Friday, November 20, 2009

Florida Wildflower Foundation Seeking Volunteers for Wildflower Surveys

Florida Wildflower Foundation Seeking Volunteers for Wildflower Surveys

This year the Florida Wildflower Foundation completed spring, summer and fall surveys of naturally occurring wildflowers along the five-county St. Johns to the Sea Loop trail (Putnam, Volusia, Brevard, Flagler and St. Johns counties), which will soon become the state’s first Wildflower Trail.

In 2010, the Foundation plans to survey other wildflower-profuse areas in the Panhandle and in North, Central and South Florida. The surveys will identify showy areas of native wildflowers in order to document species and suggest management practices. This research also will help us promote Florida’s native wildflowers as economic and intrinsic community assets.

First, though, we need the assistance of residents and visitors to find wildflower sites throughout the state. They can help by sending the following information by Dec. 1 to the Foundation at wildflower.research@gmail.com:

1. Approximate locations of any showy roadside or trailside (paved bike or foot path) native wildflowers seen in Florida during spring, summer and/or fall.

Include:

a. The scientific or common name of the plant species. If the name is unknown, describe the flowering plants’ characteristics (i.e., color, height, growth habit, etc.).

b. The road’s name, as well as a nearby intersection or another landmark that will help us locate the site.

c. The geographic region (defined below) and the city and/or county in which the site occurs.

d. The approximate date of the sighting. If the date is unknown, please include the season.

e. A description of the habitat (i.e., wet ditch, sand dune, pine forest, etc.).

f. Digital photos, if possible.

2. The names and locations of public lands (state, national, city and county parks; water management district holdings, etc.) that have great native wildflower displays, along with species names and approximate bloom dates.

Garden or civic clubs that have planted roadside or trailside native wildflowers can help by sending the planting’s location and a species list.

Geographic regions are defined as:

Panhandle: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson.

North Florida: Madison, Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, Marion, Alachua, Levy, Bradford, Union, Gilchrist, Dixie, Lafayette, Suwannee, Taylor.

Central Florida: Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Sumter, Citrus, Manatee, Hardee, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Indian River, De Soto, Sarasota.

South Florida: Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Dade, Monroe.

Florida Wildflower Foundation

PO Box 941066

Maitland, FL 32794-1066

407-353-6164

www.floridawildflowerfoundation.org

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

FWC News - Painted Bunting Observer Team needs help from volunteers

Want to help the painted bunting?

The Painted Bunting Observer Team (PBOT) Project at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) needs your assistance with these brightly colored migratory birds.

The team is looking for volunteers to help with a research study in Florida to develop strategies to bring the bird's population up to healthy and sustainable levels.

FWC News - Painted Bunting Observer Team needs help from volunteers

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Stream Waterwatch training

Stream Waterwatch

Volunteers Make the Difference

Mark your Calendars!

Stream Waterwatch's Introduction to Water Quality Training &

Water Quality Assurance

Location: HCC’s English Creek Facility

Saturday, November 7th at 10:00 am

The Hillsborough Community College English Creek facility is located on the north side of State Road 60, just west (about ½ mile) of the Polk County line (County Line Road). The entrance gate (one side should be open) is on the north side of SR 60 between Sam Hicks Road and the bridge over English Creek.

Please RSVP if you plan on attending to streamwaterwatch@bellsouth.net

Water Quality Testing Questions

Email Erik at stream-waterwatch@juno.com

Benthic Questions/or to Schedule a personal benthic training session at your site

Email Peggy at pegrat307@msn.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Sending Science Down The Phone: New Technology Will Map Research Across The World

ScienceDaily (2009-10-21) -- New mobile phone software will help epidemiologists and ecologists working in the field to analyse their data remotely and map findings across the world, without having to return to the lab, according to research. The authors of the study say the software will also enable members of the public to act as 'citizen scientists' and help collect data for community projects.
Read full article at Science Daily.