Be EPIC!

The Florida Everglades is an ecosystem found nowhere else on earth, and its very existence is constantly under threat. In order to preserve this natural wonder, we all need to make changes. As the source of our drinking water, home to species of flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth, and a major layover for hundreds of migratory bird species, we must make sure that we take the steps necessary to ensure its preservation for generations to come.

One of the greatest threats to the Everglades is habitat destruction, and pollution is a major contributor. Every day, about 1,650 people move to Florida. With these new residents comes increased single-use plastics, increased water consumption, increased solid waste, and urban sprawl that moves us closer and closer to this precious habitat. In South Florida, roughly eight million people depend on the Florida Everglades for their drinking water. Much of the water we drink comes from the Biscayne Aquifer, an underground river that is replenished by the flow of water through the Everglades, whose wetlands filter out the impurities. Impurities that can’t be filtered out, however, are microplastics. Plastics persist in the environment forever. Even when they are broken down over multiple lifetimes, tiny plastic particles remain and are consumed by fish, birds and animals, eventually making their way into our bodies through the food that we eat. Other impurities that pollute the water in the Everglades are chemicals and pesticides from farming which leech into the groundwater, and as runoff into the wetlands. These toxic chemicals not only end up in our water, but they affect the hundreds of thousands of birds which live in or pass through the Florida Everglades on their annual migration. For these reasons and more, preserving and protecting the Everglades is imperative, AND YOU CAN HELP!

By making small changes such as reducing our use of plastics, reusing our waste products and conserving water, together we can impact great change. Flamingo Gardens is poised to present education on everyday changes that can make a difference to over a quarter of a million guests each year. By presenting information through signage, classes, programs and events, Flamingo Gardens aims to educate and inspire the public to make changes in their everyday lives to help preserve the Everglades.

We invite you to join us and “Be EPIC”. That stands for Everglades Preservation Involves Change.

 

We know it won’t be easy. It is going to take all of us making changes to achieve the following goals:

Water conservation – Did you know that Flamingo Gardens consumed 5,104,000 gallons of city water in 2022? Our goal for the next year is to reduce our city-water consumption by 5%. That’s just over 250,000 gallons of water which is a significant amount of water to be saved. At home, you can take steps to reduce your water consumption by installing low-flow sinks and low-capacity toilets, fixing leaky pipes and hoses, only running your dishwasher when it is full, and turning off the water when brushing your teeth.

Reduced single-use plastic consumption – Did you know that in 2022, Flamingo Gardens sold over 17,000 beverages in single-use plastic bottles? Our goal is to completely stop sales of all plastic drink bottles at Flamingo Gardens in the next year. Plan on seeing more water refill stations throughout the gardens, and pick up a Flamingo Gardens reusable water bottle next time you’re in the Gift Shop. At home, you can reduce single-use plastic consumption by replacing bottled shampoo with a shampoo bar, ditching plastic straws for the reusable stainless-steel variety, asking for no extras when you get takeout, and bringing your own reusable bags when you shop.

Composting – Did you know that Flamingo Gardens has a compost pile? Our Horticulture Department has been composting plant material at the nursery for well over a year, and that compost material is used throughout the gardens as rich soil. Our goal is to increase compost production at Flamingo Gardens by 50% in the next year, by installing compost collection stations at the Flamingo Pond Snack Bar / Grill and in our Animal Care clinic. You can compost your own organic waste at home and use it in your own garden. Some cities are implementing composting city-wide, and if your city isn’t one of them, you can advocate for that change.

All of these changes won’t happen overnight, but we are excited to implement strategies here at Flamingo Gardens, with your help, to preserve our precious resource and natural wonder, the Florida Everglades. Keep an eye out for new signage and more as we roll out our Be EPIC campaign in the coming months.

Eco-teers – Tree Tops Park Invasive Species Removal

EcoTeers had their third project of the month! They participated in an invasive species removal where we dug up snake plants and removed them from Tree Tops Park. During this project they managed to remove 400.1 pounds of Dracaena Trifasciata (snake plants) by the roots in under three hours. These plants were double bagged into 5 separate garbage bags and disposed of away from the park. 

Eco-teers – Beach Clean Up & Pollinator Project

Eco-teers June Projects

Beach Clean Up - Sat June 10th, 2023

at 4414 N. Surf Road in Hollywood, Florida. (MEEC at the Carpenter House).

