www.FloridaStateParks.org
November-December 2003
A Newsletter by the Florida Park Service
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Issue #178
Museum Dedication Honors
Conservationists of the Past
“World-Class” Campground Opens at
Lake Louisa State Park
America’s families and outdoor enthusiasts can now
enjoy world class camping only 16 miles away from
the bustling city of Orlando. On August 14, Lake
Louisa State Park officially unveiled a new state-ofthe-art campground during a grand opening ceremony
at the park. The new campground, beautifully situated
between Lake Hammond and Dixie Lake, has 60
paved individual campsites with access to water and
electricity. Select sites are available for patrons with
disabilities and one-third are equipped with sewer
connections for recreational vehicles. The
campground also includes picnic tables, shelters with
grills and two covered shelters near fishing areas.
Lake Louisa offers fishing, hiking, canoeing,
nature study and horseback riding. Florida’s natural
beauty is highlighted by the diversity of wildlife found
in the park. In 2002, the park welcomed nearly 40,000
visitors and contributed almost $1.25 million to the
local economy.
W HAT ’ S I NSIDE
From the Director ................................................ 2
Volunteer Viewpoint ...............................................5
FPS Alumni .......................................................... 5
AmeriCorps News ............................................... 6
Wildlife Notes: Seabeans .................................... 12
Cigarette Litter Facts ......................................... 14
Park Reports
District 1 .............................................. 6
District 2 .............................................. 8
District 3 ............................................ 11
District 4 ............................................ 13
District 5 ............................................ 14
On the Move .................................................... 18
This newsletter printed on recycled paper.
O
n November 1, the newly-renovated Florida Civilian Conservation
Corps Museum was dedicated at Highlands Hammock State Park.
The museum honors the 31,000 Floridians who worked to conserve
America’s natural, historical and cultural heritage. The Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) was established by Franklin D. Roosevelt
and the U.S. Congress in 1932 to provide conservation related work to
unemployed young men during the Great Depression.
“Much of the framework for our national and state park systems was
created by the Conservation Corps,” said Larry Perry, Assistant Director
of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Recreation
and Parks. “We owe its members tremendous gratitude for their hard
work protecting and preserving Florida’s natural areas.”
Governor Jeb Bush designated October 29 to November 2, 2003 as
Florida Civilian Conservation Corps Week. The Museum’s dedication
Continued on page 3
As we begin this new
year, I thought I would
take the opportunity to
share with you my
thoughts and optimism
about the future of our
state parks.
My sincere thanks
to Albert Gregory for
his leadership as
chairman of the “future
directions” work group and to all of the members
of the group for their exceptional analysis and
thoughtful recom-mendations. I am confident that
implementing the recommendations will allow the
Florida Park Service and its employees to achieve
even greater excellence in the future.
The report was distributed electronically to all
employees in the Division. If you didn’t receive
one, please contact your Park Manager or Bureau
Chief to get a copy. A lot of time, energy and effort
went into the report and I urge you to take the
time to review it.
Following is a brief summary:
• Reemphasize the Division’s mission and
philosophy to the very core of our day-to-day
operations. Key to this effort is development of
a single written document to articulate the
history, mission and philosophy of the Florida
Park Service, education for our employees, and
management reinforcement and support at all
levels.
• Make leadership a priority, especially in light of
the upcoming retirement of many of our
experienced managers. Improve leadership
training, create more Park Manager I positions
to help train new managers, review pay policy
on promotions to Assistant Park Manager to
provide greater incentive, and emphasize that
managers need to demonstrate the value of our
employees and encourage talented staff to
become leaders are among the recommendations
to accomplish that goal.
• Examine the organizational structure and
functions of the Division. A thorough evaluation
is already underway, starting with the Bureau of
Operational Services and progressing through all
field and headquarters units. Based on the
evaluation, we will realign functions and clarify
responsibilities where needed.
Page 2
• Strengthen our information and data resources programs to assist managers
at all levels in decision-making. Develop a comprehensive information
management architecture (plan) and, if necessary, increase funding, staffing
and training to meet our needs for computer technical support.
• Increase the emphasis on outdoor recreation to meet future needs. Develop
a statewide outdoor recreation plan for state parks and increase emphasis
on programming, interpretation and other visitor services.
• For park operations, concentrate on the “Big Five”– visitor services,
administration, maintenance, resource management and protection. Limit
new initiatives and special projects to allow greater concentration on core
functions.
• For park development, standardize park facility designs and colors, and
consider dedicated funding for campground improvements and upgrades.
• For park planning, formalize the unit classification system, develop a
standardized system for selecting new park properties, and evaluate and
revise, where needed, the unit planning process.
• For resource management, develop a systematic method to meet natural
and cultural resource management needs and clarify the role and
responsibilities of the central office, district and park.
I urge you to join me in making these recommendations a reality. Once
again, I commend Albert and all of the members of the work group for their
excellent work.
My very best wishes to each of you and your families for a wonderful and
happy new year. Thank you for all you do.
Mike Bullock, Director
Florida Park Service
Florida State Parks
Mission
To provide resource-based recreation while preserving,
interpreting and restoring natural and cultural resources.
Vision
The Florida State Park System creates a sense of place and is recognized as
containing the best of Florida's diverse natural and cultural heritage sustained
for future generations while providing quality and appropriate resource-based
recreational opportunities, interpretation and education that help visitors
connect to
... the Real Florida
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Florida Park Service Newsletter
This newsletter is written by and for the employees of
the Department of Environmental Protection's Division
of Recreation and Parks.
If you are a park employee with an item of interest, please
contact the newsletter representative at your district
office. Others should contact the editor directly.
D1 - Henry Doster
D2 - Mark Smith
D3 - Karen Brillante
D4 - Thelma Proctor
D5 - Kim Chase
(850) 233-5110
(352) 955-2135
(407) 884-2000
(941) 483-5944
(772) 546-0900
Comments or Suggestions?
Please contact:
Kathleen Carr, Editor (850) 245-2151
Kathleen.Carr@dep.state.fl.us
Wayne Stevens, PR Manager
Wayne.Stevens@dep.state.fl.us
Bureau of Operational Services
3900 Commonwealth Blvd., MS 535
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3000
(850) 245-2100 [SC 205-2100]
Visit Florida State Parks Online at:
www.FloridaStateParks.org
Ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovated Civilian Conservation Corps Museum at
Highlands Hammock State Park. Left to right: Larry Perry, Assistant Director FPS; Susan
Tucker, Deputy Secretary, Department of Elder Affairs; H.J. Williams, CCC alumnus;
Dr. Woody Sayre, CCC alumnus; Charles Varro, President of National Association of
CCC Alumni, St. Louis; Peter Anderson, Park Manager Highlands Hammock; Kurt
Bowman, President of the Hughes Bowman Design Group, Inc.
Continued from page 1
marks the Corps’ 70th anniversary and the reunion of the National Association of
Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni.
Opened to the public in 1931, the 9,000-acre Highlands Hammock is one of
eight Florida state parks originally built by the Corps. The eight parks, including
Hillsborough River, Gold Head Branch, O’Leno, Fort Clinch, Florida Caverns,
Torreya and Myakka, formed the nucleus of today’s award-winning state park
system.
“The museum tells the stories of an important era in history,” said Highlands
Hammock Park Manager Peter Anderson. “The exhibits focus on the Florida Boom
and Bust, the Great Depression and Roosevelt’s New Deal.”
Visitors are encouraged to imagine life in the Corps by interacting with handson exhibits. They can touch the cabbage palm walls of early park structures, try
on reproductions of CCC uniforms, learn about the young men who joined the
corps and read letters they sent home. A Day in Camp and the Barracks exhibits
tell what life in the Corps was like for these young men. A life-size cutout shows
an enrollee building a masonry
wall, while the reverse side lists
the ethnic and racial diversity of
this nationwide program.
