to ecovoicemoderator@msn.com . Add dates and specific locations to your messages if appropriate, and they will display on the site map and calendar. If posting media material please include link to the original publication.