On Saturday the Eco-Teers participated in a collective Beach Cleanup/Meet and Greet where we partnered with the Marine Environmental Education Center (MEEC) and worked alongside other organizations such as Youth Environmental Alliance (YEA) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU). We had a booth set up in order to educate the public on Flamingo Gardens and what the Eco-Teers do as an outreach conservation and preservation group. We had a total of 9 volunteers show up with 7 of those being already existing members of the Eco-Teers and managed to collect a total of 28.27 pounds of garbage from Dania Beach.

Pollinator Project - June 11th, 2023

at Southgate Meadows, Tamarac

Backstory: Sue Chalmers (a friend of Flamingo Gardens) has received a donation and a plot of land to create and care for as a “meadow” on the NE corner of Southgate Blvd and University Drive in Tamarac, Florida. Her motto for this project is “Mow to Meadow: Build it and they will come” meaning if we spend our time building a miniature ecosystem we will see a positive result in the way of providing homes and nutrients to other species of insects and birds along with nurturing the growth and bloom of other native plants. For this Project, Sue and I discussed quite a few ways the Eco-Teers can help build upon the reconstruction of this grassy area. Some of those ideas include digging plots, labelling plots of land, removing invasives, planting natives, spreading seeds, and other educational applied experiences. This project is beneficial to the Eco-Teers in that they will learn in a hands-on environment and the process will provide multiple projects for them to take part in and see the results of. 

On Sunday June 11th, about 7 Eco-Teers contributed to the Meadow project by removing invasive species (plants, weeds, etc.), planting native flowers, collecting bidents to spread on another project date that will, in time,  attract butterflies to the meadow. They spent time learning about different species of butterflies and flowers such as Gulf Fritillary butterflies and Sulphur butterflies. They removed 5-10 pounds of invasive weeds that were running through the garden and around our native plants and planted 9 Mexican Poppy (yellow-prickly poppy) or known by its scientific name as “Argemone Mexicana”.

If you would like to join the Eco-teers and help make an impact in our community against pollution and climate change, contact Ashley at [email protected] or call 954-473-2955 for more information.

By Way of The Dodo

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct species of bird that once lived on Mauritius island off the coast of Madagascar. Dodos have become a symbol of human-caused extinction. The dodo is also the centerpiece of a new exhibit at Flamingo Gardens highlighting the impact of Climate Change on wildlife. Sean Kenney’s Nature POP®! exhibit of 44 sculptures made from more than 800,000 LEGO® bricks consider the interconnectedness of nature and climate change through the highly stylized, colorful displays.

The dodo was a flightless relative of pigeons and doves, which once inhabited the islands of Mauritius and Reunion. Their large size and inability to fly were adaptations that contributed to their survival among the island’s adverse conditions and climate change events, including extreme drought and volcanic eruptions. These adaptations, however, became a hindrance when the Dutch colonized the islands in the 1600s. Mauritius and its neighboring islands harbored no permanent human population before the Dutch East India Company established a settlement there in the 1600s. By then, previous visitors to the island had already introduced so many predators that dodos no longer roamed the beaches and mountains. Later, deforestation removed much of the dodo’s woodland habitat. By the end of the 17th century, the dodo was extinct.

Estimates show that by 2100, up to 14% of all bird species across the globe could be extinct, given the momentum of climate change, widespread habitat loss, and an increasing number of invasive species.

It’s not just birds that will be affected. Biologists are becoming more and more concerned that global climate change will drastically reduce wildlife biodiversity. Some biologists estimate that 35% of animals and plants could become extinct in the wild by 2050 due to global climate change.

To date, global warming has been most pronounced in the Artic, and this trend is projected to continue. Temperatures in the Arctic are rising nearly four times as fast as the global average, and Arctic Sea ice extent has declined since 1979 for every month of each year. There are suggestions that before mid-century we could have a nearly ice-free Artic in the summer and two-thirds of the world’s polar bears could be extinct if greenhouse gas-fueled global warming keeps melting their Arctic Sea ice habitat.

A recent two-year drought in Kenya has wiped out 2% of the world’s rarest zebra species as the climate crisis continues to take its toll on Africa’s wildlife. The Grévy’s zebra is in rapid decline, with estimates that their population has decreased by 50% over the last 18 years, attributed in part to having one of the most substantial reductions of range of any African mammal. Once found roaming across Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia, the animal is now confined to Ethiopia and Kenya, with an estimated 1,966 to 2,447 left in the wild. The biggest threat to zebra populations are habitat loss and drought. Increasing temperatures and changes to the rainy seasons mean lack of water for zebras, forcing them to congregate at the remaining water sources where there is an increased chance of disease.