Between 1933 and 1942, the
Civilian Conservation Corps
planted more than three billion
trees, developed over 800 state
parks nationwide and improved
millions of acres of public land.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Comfortable chairs invite
visitors to sit and listen to one
of Franklin Roosevelt’s fireside
chats or view a historic mural
of all the Florida camps. A
theater shows movie clips from
this period as well as footage of
early park construction.
Information is also available
about today’s AmeriCorps
program and how it is
continuing the legacy of the
CCC.
Park Scene: November-December 2003
New exhibits in the renovated CCC Museum show
what kinds of jobs the young men performed during
their service in the Corps.
Page 3
FPS Alumni Association
Performs Service Project
Continuing to Reach for the
Gold: Improvements and
enhancements are ongoing at
Florida State Parks, adding
opportunities for a better quality
of life for visitors, volunteers and
employees. I feel fortunate to
be invited to project dedications.
New programs and facilities are
an indication of the planning
and work done by park
management, employees,
volunteers and community
patrons.
photo by Patricia C. Behnke
Lake Louisa State Park is a
place of peaceful charm in the
northeast corner of the vast
wetland in the Central Florida
Green Swamp. Lake Louisa is
the largest of a chain of 13 lakes
in a park of 4,372 acres with 19 miles of trails. On August 14, a ribbon-cutting
ceremony opened a 60-site tent and RV campground with modern amenities and
a great boardwalk and pier. Additional recreational activities include swimming,
fishing, boating, picnicking and horseback riding.
Irene DeLaby, Volunteer Ambassador
PO Box 2855
Homosassa Springs, FL 34447
Voice: (352) 628-0542
Fax:
(352) 628-9349
Alafia River State Park's 6,000 acres is an example of a reclaimed phosphate
mine. The scenery of this unique park provides mixed forest, xeric (dry) hammocks,
restored forested wetlands, rolling hills and 20 lakes. The recent dedication
acknowledged completion of Phase II of Recreational development. Opportunities
include: fishing, hiking, boating, equestrian and bike trails.
On June 28, at Hontoon Island State Park, a dream of its volunteers came true
with the opening of a new Visitor Center and Museum. The park’s citizen support
organization (CSO) had earned $5,000 from yard sales and donation jars, but it
was going to take many more years before enough money could be raised. CSO
member Jim Schlienz took the initiative and began writing letters in search of
donations. After sending out 200 inquiries to various foundations, he received a
letter with a $10,000 check from the Taishoff Family Foundation. After a visit,
the foundation donated another $50,000. This qualified the CSO for a $40,000
DEP Partnership in Parks grant. Jim’s initiative and dedication helped the CSO
reach a goal for the state park it represents. One board member can make a great
difference. Congratulations Jim.
On display in the visitor center are examples of thousands of years of human
habitation. The area around Hontoon Island and Blue Spring state parks attracted
archaeologists as early as 1873. Famed naturalists John Bartram and his son William
visited the area 100 years before the archaeological studies of 1980 to 1989.
On September 27, the Florida Park Service Alumni
Association turned out for a great weekend of
fellowship and hard work at Fort Clinch State Park.
The weekend activities began Friday evening with
a pleasant dinner on the Atlantic Ocean at one of
Fernandina’s fine seafood establishments (Judi and
Sandra Maxwell both reported that the oysters were
particularly outstanding), followed by an exceptional
candlelight tour of Fort Clinch provided by Park
Ranger George Berninger.
The alumni were at the beach bright and early
(well, fairly early) on Saturday morning anxious to
get started. It was balmy day, and spirits were high.
Park staff had wisely provided no plans or guidance
for the group and after much discussion (much, much
discussion) and hand waving the Indians and Chiefs
were sorted out and sawdust started flying.
The workday project on Saturday consisted of
constructing two wheelchair accessible picnic
platforms (16 x 20 feet) on the beach area boardwalk,
which greatly improved the visitor services available
in that area. Park staffers were amazed on the
following Monday morning to see that both platforms
had been completed (especially after learning that the
work group consisted of both current and former park
and district managers).
Under the leadership of coastal construction
engineer Doug Carter, who was provided far more
opinion and advice than he wanted, the alumni
workgroup clicked along like a well-lubricated mule.
By 4:30 PM, two top-notch decks had been
completed, and the volunteers were relaxing by the
Amelia River indulging in boiled peanuts a’ la Harvey
Carter followed by a Low Country Boil.
The staff at Fort Clinch State Park thanks the
alumni participants: George and Sandy Apthorp,
Doug and Theresa Carter, Roy and Elsa Kimball,
William and Judi Maxwell, Dick and Gail
Domroski, and Robert Dye. Special thanks also to
Park Services Specialist Maureen Watsfon and
volunteer Harvey Carter, and to the Friends of Fort
Clinch, Inc. for providing the food.
The next day, I was invited to work with the Hontoon Island Foundation
CSO at their special Sunday meeting and exceptional potluck. I plan to continue
trying to help them meet their future goals.
Page 4
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Deborah Burr, AmeriCorps Director
I’m pleased to announce that funding for the 2004
AmeriCorps program has been secured. We are excited
about some changes that will take place within the
program including a greater focus on interpretive
programs.
Next year’s members are bringing educational
backgrounds in recreation and parks and forestry. There
are prospective members with previous AmeriCorps
experience and some with Youth Conservation Corps,
and Boy Scout experience. Resource management will be another focus as we
continue to restore and preserve native habitats in our state parks.
Florida State Parks AmeriCorps has been busy the past few months. On
October 25, the nation’s Make A Difference Day, AmeriCorps members made a
difference in state parks and local communities. District 1 AmeriCorps assisted
with the Seaside Adventure Race. District 2 AmeriCorps sponsored and served
alongside community members at the 3rd Annual Beach Cleanup at Fort Clinch.
District 3 AmeriCorps, with the help of local volunteers, restored the butterfly
garden at Wekiwa Springs with donated plants; District 4 members participated
in Sarasota’s Brush-up event, painting houses for low-income residents.
The second annual Six Days Six Ramps project was another
success this year. In partnership with Volunteer Florida,
Communities in Schools, AmeriCorps and the Center for
Independent Living, we built eight ramps in six days for lowincome disabled residents of Leon, Liberty, and Gadsden counties.
In addition to the more than 50 volunteers, District 1 and District 2 AmeriCorps
members helped supervise the construction. Members from AmeriCorps
Tallahassee also participated. This year, the organizing committee raised donations
from local businesses, including $500 from Wal-Mart and over 700 bottles of
water from Albertson’s. Area Subway stores sponsored lunch and volunteers from
the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce helped deliver and serve the meals. Portable
restrooms, t-shirts, soda, and other items were also donated.
Bridget Bean, District 1 AmeriCorps, nails in the decking
for a ramp in Tallahassee.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
The end of the year is
rapidly approaching and it
is hard to believe that the
AmeriCorps program is
finishing up its seventh
year of service to Florida
State Parks and the
surrounding communities.
This year, 42 members
graduated on December 11
at Mike Roess Gold Head
Branch. We truly had a
phenomenal group of
AmeriCorps members this
year. They will be missed.
Park Scene: November-December 2003
District 3 AmeriCorps members and volunteers
restored the Butterfly Garden at Wekiwa Springs
State Park as part of this year’s Make a Difference
Day.
Page 5
Bald Point
Bonnie Jean Allen
District 1 Administration
Wildlife: This year we had a record number
of black bear sightings. They were seen
swimming in the bay, delimbing young pine
trees in the park and leaving footprints for
everyone to see.
On November 5, the 2003 District Basic Interpretive Training class
graduated sixteen participants at Big Lagoon State Park. The graduates
presented interpretive talks, walks, re-enactments, and demonstrated other
recreational skills developed during the seven-day program.
