Orange Soil & Water Conservation District Associate Supervisor Baumier

Rookery Bay Research Reserve recently supported a Yale University research team conducting fieldwork at the Fruit Farm Creek mangrove restoration site, one of Florida’s largest and most significant mangrove recovery projects.

During their visit, the students explored both upland and aquatic areas to assess how restored mangroves are functioning. The team collected water and soil samples and installed monitoring equipment designed to track tidal movement and environmental changes over time.

The Fruit Farm Creek restoration project reopened natural tidal flow to more than 200 acres of previously damaged mangroves.

***
💡: Before you go, visit FloridaAquaticPreserves.org for updates and helpful information.

Join FMNP Founder, Marty Main, next Tuesday (1 week from today) as we host June's Southeastern Master Naturalist Continuing Education Series Program! 🐸

The webinar takes place via Zoom - registration is free & required to receive Zoom link.

Topic: Coyotes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Date: Tuesday, June 30th
Time: 7:00-8:00 PM Eastern Time / 6:00-7:00 PM Central Time
Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/53ud2ezu

Dr. Main’s research has been broadly focused on behavioral ecology and human-wildlife conflict, including studies of coyotes, the Florida panther, and jaguars in Central and South America. Hear him discuss more about coyotes in Florida - we hope to see you there! ☀️

Orange Soil and Water Conservation District

We’re now accepting applications for $310 million in funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. This year we've streamlined and simplified RCPP to ease the burden on employees and partners, and to maximize flexibility, and we’re looking for projects that prioritize one or more of the following priorities:

🚜Land management that improves land health, enhances resource management, and promotes sustainable agriculture and long-term protection of agricultural, grassland, and forestland viability;

🌱 Soil health projects using practices that focus on minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing soil cover, increasing natural vitality, and maintaining living roots throughout the year;

📡 Precision agriculture projects that use technology to target conservation efforts based on specific field conditions, potentially reducing costs and improving resource efficiency;

🌽 Farmer-focused projects that provide financial assistance and/or technical expertise for planning and practice designs in support of producer contracts; and

🦅 Projects led by Indian Tribes.

For more details: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/regional-conservation-partnership-program/news/usda-invests-up-to-310-million

Congratulations

Orange Soil and Water Conservation District

Golden Gem reclaimed water project headlines June 17 Apopka City Commission workshop | The Apopka Voice - The Apopka Voice Apopka commissioners will spend much of their June 17 workshop discussing the Golden Gem Reclaim Water Facility, a long-term regional project designed to expand reclaimed water capacity and support future growth. The update will include construction progress, environmental benefits, and plans to add...

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature … the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter."
Rachel Carson

Grateful for the opportunity to learn, serve, and grow through conservation. Onward to the next chapter.
Orange Soil and Water Conservation District

https://www.sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school/

Blue School grant The St. Johns River Water Management District plans to offer up to $60,000 during the third year of its Blue School Grant Program—the 2024–2025 school year. Up to $3,000 per teacher, per school will be awarded to K-12 teachers to enhance student knowledge of Florida’s water resources. Schools ...

From presenting our economics research and sharing about the online Master of Agribusiness program to hearing the latest in Horticultural Sciences, our faculty and staff had a great time at the Florida State Horticultural Society annual meeting earlier this week!

I had the honor of serving with Eugene on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. He’s not only a dedicated conservation advocate, but also a fellow birder and genuinely good person. Eugene has spent decades giving back to Orange County through environmental stewardship, civic engagement, and public service. People like Eugene remind us that local government works best when community members step up and get involved. Congratulations on a remarkable term, my friend, and thank you for all you’ve done for Orange County.