Most of the time when we think about climate change, we think about warming temperatures. However, rainfall patterns will change as well, which is something that insects seem to be especially sensitive to. Rainfall extremes can have negative effects on insect populations over very short timescales.

Insects are incredibly diverse and important, filling the ecosystem roles of pollination and decomposition, and as a food source for many birds and mammals. Spiders eat an astronomical number of insects, many of which are agricultural pests or the carriers of human diseases. Their loss will become ours as it impacts future ecosystems.

Several traits make the monarch vulnerable to a changing climate. Like most butterflies, they are extremely sensitive to weather and climate, depending on environmental cues (temperature in particular) to trigger reproduction, migration, and hibernation. Their dependence on milkweed alone as a host plant is a further vulnerability, particularly as milkweed abundance is declining throughout the monarch range.

The bald eagle is a resilient species, and often held up as a symbol for conservation success. But as the climate changes, they too face new challenges. Extreme temperatures cause drought which threatens bodies of water that eagles depend on. Stream temperatures have spiked in recent years as glaciers retreat and provide less cool water, affecting cold-water species like salmon that bald eagles rely on for food. Climate change has also led to heavier river flows and floods in late fall, washing dead salmon out to sea before they can be eaten by eagles.

Global warming also brings extreme weather and damaging winds that can endanger nests and baby birds, and in the south, extreme heat which could threaten the bird’s ability to reproduce. Taking all these factors into account, the Audubon Society predicts that three quarters of the bald eagles’ current summer range will become unsuitable for the birds in 60 years’ time.

Sculptures featured in Sean Kenney’s Nature Pop®! exhibit include a polar bear, zebra, lion, snow leopard, rabbits, dragon flies, and many more.  Nature Pop®! hopes to engage young brick-building enthusiasts and inspire acts of art, preservation, and conservation while educating the public about Climate Change and its impact on global wildlife.

Sean Kenney’s Nature Pop®! is on display at Flamingo Gardens May 27 to September 4, 2023. Tickets are included with the price of admission. For more information, visit www.FlamingoGardens.org or call 954-473-2955.

SW 36th Court Canal Clean Up

12 Eco-Teers gathered at Flamingo Gardens, May 6th, 2023, from the morning hours of 9AM to 12PM. Some were Flamingo Gardens volunteers and others were new Eco-teers members who applied through their science teachers over at their respective high schools (i.e. American Heritage and Miramar High School). 

Their purpose was to collect garbage out of our SW 36th Court canal adjacent to Flamingo Gardens. Eco-Teers spent three hours cleaning up the canal and additional parking on the corner of South Flamingo Road. The volunteers found plenty of bottles (plastic and glass), paper, damaged car tires, etc. A total of 232.22 pounds of garbage was removed that day! 

UPDATE!

On May 20th the Eco-teers conducted another canal clean up. As a group of 14, 61.77 pounds of garbage was collected from and around our canals during the hours of 9AM to 11:30AM. Bringing the total to 293.99 pounds of trash collected out of our local canal. Below are some photos from that day!

If you would like to join the Eco-teers and help make an impact in our community against pollution and climate change, contact Ashley at [email protected] or call 954-473-2955 for more information.

 

The Host Plants for 12+ Native Butterflies

Pollinators are one of the wildlife populations most impacted by climate change, pesticide use, and habitat loss. Bees, hummingbirds, bats, and butterflies are all facing unprecedented threats as they struggle to adapt and survive the changing rhythms of weather and the seasons and changes to their natural landscape. After opening the new Butterfly Conservatory at Flamingo Gardens earlier this year, we’ve been flooded with questions regarding which plants are best to attract butterflies. Before we answer that question, it is important to understand the difference between butterfly nectar source plants and butterfly host plants.

Nectar source plants attract adult butterflies by supplying nectar (sugar-rich liquid). These plants vary in size, fragrance, and shape of the flower. All nectar source plants have nectar that is sipped by the butterfly, but the plant is not eaten by them. Most butterflies are attracted to almost all nectar plants, but it is specific butterfly host plants that are truly important for their survival.

Host plants (or larval plants) are plants that the butterfly larvae will eat. Butterfly species lay their eggs on or near the specific host plants that their caterpillar larvae will eat. Each species has a very narrow range of host plants that supply the necessary chemicals required for proper nourishment and growth of the caterpillars. Without enough of these critical host plants, caterpillar larvae will starve and die, threatening the very existence of butterfly species populations.