Migration brought an array of bird
species – tanagers, vireos and at least 20
different species of warblers. According to
volunteer bird expert, Jack Dozier, some of
the most exciting birds sighted were the
vermilion, ash-throated and scissor-tailed
vireos. Flocks of 50 to 100 American White
Pelicans also dotted the sky several times a
week.
Volunteer Campsites: The park has two
new volunteer sites; Bob and Sandy Holden
are the first volunteers to move in. They are
not strangers to the park service. They have
also volunteered at Big Lagoon, St. Joseph,
Manatee Springs, Werner-Boyce Salt
Springs, and Ochlockonee River. Bob has
contributed nearly 6,000 hours of volunteer
service and Sandy is close behind.
Blackwater River
Steve Young
Exotic Plant Removal: Look for changes
on the Heritage trail in the upcoming weeks.
We received a $40,000 grant from DEP for
the removal of exotic plants on both the trail
and park. The project continues aggressive
control of Cogon grass, Japanese honeysuckle, Mimosa trees, Chinese privet,
Chinaberry, Kudzu, Popcorn trees, and
Japanese climbing fern.
A local land clearing and development
business is conducting the removal effort.
The team began work on the north end of
the trail at Whiting Junction and is moving
south along the trail’s right of way. This
project also offered us the opportunity to
explain the problems caused by invasive
exotics to trail visitors.
Once the exotic plants die off, we will
cut and chip native plant growth to maintain
Page 6
Front row, L-R: Danny Kemp, PR, St. George Island SP, Megan Beckwith,
AmeriCorps, Angela Byers, AmeriCorps, Bridget Bean, AmeriCorps, Donna Staryak,
PR, St. Andrews SP, Mark Horkman, PR, Grayton Beach SP, Leda Suydan, PSS,
Topsail Hill Preserve SP
Middle row, L-R: Scott Armstrong, AmeriCorps, Lori Gentry, PR, St. Joseph
Peninsula SP, Miranda Bartlett, AmeriCorps, Marshall Shaw, PR, Blackwater River
SP, Tony Tindell, PR, St. George Island SP
Back row, L-R: Scott Sweeney (presenter), PR, Falling Waters SP, Frank Zurica,
PR, Topsail Hill Preserve SP, Tom Sargent, PR, Topsail Hill Preserve SP, and Dallas
Cox, PR, Henderson Beach SP.
the trail. This will keep us busy for many
CSO workdays to come.
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs
Lobby Restoration: Visitors to the historic
lodge at Wakulla Springs State Park will soon
step back in time to the early 20th century.
DEP Secretary David B. Struhs presented
the park with $20,000 to begin restoring
lobby furnishings that, when complete, will
reflect the original 1930s design.
“This beautiful park attracts more than
175,000 visitors each year,” said Secretary
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Struhs. “One of the consequences of being
so popular is that furnishings get more than
the normal wear and tear. Providing the park
with seed money will help restore and
preserve the lodge’s original character and
charm – both inside and out.”
Built in 1937, this cultural landmark
is a large part of the near 6,000-acre worldclass state park, which includes one of the
world's largest and deepest fresh water
springs. The original 2,680-acres of Wakulla
Springs State Park and the historical
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Mediterranean-style architecture are listed
on the National Register of Historic Places.
Over the course of decades, the lodge’s
original décor was replaced with
contemporary styles. As part of a series of
improvements, much of the building’s
exterior and foundation were recently
renovated to capture the authentic
architectural style.
With the help of the park’s citizen
support organization, the Florida Park
Service is already breathing new life into the
North Florida attraction. Recent interior
upgrades include a restored ceiling,
refurbished guest rooms, a guest operated
damper system for the air conditioning and
heating system, restored original windows
in guest rooms, new stairs for safer access
and a renovated kitchen. Outside
enhancements include restoring the
waterfront building, renovating bathrooms,
connecting to the county sewer system and
upgrading the parking area.
Falling Waters
Scott Sweeney
Legends and Lore: During four consecutive
weekends this fall, the park hosted a new
cultural event. Native American traditions,
bluegrass music, local childhood memories,
park history and ghost stories were all part
of a program series called Legends and Lore.
Program organizers included The
Washington County Historical Society, The
Friends of Falling Waters and park staff.
On October
11, the festivities
started with the
band Dry Creek
playing old time
bluegrass favorites.
Longtime resident
and retired judge
Perry Wells told
about growing up in
this neck of the
woods during the
1930s and 40s.
At the October Wildlife biologist Bill Lynn from U.S. Fish and Wildlife checks live traps at
18 program, Debra Topsail Hill Preserve during an extensive five-day trapping survey.
Bush and other
operated and used. Whit Gainey was kind
members of the Creek Indian Nation dressed
enough to bring along a moonshine still, on
in traditional clothing and gave a very
loan from the Washington County
memorable presentation. Debra set up a
Historical Museum, and talk about its
primitive camp much like what a Native
operation.
American would have used during the
1800s. Micco Nokushvm Haco talked
On November 1, you could almost see
about the history and culture of the Creek
ghosts lurking through the woods during the
Indians.
Spirits of Washington County. Folks got
goose bumps as they listened to Falling
The Bluegrass music was so good that
Waters ghost stories, like the dead woman
Dry Creek was invited back to provide music
who sat up in her grave after grave robbers
on October 25. Scott Sweeney started off
opened her tomb.
the night of storytelling with the legend of
the lost – and still not found – lake of Falling
Legends and Lore was successful thanks
Waters and the story of the first oil well ever
to donations from several local businesses,
drilled in Florida. Remnants still remain in
Friends of Falling Waters, Mrs. Dorothy
the park. In 1860, a gristmill was operated
Odom, and the Washington County
at the park’s waterfall. J.W. Dilmore gave
Historical Society. Hundreds gained a sense
an intriguing talk about how the mill was
of the area’s cultural history and took home
lasting memories.
Three Rivers
Brian Fugate
New Cabin: Our new cabin is finished and
the response has been fantastic. It is a
modular unit that was brought to the park
and set up on an existing campsite, so the
site prep was kept to a minimum. The cabin
has a green metal roof, and cedar siding. A
screened porch, complete with rocking
chairs, was added onto the building.
Three Rivers State Park recently added a cabin to its campground. The ADA compliant building has
a single bedroom, a kitchen, fireplace, sleeping loft, and screened porch. The cabin’s living and
dining room furniture was built by Park Ranger Ralph Cox.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Park Scene: November-December 2003
The interior is all wood and equipped
with a complete kitchen, ADA restroom,
wood burning fireplace, a bedroom, and a
sleeping loft. One feature we’re very proud
of is the handmade furniture in the living/
dining room area built by Ranger Ralph
Cox. Thank you Ralph.
Page 7
Topsail Hill Preserve
Leda Suydan
Parknership: On October 15, 150 fifthgrade students from Butler Elementary
School arrived early in the morning to enjoy
a two-mile nature walk. Topsail Hill has
teamed-up with Butler Elementary in a
Parknership that gives school students an
intimate and informative experience with
the diverse ecosystems of our park.
Volunteers Tom Godbold and Karen
Cromer along with park staff, Curt Moore,
Tom Sargent, Tova Spector, and Leda
Suydan, led the students through several
ecosystems. The children enjoyed learning
about the fragile, rare and valuable coastal
dune lakes. They also learned about
turpentining techniques and the importance
of prescribed burning.
Beach Mouse Survey: The northern gulf
coast provides a critical habitat for the
endangered Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse
(Peromyscus polionotus allophrys). Topsail
Hill Preserve’s extensive dune system
provides a perfect habitat for the mouse.
During the week of October 20,
wildlife biologist Bill Lynn from U.S. Fish
and Wildlife and Laura Kovatch, a
volunteer from the Student Conservation
Association, led a team of park staff on an
extensive five-day trapping survey. The
efforts of this trapping will hopefully lead
to another translocation of the mouse to a
private development, WaterSound, as part
of a mitigation agreement. The developer
set aside a conservation area to re-establish
a beach mouse population.
