Fw: ONP Update October 2009
Avalon Home & Property Owners
From: ONP Postmaster <postm...@oaklandnaturepreserve.org>
To: ahp...@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, October 13, 2009 6:13:33 AM
Subject: ONP Update October 2009
ONP Update October 2009
Hot weather continues to limit a lot of activity at the preserve for all but the hardiest of souls. We are looking forward to a cool-down coming this weekend so we can get back to hiking, birding, weeding and all the other things we do.
The preserve is looking better and better and gets more interesting all the time. Migrating birds are just beginning to arrive and we are seeing more and more wildlife: bobcats, marsh and cotton-tail rabbits, gopher tortoises, raccoons and others. The mother alligator with babies is still hanging out under the boardwalk and has been there for over two months. Frostweed, with clusters of white flowers is in full bloom.
We have started installation of a habitat garden near the parking lot, where our old office trailer was located. Our goal is to demonstrate how a well-planned landscape with native plants can be important in attracting and supporting wildlife. Our next planting work party is this Saturday, October 17, beginning at 9:00 A.M. so plan to come out and help for a couple of hours.
Archeologists are now doing a survey of the entire preserve property to see if there may be significant artifacts and to help us trace the history of the site. They will also be helping with displays and will donate artifacts from the Town of Oakland excavations now being conducted. We will again have archeology interns working on our Lake Apopka history archives this semester.
We have many other activities, all free, which I hope will get good attendance:
1. Every Wednesday morning the "Garden of Weedin Group" meets at 8:00 A.M. for 2-3 hours of work on our restoration sites. Please try to donate some time to this worthy project.
2. Thursday night, October 15 at 7:00 P.M. our new Education Director, Clay Ferrara, will give the first of his scheduled bimonthly programs. This week it will be on biodiversity and will be entitled "Where Did All Those Animals Come From?" Free and open to the public.
3. Our monthly TAKE A HIKE program will be held on Sunday, October 18 beginning at 2:00 P.M. These will be slow and easy interpreted hikes in the preserve.
4. Don't forget our biggest event, the annual Oakland Heritage, Arts and Crafts Festival will be held on Saturday, October 24 starting at 10:00 A.M. This is our major fundraiser and is always a fun
event, featuring vendors, entertainment, hay rides, history tours and boat tours of Lake Apopka. Plan to attend all day.
5. On Thursday November 5 at 5:00 P.M. David Walker, project manager for Lake Apopka will provide an update on lake data at the regular board meeting of the Friends of Lake Apopka to be held at the preserve. The public is welcome.
6. Go on line and visit our new website and let us know what you think at www.oaklandnaturepreserve.org.
I am very happy to see the activities happening at ONP - this is the reason we have worked so hard to acquire this piece of land and work so hard to develop this project!
Sincerely,
Jim Thomas
President, Oakland Nature Preserve
If you would like further information on any of these items, contact us at the preserve office (407) 905-0054 , or go to our website at www.oaklandnaturepreserve.org at any time.
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