Here are the necessary host plants needed to attract some of the more desired Broward County native butterflies to your garden:

Host Plants for Monarch and Queen Butterfly
(and Soldier Butterfly, not shown)
Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea)
White Twinevine (Funastrum clausum)
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias perennis)

Host Plants for Zebra Longwing, Julia, and Gulf Fritillary Butterfly

Corkystem Passionflower (Passiflora suberosa)
Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Lady Margaret Passionflower (Passiflora Lady Margaret)

Host Plants for Orange-barred Sulphur

(and Cloudless Sulfur Butterfly, not shown)
Popcorn Cassia (Senna didymobotrya)
Bahama Cassia (Senna mexicana chapmanii)

Host Plant for Statira Sulphur Butterfly

Red Powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala)

Host Plant for White Peacock

(and the Phaon Crescent and Common Buckeye Butterfly, not shown)
Frog Fruit, (Phyla nodiflora)

Host Plant for Atala Butterfly

Coontie (Zamia integrifolia)

Host Plant for Malachite Butterfly

Carolina wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis)

Host Plants for Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

Wild Lime (Zanthoxylum fagara) or any citrus or lime plant

Host Plants for Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) or dill or fennell
A cautionary warning- caterpillars will devour the host plants! You’ll want to provide several of each species of host plant you select so there is plenty of food for the caterpillars to eat. You don’t want the caterpillars to run out of food midway through their growth cycle. Most gardeners don’t like the look of caterpillar-ravaged host plants in their gardens, so plant the host plants interspersed among nectar plants to hide the half-eaten leaves.

Butterfly conservation organizations agree that we can help our native butterfly populations become more resilient by providing the proper host or larval plants in our landscape. With just a little effort and the proper host plants, you can attract these Broward County native butterflies to your yard and help them survive! If you wish to learn more about Florida butterflies and establishing a butterfly garden, the University of Florida has excellent information on Butterfly Gardening in Florida at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/UW/UW05700.pdf

Note: The plants listed in this article can be difficult to find. We recommend looking at nurseries that specialize in Florida native plants and/or butterfly plants. Flamingo Gardens is now propagating these plants in our nursery, but the caterpillars are eating them quicker than we can propagate, so at present we do not have extra host plants to sell. We hope to in the future. Meanwhile we hope this information has been helpful.

Eco-teer Peace River Restoration Project

The city of Punta Gorda suffered widespread losses as a result of Hurricane Ian in Fall of 2022. Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens fell within hurricane Ian’s path resulting in major environmental impacts such as the destruction of their trees and plants.

The Flamingo Gardens’ Eco-teers traveled to Peace River with over 500 native trees as well as host and nectar plants to help restore some ground on March 25th. Volunteers spent their day planting cypress, elderberry, coral bean, magnolia, lantana, and coontie.

Within the same week, Eco-teers took their talents to Fort Lauderdale Beach in partnership with the Youth Environmental Alliance on April 1st. Their mission was to plant 4000 sea oats in an effort to restore our sand dunes and they succeeded. 

 

Sand dunes provide natural coastal protection against storm surge, reducing coastal flooding and structural damage. Sand dunes also provide rich habitat for specific vegetation and wildlife. The sea oats are a Hardy and salt tolerant plant that play a major role in building and stabilizing the dunes. They help trap wind-blown sand which helps in maintain the form of the dunes and they have an extensive root system that grows horizontally and acts as the main support to keep the dune raised.

If you would like to join the next Eco-teer project, contact Glennys Navarrete at [email protected] for an application.

The Need For Bees

Without bees, many of the food crops in the United States would not even exist! In the US alone, honey bees are responsible for the pollination of $15 billion worth of crop . Pollination is a critical process in plants, allowing for the reproduction of plants, resulting in the next generation of crops. Plants are a critical part of our food chain and a source of food for all herbivores. Plants are also responsible for the purification of the atmosphere as they take in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. Therefore, bees are indirectly responsible for our ability to eat and breath!

 

Bee populations are declining at alarming rates in recent years. The Smithsonian Magazine reports that bee populations declined just five to ten percent annually in the 1980s, but recent years have seen annual declines from 22 to 30 percent. Populations are declining due to a variety of factors including habitat destruction, pesticides, disease, and a changing climate.