The restored interior of the St. Clair Whitman House, Cedar Key Museum State Park. The house was
moved to the park for restoration in 1991 and was opened for tours in 2003.
Cedar Key Museum
Whitman House Opening: Earlier this
year, the house once owned by St. Clair
Whitman was opened for tours on the
Museum grounds.
Whitman operated the first museum in
Cedar Key, where he displayed his
collections, including exhibits on the
Timucuan Indians, antique glassware, old
bottles, a complete collection of sea shells,
items from the pencil manufacturing days,
fiber broom and brush manufacturing and
photographs of old Cedar Key.
After his death in 1959, his collection
was donated to the State and used to
establish the Cedar Key Museum in 1962.
Thanks to a DEP grant, invasive exotics plants
are being cleared from the Heritage Trail at
Blackwater River State Park.
Page 8
In 1991, his home – leaking and in poor
condition – was moved to the museum
grounds for restoration. The St. Clair
Whitman Citizen Support Organization was
founded to support this effort. Over the
next ten years, the CSO spearheaded the
Park Scene: November-December 2003
campaign to raise the $110,000 to restore
the house where Mr. Whitman lived and
kept his “museum room.”
The Florida Park Service, the Friends
of Cedar Key Museum and the St. Clair
Whitman Citizen Support Organization
collaborated on the project. Whitman’s great
granddaughters and their mother, Beth
Griffis, also joined the effort to raise funds.
Ms. Griffis manages a memorial brick
walkway, which has become the most
popular way for people to contribute to the
house.
CSO President Kay Probst wrote the
matching grant received from the state.
Elizabeth Ehrbar, retired from a career
preserving historic sites in Florida (the
Truman White House in Key West and the
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings House among
others), attracted support for the project
through her confident vision. She
encouraged the donations of many items,
original to the house, from people who
Florida Park Service Newsletter
purchased them years before. The house,
with its bead board ceilings and heart pine
floors, handmade quilts and upright piano,
authentically recalls life from the 1920s and
30s. Work is being done to restore the
museum room Mr. Whitman used for his
collections and to equip an education/
conference room.
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park
Two CSO volunteers, Gil and Betty
Ruggles, made a special donation to the
project. Before they moved away from Cedar
Key, they gave their lifetime collection of
shells for use in the museum room. These
were gathered on their travels from Greece
to Micronesia and will be a prominent
feature of the display.
The Whitman house was originally
built on top of a Timucuan Indian midden.
Whitman filled his museum with Indian
artifacts, butterflies, shells and bones, mostly
drawn from Cedar Key and other Florida
locations. Over time he traded shells with
other collectors to build a display from every
part of the world. His museum was knee
deep in boxes, but he could find any
specimen to suit the interests of his visitors
from the local motels or of local children.
His preserved house will now serve two
goals: as an education center for the natural
history of Cedar Key and to preserve a
remarkable piece of Cedar Key history.
Fort Clinch
New Amphitheater: The new amphitheater
at the Amelia River Campground is
completed. In addition to being a great
venue for campfire programs, it has a
spectacular view of the Amelia River and the
stunning sunsets over Tiger Island.
Campfire programs will be offered from
November through April on designated
Saturday nights. The programs include
presentations about Florida’s predators,
wildlife of Fort Clinch, insects and a
beachwalk slideshow.
New Garrison Unit: Assistant Park
Manager B.J. Givens has formed a group of
volunteers to portray members of the 54th
Massachusetts
Colored
Troops.
Documentation shows that members of the
54th Massachusetts served at Fort Clinch for
a time during the Civil War.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
In September, Olustee Battlefield received an award from the Congressional
Black Caucus Veterans' Braintrust in Washington, D.C. Attending the
ceremony were: (front row, left to right) Susan Kett of the USDA Forest Service,
Valinda Subic, Park Manager for Olustee Battlefield, U.S. Representative
Corrine Brown, who nominated the park for the award, and O.J. Lake, one
of the first African American reenactors at Olustee's annual battle reenactment.
(Back row, left to right) Ron Williams, also a Columbia County reenactor
instrumental in the living history presentations of black regiments at Olustee,
and John Thrush, president of Olustee Battlefield Citizen Support
Organization.
The members of the 54th recently joined
other units in the October Civil War Fort
Garrison. The soldiers participated in
weapons demonstrations and marching
drills, as well as cannon firing and black
powder safety procedures. The ladies
represented the women of the period by
giving talks on sewing and laundering,
candle making and other domestic duties.
Mike Roess
Gold Head Branch
Beach Cleanup: National Make a
Difference Day at Fort Clinch had a good
turnout for the beach cleanup. Forty-three
students from Hilliard Middle School took
part in the project, guided by the
experienced members of D2 AmeriCorps.
A hotdog lunch was provided for the
volunteers who removed many bags of trash
from our beaches.
Steve Earl
Prescribed Burn Success: At the time of
this writing it is mid-October, the weather
is beautiful and the peak of our sandhill
wildflower bloom is in its glory. Blazing star,
coastal plain palafox, paintbrush and golden
aster, to name a few, are abundant and
fragrant thanks to a vigorous burn program
here at Gold Head. For the 2002/2003-
Park Scene: November-December 2003
The AmeriCorps members worked at
Fort Clinch the week prior to the Make a
Difference Day, trimming tree limbs,
painting and treating cannon traverses and
woodwork at the fort. They performed their
jobs well. Thank you AmeriCorps.
Page 9
burn season, 261 acres saw
prescribed fire, with another 105
acres treated this past month.
Management is calling for
another 780 acres to be burned
this fall and winter.
Keeping Lake Johnson Clean:
This fall, the park corrected a
long-standing problem with
storm water runoff from the
parking lot. A series of three
retention ponds and an
exfiltration system will prevent
excess water runoff from directly
entering Little Lake Johnson.
This solution is part of our
modern day best management
practices and will correct the
unforeseen flaw in the park’s
original design.
winner was Elizabeth
Westerman, sponsored by the
Boca-Delray Music Society.
Ms. Westerman will receive a
$1,500 scholarship and the
promise of several stage
appearances during her year
holding the title of “Jeanie.”
She will perform again in
White Springs at the park’s
annual celebration of National
Stephen Foster Day. The
concert will be held on January
11, 2004.
Park Ranger Steve Earl (inside right) presents a badge and
recognition to Eagle Scout Michael Alligood (inside left).
Florida Trail Enhancement:
Gold Head is host to a three mile section of
The Florida National Scenic Trail, which has
been rerouted to a portion onto the park’s
scenic Ridge Trail. This trail traverses a
beautiful section of a steephead ravine,
including rare flora and fauna found in few
other places in Florida.
Equestrian Trail: Progress continues on our
equestrian trail with members from Gold
Head’s CSO, The Gold Head Associates,
installing trail markers. Parking area
construction will continue over the next few
months. We hope to open the trail in early
2004.
New Information Kiosk: On October 25,
local boy scout Michael Alligood performed
his Eagle Scout project at Gold Head by
constructing a large kiosk that will be used
by the park to house a historical turpentine
industry display. Michael, along with his
father, uncle, scoutmaster and a handful of
his fellow scouts, provided a huge service to
our park with the addition of this new kiosk.
Our thanks go out to them.
end of the year, we expect to be moving the
cougars and bobcats into their new habitats.
Woodcarving Display: Twenty-eight
members of the Nature Coast Woodcarvers
Club unveiled and presented to the Wildlife
Park a new display of 32 relief-carved blocks
depicting Florida wildlife. Located on the
boat dock at the park’s main entrance and
visitor center, the new display will give
visitors a preview of some of the wildlife they
will see in the park.
