Phase II
It is time to really crank
up the activity on the expansion of the Trail project. Here's
what we need:
Volunteer
Recruitment . Please talk amongst your friends
and associates. We've seen what 35 Boy Scouts and their families
can accomplish. Can you imagine what 100 adults could do in a
few hours? Talk to your church groups, civic organizations, clubs
and neighborhood associations to spread the word. It's surprising
how much people care about the environment, and even more surprising
to realize how many people are unaware of the scrub-jay and its
status.
Remember
this is Florida 's only endemic bird!
Leadership
and Coordination . We need a person or people
to schedule, communicate with and line up volunteers to work
on the following tasks:
o Tree
Cutting and removal . We will be cutting down and dragging
away every other citrus tree in order to clear the way for new
planting. Hundreds of trees will be removed, and the remaining
will be pruned down to "scrub-jay size".
o Sod
and invasive removal. We are looking for open sand,
and this will require raking and hauling away, once the herbicide
has been sprayed. This operation is critical to scrub-jay survival.
This is a tedious job with visible results.
o Planting
Committee. Over 1500 trees, shrubs and groundcovers
will be delivered shortly, and will have to be planted. There
will be a planting layout to follow carefully.
o Irrigation
Committee. We will follow the formula used on the front
acreage, with more attention given to water pressure and sprayer
volume.
o Festivals
and Speaking Engagements . The calendar is filled with
festivals and speaking engagements, as well as private tours
of the trail.
If you are interested in attending an upcoming
festival or leading a group tour of the trail, your talents are
needed. All it
takes is your passion for sharing what you already know about the
Florida Scrub-Jay. It is amazing how you can change someone's life.
If you are willing to commit to participating
in any of these activities, please let us know. We are excited
about this wave of interest in the Florida Scrub-Jay. With your
support, the
next phase of the trail can take place and that affects the entire
state. We thank you for your dedication.
So that's it for the Florida Scrub-Jay
Trail Newsletter for July. We look forward to increased activity
in August, and a completion of Phase II of the Trail by year's
end.
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Dan
Cleary refurbished
the Pine Ridge Elementary School sign by sanding down the wood
and repainting the schoolhouse. The
sign marks the garden planted by the students last spring. Thanks
Dan, it looks great!
Native
plants are remarkable and ever changing. If
you miss one week on the trail you may miss the bloom for an
entire year. Louise caught several flowers in full bloom and
has made signs for the trail with these new photos.