Habitat Loss 

Studies indicate that bee territories have shrunk by nearly 200 miles in North America and Europe primarily due to human encroachment as more land is developed for housing, commerce, and agriculture. Consequently, the habitat ranges for the honeybees have become smaller and they are challenged as to where they should set their hives. Unlike other insects like butterflies that easily adapt to new habitat ranges, some bee species like bumblebees rarely shift their habitat. Thus, habitat loss may eventually result in the extinction of some species of bees. 

Increased habitat loss has led to native bees experiencing a significantly greater threat to extinction than ever before. Of the nearly 30,000 species of bees across the world, most native bee species are dependent upon a particular plant species for survival. The destruction of the bees’ particular habitat is a near certain death sentence for many bee species that are not suited to migration. Examples of the most threatened native bee species include yellow carpet solitary bee, sunflower leaf-cutting bee, wild sweet potato bee, and Gulf Coast solitary bee.

Diseases

Bees are particularly vulnerable to some species of gut and mite parasites that thrive in warm temperatures. One of the glaring effects of climate change is the increase in temperatures and shorter cold seasons. These high temperatures mean that bees are at greater risk of diseases and parasites now than they were before due to climate change. 

Seasonal Timing 

In their role as pollinators, timing is crucial for bees. The time of spring flowering and the hatching of bee larvae must coincide for successful pollination to take place. Usually, bees come out of winter hibernation at exactly the same time when flowers begin to bloom. Warmer temperatures in recent years have resulted in earlier snow melts and earlier bloom periods that occur before the bees start to emerge. If the flowers are available and there are no bees around to pollinate them, a mismatch occurs. This loss of synchronicity between bees and the flowering plants results in a decrease in seed production and plant reproduction, resulting in a food shortage for the bee population.

Three Ways To Help Bees:

  1. Plant a Bee Garden. Create a habitat for bees with plants that are rich in pollen and nectar. Bees are drawn to single flowers with one ring of petals where the central part of the flower is easily accessible. You don’t need a ton of space to grow bee-friendly plants — gardens can be established across yards and in window boxes, flowerpots, and planters.
  2. Go Chemical-Free for Bees. Bees are insects so synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and neonicotinoids are harmful to bees, wreaking havoc on their sensitive systems. Avoid treating your garden and green spaces with synthetics. Instead, use organic products and natural solutions such as compost to aid soil health and add beneficial insects that keep pests away, such as ladybugs and praying mantises.
  3. Plant a tree. When a tree blooms, it provides hundreds and thousands of blossoms from which bees can feed. In fact, bees get most of their nectar from trees! Trees are not only a great food source for bees, but are also an essential habitat. Tree leaves and resin provide nesting material for bees, while natural wood cavities make excellent shelters.

For more ways to help bees visit www.theBeeConservancy.org.

Eco-Teers In Action!

With only a few days into the month of March, the Eco-teers have already dedicated much of their time in restoring our coastal habitats and spreading climate change awareness.

1000 sea oats were planted at Fort Lauderdale Beach in partnership with the Youth Environmental Alliance (YEA) in an effort to restore coastal sand dunes in South Florida. Sand dunes provide habitat for several coastal species and protection from storms. Not even the blazing heat could have stopped Ezequiel, Lori, Rami, Han, Sohail, Kevin, Christopher, Laurent, Madison and Faith from getting the job done.

In downtown Fort Lauderdale, some of the Eco-teers spent their day at the Science Festival hosted by the Museum of Discovery and Science. Tiffany and Tori provided a climate presentation discussing the latest climate science, impacts and solutions as part of their climate training provided by the CLEO Institute. 

The science festival also allowed students to compete in the build a better world challenge. The challenge allowed students to design solutions in cutting waste and boosting efficiency in the fight against climate change. Ines, Giuliana and Karen participated in the challenge and won first prize for their project on harvesting rainwater to reduce carbon emissions released from local water treatment plants.

Way To Go Eco-Teers!

Join in on the next projector to become a member please email:

[email protected]

Eco-teers: BCPS Climate Youth Summit

On February 10th, The Eco-teers participated in the fifth annual Broward County Public Schools Youth Climate Summit as a climate sponsor for the event. Hundreds of Broward County students gathered at Pompano Beach High School to discuss the solutions they can implement in their community.

Karen Hendriks, Ines Rosales, and Giuliana Mudryj shared their experience as Eco-teers and encouraged students to join them at Flamingo gardens to make environmental change. Along with their optimistic perspectives, they brought along some popular pollinators such as the Monarch and Zebra Longwing butterfly to highlight the importance of the role they have and how climate change severely increases biodiversity loss.