Stephen Foster
Folk Culture Center
Jeanie Dreams: This was the 53rd year for
the Jeanie Ball and Auditions, a vocal
competition for college-age women in
Florida. The Florida Federation of Music
Clubs organizes the event, which presented
13 women in the competition this year. The
Quilt Show: The 15th Annual
Suwannee River Quilt Show
and Sale brought about 1,200
visitors to see exhibits of art
certificate of quilts, traditional bed quilts,
baby quilts and quilts children
helped to make. The event is
co-sponsored by the Lady of the Lake Quilt
Guild in Lake City and the Stephen Foster
CSO. This year’s event featured a lecture
on slave seamstresses by storyteller Mary
Fears, who continues a slave tradition in her
own quilt making, including a scrap of cloth
from the clothing of a deceased family
member in a memorial quilt.
Banjo Camp: The first Suwannee Banjo
Camp attracted banjo students nationally
and internationally to spend a weekend in
White Springs studying with masters of the
instrument. An evening concert drew a full
house of banjo music fans to hear the tunes
of camp instructors Mac Benford, Mark
Johnson, Bob Carlin, Mary Fox, Ken
Perlman and others. Congratulations to
Park Services Specialist Jon Kay for
gathering this group at the park for a great
autumn weekend of music and education.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife
Wildlife Walk Phase II: This project is
nearing completion now that the boardwalk
and observation platforms have been built.
Work on the new Wildlife Encounter
pavilion, restrooms and night houses for the
cougars and bobcats is underway. By the
Page 10
A vigorous prescribed burn program is underway at Mike Roess Gold Head State Park with over
350 acres burned and another 780 acres to be burned this winter.
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Dunn’s Creek
Angel Gonzalez
Creek-side Picnic: On October 4, the
Dunn’s Creek CSO held their first Creekside Picnic. The event included scenic
horseback trail rides and guided tours, festive
music and delicious BBQ. Chuck
Hardwicke and the Hart Lines played folk
music for the event. With the help of this
event, the Dunn’s Creek CSO now has over
100 members and volunteers who have
raised funds to start making improvements
in this new park. We would like to thank
the SHADO (Sundays, Holidays And Days
Off ) riders who helped coordinate
registrations and Coggins test checks for over
200 horses and riders.
Ravine Gardens
Ravine-Fest: Over 700 people attended our
first Ravine-Fest, held September 28. This
event was sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation and hosted by the Friends of
Ravine Gardens, Inc. The finest folk artists
from Florida and surrounding states were
present. Performances included John and
Lisa Johnson, Don Oja Dunaway, Chuck
Hardwicke and the Hart Lines, Mullet Run,
Whitey Marckle, and Aunt Peggy and Jay.
Three event stages filled the gardens
with folk music throughout the day. Story
telling took place in the Gardens Club
cottage and a guitar workshop was held in
the Court of States.
Silver River
Art Carton
Essential Volunteers: It’s that time of year
again – time to apply herbicide to acres of
Cogon grass, a category-1 invasive exotic.
Over the past four or five years, we have
worked to get control of this nasty invasive
with limited success.
This past year we were fortunate to
have some assistance from an enthusiastic
volunteer. So far, Barbara Moore has
treated more than 100 acres of Cogon grass,
a huge impact towards eliminating this
exotic from the park.
We were also lucky enough to have
volunteer Mary Tata help us out in the
Sebastian Inlet
Author Author! It started off with relaxing strolls along the shores of the Atlantic
Ocean. The end result is an amazing, comprehensive book called Sea-Beans from the
Tropics: A Collector’s Guide to Sea-Beans and Other Tropical Drift on Atlantic Shores,
coauthored by our own Park Services Specialist Ed Perry. Ed has long enjoyed picking
up nature’s tropical treasures, which wash up with every wave.
His curiosity about the wide variety of beautiful sea-beans he found led him to the
library for research. Finding little on this interesting topic, he
collaborated with John V. Dennis to write an informative book,
which is already becoming the bible for Atlantic coast seabean collectors.
Designed to complement the World Guide to Tropical Drift
Seeds and Fruits by C.R. Gunn and John V. Dennis, this 232
page book has a greater focus on Atlantic current species. It
uses 175 color photos for identification purposes, features more
species and shows the results of 30-year flotation tests on
different species of seeds. Sea-Beans from the Tropics is published
by Krieger Publishing Company.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Riders enjoyed an eight mile trail ride on Dunn’s
Creek State Park during the park’s Creek-side
Picnic.
ranger station. She does such a good job that
some of the rangers are worried about their
jobs. In just over two months, she put in
over 500 volunteer hours. Thanks Mary.
Mars Watching: This fall was great for star
watching. For over two years now, the Ocala
Astronomy Club has been bringing their
telescopes to the park, educating and
exciting the public about the night sky. In
September, they brought out all their gear
on two nights for a very rare celestial event.
This summer and fall, Mars was only
35 million miles from the Earth – the closest
it has been in 60,000 years. Over 70 people
came to the park to catch a glimpse of the
red planet. The most exciting part of the
night was watching the seven and eight yearolds looking into the telescope and then
hearing a loud, “Wow - is that really Mars?”
It was equally exciting for the adults.
Pioneer Day: Over 130 people came out to
the park on September 13 for the Pioneer
Day festival, which strives to educate the
public about the history of North Central
Florida. This event takes place in the park’s
replica Florida cracker village that is owned
and operated by the Marion County School
Board.
Several historical re-enactors gave
demonstrations in the village. Robert
Wilson set up his 1830s trapper camp, Bill
Case and Aimee Mickel demonstrated
Page 11
Washington Oaks Gardens
Upcoming Improvements: The planned upgrade of the Interpretive
Center (Young House) at our park will begin this fall. Our CSO,
the Friends of Washington Oaks State Gardens, Inc., raised $67,500
from private sources, more than enough to qualify for a $40,000
matching grant from the DEP Partnership-in-Parks Program. While
our efforts to raise additional funds for the creation of the Owen D.
Young Visitor Center at the park will continue, we are now able to
move ahead with a contract for undertaking the necessary research,
design and construction that will take place over the next year.
Historical re-enactors brought a 19th Century Florida pioneer village to
life during Pioneer Day at Silver River State Park.
cracker cooking and boondoggle weaving, and other volunteers
staffed the Godwin cracker house and the M’cateer house. Each of
them made learning about history fun.
One of the highlights was watching the fifth graders from a
local elementary school dance to the fiddle playing of camp host
Mickey Summers. The scene took you back and for a while, you
could believe that you were in a 19th Century pioneer village.
Park Manager Doug Carter, Park Services Specialist Renee
Paolini and members of the CSO board met with Curt Bowman of
the Hughes Bowman Design Group of St. Augustine early in
September to discuss plans for the project. The board members are
in contact with descendents of Owen Young and General Jose
Hernandez, both former owners of the property, to obtain photos,
artifacts and other pertinent information that will assist in developing
historically accurate displays.
Major contributions from the Lastinger Family Foundation and
Friends members Bill and Maxine Ference put our campaign “overthe-top” after just six months of fundraising. We received
contributions from four foundations, eight Flagler County
businesses, and forty-one individuals/couples. The Flagler County
Tourist Development Council provided $6,000 for the design and
printing of the brochures for our campaign.
Wildlife Notes: What’s a Sea-bean?
Rhonda Lovec-Theobold & Cathie Katz
Sea-beans (also known as drift seeds) come from trees and vines
that grow along tropical shores and rain forests all over the world.
The seeds fall from their parent plant into waterways, such as the
Amazon River, then drift through inlets to reach the ocean. They
travel with ocean currents until they wash up on a beach somewhere,
perhaps thousands of miles from their origin. Sea-beans are hard
and buoyant, which helps them survive their long-distance voyage.
When and where can I find sea-beans?
Sea-beans drift onto beaches around the world, particularly after
higher-than-normal tides during hurricane season. The number of
beans you can find in a day will vary with time of year, Gulf Stream
variations, offshore hurricane activity, wind and temperature
changes, and tropical plant abundance for a particular year.
Can I eat sea-beans?
Although sea-beans are studied for medicinal uses, no one has ever
mentioned eating them, except for the coconut, which is considered
a drift seed.
Reprinted with permission by:
www.seabean.com
Name That Sea-Bean!
Want to try your hand at identifying sea-beans? Go to the following
web address or – if you’re viewing this in Adobe Acrobat – click the
photo to go to the website.
www.seabean.com/games/namethatbean/index.htm
In Florida, September and October are typically the most
bountiful times to find sea-beans. Tides leave behind drift seeds
along with seaweed, driftwood, tar, trash, and toys. This line of
debris on the beach is called a wrack. With each successive tide, the
wrack is pushed farther toward the dune line. However, sometimes
a high tide will sweep over the wrack and pull it back out to sea,
carrying the seaweed and drift seeds to another beach. Ocean
currents, connected to each other in a huge global transit system,
can carry sea-beans from current to current—so, a seed from Jamaica
could travel to Florida, then to New Jersey, and then across the
Atlantic to the United Kingdom.
Page 12
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Florida Park Service Newsletter
She contacted a tobacco company to
place an order, but to her surprise, the
company offered to ship ten thousand
pocket ashtrays, free of charge, to the park.
Thanks to Heidi’s initiative, the park has
plenty of ashtrays that will save the park from
smoking-related litter.
Lovers Key
A ribbon-cutting ceremony in August officially opened the new camping area at Alafia River State
Park. Left to right: District 4 Bureau Chief Mike Murphy, Director Mike Bullock, volunteer Wes
Eubank (the founder of SWAMP, the Southwest Association of Mountain Bike Pedalers) and Park
Manager John Baust.
Alafia River
Delnor-Wiggins Pass
Grand Opening: On August 23, a
celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony
was held to mark the opening of the phase
II recreational facilities at Alafia River State
Park. Director Mike Bullock was the
featured speaker. Andrea Eckert sang the
National Anthem and Jon Semmes and the
Florida Friends Band provided music for the
event. Over 100 guests were treated with a
southern barbecue lunch provided by
Rollison Ranch. Park staff provided guided
park tours on a hay wagon, the Southwest
Association of Mountain Bike Pedalers
conducted bike tours and the Triple B
Riding Club and Myakka River Riders gave
horseback tours.
Pocket Ashtrays: On a recent outing to
the beach, two new area residents were
dismayed at the number of cigarette butts
left on the ground by smokers. It was a
sobering reality check for the new
transplants who thought they had just found
paradise. How could so many people defile
the natural beauty of the area with such
indifference? The newcomers wrote an
editorial to the local paper in hopes of giving
the issue some much-needed attention.
A ribbon cutting ceremony officially
opened the new picnic area that has two large
picnic pavilions, restrooms, playground and
parking area. This phase of development
also included a new ranger station and
campground improvements such as electric
and water hookups at the campsites and two
large shelters for campers.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Delnor-Wiggins Pass Citizen Support
Organization (CSO) member Heidi Kulpa
read the column, pondered the situation,
and decided to take action. She had heard
of a pouch-like product called a pocket
ashtray. Smokers can place the cigarette
butts in the pouch, then dispose of it when
they find a trash can. Heidi brought the
idea before the other CSO members and it
was agreed that the CSO would purchase a
couple thousand for the park with CSO
monies.
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Maria Lightner
Manatee Released: It takes a lot of
teamwork to release an 875-lb. manatee. On
September 19, 12 people from four different
agencies assisted in releasing Pneu Myer the
manatee at the Lovers Key/Carl E. Johnson
Boat Ramp. The Florida Fish & Wildlife
Conservation Commission, Lowery Park
Zoo, Lee County, and Ranger Ronny
Glisson from Lovers Key participated.
Last May 15, the injured male manatee
was found in one of the canals inside Lovers
Key SP. It was immediately taken to Lowery
Park Zoo for medical treatment. The
diagnosis was that a boat had hit it and
punctured its lung. This caused a condition
known as pneumothorax, hence his name
Pnue Myer. After four months of medical
treatment and rehabilitation, Pnue Myer
appeared fully recovered. When released,
he quickly headed back out to the Estero
Bay.
Oscar Scherer
Face Lift: The park has two new bridges
designed and constructed by Park Ranger
Alfredo Martires and other park staff and
volunteers. The first is a footbridge that
crosses over an artesian sulfur spring that
feeds Lake Osprey. It has handrails and is
ADA accessible for sightseeing or fishing on
Lake Osprey. The second bridge is 12 by
44 feet and spans South Creek to connect
the east side of the park with the west side.
This bridge is so well constructed that fire
equipment and emergency vehicles can cross
it to reach the back half of the park.
Page 13
Every Littered Butt Hurts!
Cigarette Litter Facts from Keep America Beautiful
www.kab.org/littercigs.htm
form of a fiber that looks like cotton thread.
These cellulose acetate fibers break down or
degrade in the environment very slowly in
some cases taking years. The wind and rain
carry it along to catch in flower gardens,
grass and open spaces. That’s when children,
our pets and wildlife find it. Some birds use
it for nesting and even think it is food.
Photo courtesy of Clean Virginia Waterways
The fibers in a cigarette filter and the
remaining tobacco contain several residual
alkaloids including nicotine posing a health
problem for wildlife when ingested.
Cigarette litter is everything from a partially
smoked cigarette, cigarette butts, matches
and lighters to the packaging itself. Littered
Eighteen percent of all litter dropped
cigarette butts introduce a
to the ground is washed
product to our environment
into streams, rivers, lakes
which breaks down very
Litter is misplaced and the ocean by storm
slowly and is not completely
waste; littered cigarette water runoff. Cigarette
biodegradable.
butts are deliberately
Cigarette filters conContinued on page 17
misplaced waste.
tain cellulose acetate in the
Bahia Honda
Monay Markey
Wildlife and Park Updates: A variety of
migrating birds are passing through the park
including raptors, warblers and shorebirds.
Some species of these migrating birds will
stay for the winter.
Sea turtle nesting at Bahia Honda has
been fairly light this season. Over the
summer, we documented 17 Loggerhead
nests and 21 false crawls. (A false crawl is
when the female turtle comes ashore, but
returns to the ocean without digging her nest
or laying eggs.)
Page 14
The interpretive staff is working on a
Snorkeling Guide to Bahia Honda. It will
contain drawings of sea life with a brief
description about each creature or plant. We
hope to have it printed on waterproof paper
so it can be taken underwater.
At the Sand and Sea Nature Center we
now have Junior Ranger Activity Guides and
embroidered patches available for a $1
donation. These guides, suitable for children
ages 6-12 years, are specifically designed for
Bahia Honda.
Ranger Ken Hartsing, Elaine Sweet,
and Linda Spencer staffed an information
booth at the Birding and Wildlife Festival
on October 4-5 at Crane Point Hammock
in Marathon. The booth was well received
by visitors.
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Pocket ashtrays for visitors to Delnor-Wiggins
Pass State Park are helping to keep beach areas
free of cigarette trash. The portable ashtrays also
remind visitors to talk to discourage children
from smoking. The following website provides
additional information for parents,
grandparents, educators and youth group leaders.
www.rightdecisionsrightnow.com
Representatives from the Bahamian
Ministry of Tourism also attended the
festival and visited our booth. They picked
up handouts and brochures about the park’s
environmental education activities. They
were especially interested in the new Junior
Ranger booklet and patch. They would like
to create something similar for the school
children of the Bahamas.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida
Art Levy
Mars Viewing: On August 29, about 250
people came out at night to get a close up
view of Earth’s near neighbor Mars as it made
its closest approach in 60,000 years. The
Southern Cross Astronomical Society of
Miami supplied the telescopes and view
screens for the event.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Stunning views of the red planet were
flashed on a viewing screen and could be
directly seen from half a dozen superb
instruments. The southern polar ice caps and
a central volcanic mountain range were
clearly visible. One of the telescopes treated
us to a view of the planet Uranus, with its
cobalt blue shimmering aura. Everyone left
the event with a profound sense of awe.
Coastal Cleanup: This year’s Biscayne Bay
Coastal Cleanup, held on September 20, was
a resounding success. Ms. Minka
McDonald of the National Healthy Beaches
Campaign Office at Florida International
University coordinated the event.
Representatives from the Ocean
Conservancy, the international sponsoring
agency, spoke to our group and at other sites
on Key Biscyane. Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Allen are opening a Miami Chapter of the
Ocean Conservancy and as island residents
are volunteering to clean our beach for us
once a week.
CSO Takes on Park Restoration: At our
last CSO meeting, Park Manager Robert
Yero announced that The American Littoral
Society (ALS), the group coordinating the
park’s ongoing restoration effort, was
phasing out of the project. ALS site
coordinator, Ms. Kellie Westervelt, gave us
an excellent slide presentation summarizing
the entire project and suggested future goals
through 2013. Following the presentation,
the board members of the Friends of Cape
Florida State Park enthusiastically supported
taking over the responsibilities from the
ALS.
Thanks to our Fundraisers: The park’s
Lighthouse Café hosted a board meeting of
The Dade Heritage Trust on October 15
followed by an evening lighthouse tour. The
Trust helped coordinate and raise funds for
the 1996 lighthouse restoration. Monies
collected from the sale of commemorative
bricks will be used to construct an
informational kiosk at the entrance site for
the tours. Members of The Villagers, Inc.,
who coordinated and funded the restoration
of the lighthouse keepers cottage, toured the
park on October 17.
Curry Hammock
Cathy Close & Kim Crouch
Upcoming Improvements: The plans for
development of a camping area, day use
Florida Park Service Newsletter
For the past year, DEP has been in a partnership with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to
research a new technology that could be a clean and reliable source of energy. A five-kilowatt
hydrogen fuel cell was placed at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park where it produced electricity for
nearly a year. Left to right: Jim Gibson, Park Manager; Tom Black, Customer Manager, FPL; Guy
Lacombe, Product Development Manager, FPL.
restroom, and ranger station were approved
and are out for bid. Construction should
begin soon. The park currently has an iron
ranger, restrooms, picnic pavilions and
playground.
Hawk Migration: Autumn is the time for
the annual hawk migration. Hawk Watch
International once again conducted their
raptor count and research at Curry
Hammock. This is the fourth year that
people from around the world came to the
park to observe, count and learn about
raptors. On October 15, all of Monroe
County’s third graders converged on the
park for an educational field trip and to
participate in the Hawk Watch.
Learn about the migration of raptors at
the Hawk Watch International web site:
www.hawkwatch.org
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic
Jayne Blatherwick
Award: We were thrilled to learn that the
park earned one of the performance
incentive awards for this year, especially since
we were awarded the second highest amount
to add to our budget. The main goal for this
money is to purchase a new tractor to replace
our ancient, barely functional one. And, of
course, the bonuses made everyone’s day!
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Being a small day-use park, we were
surprised and pleased to find ourselves at #12
on the attendance list and #6 on the profit
list. A year of hard work paid off!
Upcoming Improvements: Recently, our
Unit Management Plan was reviewed and
updated for the next five-year period and
we’re looking forward to tackling a number
of improvements. After a recent expansion
of our concession stand, there are now plans
to build a completely new facility for an
expanded food operation. The existing
concession building will be used for rentals.
Also in the works are a small playground
and a few pavilions. Possibly, one may be
set aside for weddings and ceremonies.
Several years ago, when the moat was
dug around the fort, the material was placed
between the beach and fort, creating a visual
and physical barrier. The Unit Management
Plan calls for its removal, along with several
smaller berms along the parking lots. And
for those who fish, a 100-foot pier is being
planned for the east end of the park.
It appears that we will not be receiving
the buildings and property once scheduled
to be transferred from the Navy, so the plan
now is to build a new visitor center. The
center will house a museum dedicated to the
Page 15
preservation of fort artifacts and may provide
some wildlife information as well.
The project most anticipated by staff is
the addition of ranger housing. The new
plan calls for an apartment complex to be
constructed at the west end of the park. This
will serve to alleviate the financial strain of
living in a town that boasts the fourth
highest cost of housing in the country.
Hugh Taylor Birch
Ron Bogner
Volunteer Campsites: The park is breaking
ground on volunteer campsites for seasonal
volunteers. The campsites will have 30 and
50 amp electrical service, water and sewer
connections. By next year, volunteers will
be able to stay in the park in their RVs in
exchange for performing maintenance and
administrative duties.
Fuel Cell Project: On October 28, a
research and development project was
completed at Hugh Taylor Birch. For the
past year, DEP has been in a partnership
with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)
to research a new technology that could be
a clean and reliable source of energy.
Last October, a five-kilowatt hydrogen
fuel cell was installed at the park, where it
produced electricity that was sent to FPL’s
distribution network. Powered by natural
gas, the electrochemical device combines
hydrogen and oxygen to produce electric
power without combustion. Clean water
and heat are the only by-products.
During the past year, an interpretive
display next to the fuel cell station explained
to visitors that technological advancements
are improving the environment. Fuel cells
may become an alternative to burning oil
or coal for electricity.
The next phase of the partnership is to
expand the interpretation of this
technological experiment for park visitors.
Although the fuel cell was shut down, it will
be left standing in the park. Kiosks will be
set up to explain how fuel cells, like this one,
can play an important role in conserving our
resources and air quality.
Indian Key Historic
Victor Zuclich
Indian Key Festival: Volunteers and staff
tried out some new ideas when they
presented a Bounty of History at this year’s
Indian Key Festival. The concept behind the
theme was to cover several decades of history
in a tour through the small island. Visitors
started the tour in the early 1830s and ended
it walking out of the 1930s.
As visitors approached the 12-acre
island they may have envisioned the
tranquility of a simpler time . . . until a sharp
blast from the nearby Yankee Schooner rang
out. Each group that arrived at the dock
was greeted by an enactor portraying Mrs.
Howe, the wife of the Indian Key postmaster
in the early 19th century. Her two sons
provided lessons on the production of sisal
(hemp) rope and showed off their skills at
hermit-crab racing.
A few brave guests volunteered as jury
members for a mock trial of Jacob Housman,
who was charged with criminal mischief.
Housman owned the island from 1831 to
1840 and ran a “wrecking” business, which
salvaged goods from vessels that ran aground
on the treacherous reefs offshore.
After the high drama, the tour groups
encountered enactors who demonstrated the
daily lives of more prominent members of
this island society. As the tour approached
the tamarind grove, visitors heard sounds
from the dulcimer players who were
strumming out songs. Another group of
volunteers explained native hand tools and
palm weaving techniques that would have
been utilized by early Native Americans.
A final stop on the tour highlighted
Indian Key’s period as a fishing camp. Locals
used the area as a resting spot during fishing
trips and some even decided, unfortunately,
to wait out the deadly 1935 Labor Day
Hurricane that devastated the Keys. The
only warning system for local fishermen at
the time was an encapsulated message that
would be dropped from a circling plane.
This innovative theme worked well for
all of the festival participants. Everyone
enjoyed the ease of the organization and the
enactors allowed for a spontaneous, and
interactive approach with the tour groups.
John U. Lloyd Beach
“Jacob Housman” is tried for criminal mischief at a mock trial during the Indian Key Festival.
Page 16
Park Scene: November-December 2003
Carmelo J. Duesler
Coastal Cleanup: This fall, an assortment
of volunteers, including some scuba divers,
showed up for the 2003 Coastal Cleanup.
The event netted 61 bags of trash for a
combined weight of 480 pounds. Litter and
debris clutters our shores and endangers
both marine life and humans. The combined
efforts of these individuals are testimony to
the community’s commitment to a clean and
safe environment.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
John D. MacArthur Beach
Tiffany Peavy
2003 Summer Camp a Success: With
nearly 100 kids ranging from six to thirteen,
MacArthur Beach had a great turnout this
year. The four-week camp included activities
ranging from story telling, art projects, and
snorkeling, to making calamari.
The children learned about native
plants and wildlife in our area and took their
knowledge back to the classroom in the fall.
We look forward to an even larger turnout
next year.
A great job and special thanks to our
temporary Park Services Specialist, Junko
Nomura. Junko filled in for Michelle
Toepfer who was on maternity leave this
summer.
Snorkel Tours: MacArthur Beach’s summer
snorkel tours have ended for the summer.
They were a great success and a total of 150
visitors took the opportunity to explore our
reef.
International Coastal Cleanup: September
20 marked the international worldwide
coastal cleanup. Sponsored by “Keep Palm
Beach County Beautiful,” MacArthur Beach
hosted 250 volunteers who bagged
approximately 2,000 pounds of trash
ranging from auto tires to glass bottles dating
back to 1970. The park hosted a barbecue
for the volunteers who devoted their
Saturday morning to environmental
awareness.
Introduction to Surfing: On September
28, Rob Matriscino, surfing professional of
the Palm Beaches, hosted an Introduction
to Surfing class. The class was such a great
success that we planned another one for
November 23.
Special Memories: MacArthur Beach State
Park lost a very special park volunteer. Sid
Adler, who has donated thousands of
volunteer hours to MacArthur Beach, died
on Friday, October 17 of an ongoing illness.
Sid leaves his wife Shirley, also a long time
volunteer of the park, to carry on his legacy.
He will be greatly missed.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef
Tony Emtiaz
Junior Ranger Partnership: With schools
starting back up, the Junior Ranger Program
is also back in session! Noella Gale and Shari
Garver are the museum guides at
Pennekamp’s Visitor Center and Aquarium.
On Wednesdays, they alternate working
with Key Largo Elementary School and the
Junior Rangers. These 3rd graders come to
the park to learn what it’s like to be a ranger
for a few hours, while having a great time.
Coastal Cleanup: On August 15, our
coastal cleanup resulted in the removal of
three old tires, four bags of trash, two bags
of bottles and cans, and assorted buoys and
buckets. The cleanup was organized by
Jenny Allen, Concession Biologist at the
park. Volunteers used concession kayaks to
reach the trash caught in the mangroves.
Long Key
Cathy Close & Kim Crouch
Park Facelift: Our new ranger station is
up and running. It has been elevated several
feet to prevent any flooding from storms. It
has a comfortable lobby for our visitors and
includes two glass displays in front of the
counter— one for concession items, the
other for interpretive displays. The new
offices for the Park Manager, Assistant Park
Manager, and Administrative Assistant are
a welcome addition.
An upcoming improvement will be the
replacement of two restrooms in the
campground.
Mystery Skeleton: Other interesting news
includes the mystery of a partial skeleton
that washed up on the shore of the park in
October. It appeared to be some kind of large
fish or mammal.
The bones were very brittle and fibrous.
At first, we thought they were decayed. Park
Ranger Mark Huston spoke with Dr.
Phillip Motta, Professor of Biology at the
University of South Florida, about our
strange find. Dr. Motta took some of the
vertebrae back to the university for study
and identification.
After consulting with other experts, Dr.
Motta remembered that the bones of the
ocean sunfish, Mola mola, are extremely
brittle and lightweight. The experts
confirmed his hunch. Mystery solved.
Continued from page 14
butts are little and lightweight—they are
easily carried with this runoff into our
waterways. As one of the smallest pieces of
litter, cigarette litter represents over 20% of
the litter collected in many community
cleanup initiatives. Reports from the Ocean
Conservancy’s Annual International Coastal
Cleanup include a “Dirty Dozen” list to
focus attention on the most littered items
and cigarette litter was at the top of the list
once again after the 2001 cleanup. It
outstrips the next item on their list three to
one.
Florida Park Service Newsletter
Other than aesthetic and
environmental challenges
posed by cigarette litter in our
communities, cleaning-up
cigarette litter is an increasing
financial challenge. Keep
America Beautiful has worked
with community volunteers to clean-up
litter and illegal dumping and to make
sustainable improvements neighborhoodby-neighbor-hood. Because of its small size,
cigarette litter cleanup is very difficult to
quantify as part of actual cost of regular
Park Scene: November-December 2003
maintenance and clean-up. In
various reports from state
departments of transportation
and highway departments, the
roster of items littered grows
annually. In most reports,
cigarette litter is at the top of
the list. There is information on the cost of
litter removal from our state and national
roadways and highways; there are few
statistics of the removal of all litter in
communities, parks and public spaces and
local roadways in each state.
Page 17
September-October
New Hires
Barker, Judy G.
Beckett, Todd J.
Chapman, James G.
Dorrier, Jared E.
Ellis, Joni L.
Gies, Patricia A.
Greco, Gerald J.
Harris, David L.
Hines, Constance D.
Janacek, James M.
Katzman, Lowell B.
Mann, Bruce S.
Mazzeo, Ellen M.
McCluney, Rosi, M.
Miller, Jack F.
Morris, Trina D.
Payne, Rachel L.
Pierluissi, Guillermo
Riddle, Susan R.
St. Romain, Jacob A.
Slaven-Gregory, Judy L.
Smallwood, Nathan J.
Smith, Jr., Charles E.
Smith, Heidi M.
Stackhouse, Steve A.
Starkovich, Kyle T.
Stoehr, Alissa J.
Tabone, JulieAnne
Wafle, Laura A.
Transfers
Administrative Secretary (D2/Admin.)
Park Ranger (Jonathan Dickinson)
Senior Web Page Design Specialist
(Operational Services)
Park Ranger (Honeymoon Island Admin.)
Park Program Development Specialist
(D2/Admin.)
Park Ranger (Wakulla Springs)
Park Ranger (Henderson Beach Admin.)
Park Ranger (Koreshan)
Secretary Specialist (Maclay Gardens)
Maintenance Repairman
(Homosassa Springs)
Park Ranger (Gamble Rogers/Flagler)
Toll Collector (Homosassa Springs)
Secretary Specialist
(D5/Admin./Key Largo Office)
Park Ranger (Collier-Seminole)
Park Ranger (Bahia Honda)
Park Ranger (Florida Caverns)
Park Ranger (Jonathan Dickinson)
Park Ranger (Cape Florida)
Park Ranger (Paynes Creek)
Park Ranger (Grayton Beach Admin.)
Administrative Assistant I (Lake Louisa)
Park Ranger (Ravine Gardens)
Park Ranger (Florida Caverns)
Park Ranger (Grayton Beach Admin.)
Resident Assistant Park Manager
(Paynes Prairie)
Park Ranger (Bahia Honda)
Park Services Specialist (Troy Springs)
Park Services Specialist (Paynes Prairie)
Toll Collector (Honeymoon Island Admin.)
Heare, Michael
as Park Services Specialist from Lovers Key to Koreshan.
Ozmore, Roy
as Assistant Park Manager at Lake Kissimmee Admin. to Park
Ranger at Kissimmee Prairie.
Spyckaboer, Philip
as Park Ranger from Kissimmee Prairie to Wekiva Basin.
Promotions
Bogner, Ronald
Hartsfield, Mary
Kiser, Kevin
Lightner, Maria
Miller, Tina
Spector, Tova
Suydan, Leda
Promoted to:
Assistant Park Manager
(Hugh Taylor Birch)
Administrative Assistant I
(Budgeting/Operational Compliance)
Assistant Park Manager
(Fort Pierce Inlet)
Park Services Specialist
Lovers Key
Administrative Assistant I
Lake Griffin
Biological Scientist II
(D1/Admin.)
Park Services Specialist
Topsail Hill