September - Sierra Club Florida

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6 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club September 2012 Swimsuits to Hiking Boots, Sept. 22 BY SSJ SIERRA CLUB On Sept. 22, Rainbow Springs State Park will host the exhibit “Swimsuits to Hiking Boots” to educate the public on issues facing the Rainbow River, surrounding uplands and Florida’s natural resources. The event is co-sponsored by Southwest Florida Water Management District, Marion County Springs Festival and Friends of Rainbow Springs State Park. Starting at 10 a.m., individuals working to preserve Florida’s most precious natural resource – water – will host intimate tours of the state park’s upland trail systems. There will also be informational presentations and workshops, as well as educational booths for organizations and agencies making a difference. Visitors can also rent kayaks or tubes and take a swim in the crystal clear water. Below is a list of tours and workshops already planned. • 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.: Rainbow Springs Headsprings Canoe Tour with Ranger (10-boat maximum per tour; RSVP to nicky.aiken@dep. state.fl.us) • 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.: Rainbow Springs Headsprings Snorkel Tour with volunteers (experienced snorkelers with own equipment only; 12-people per tour maximum; Photo courtesy of floridastateparks.org. Photo courtesy of floridasprings.org. RSVP to nicky.aiken@dep.state. fl.us) • 8 p.m.: Moonlight Paddle down the Rainbow River with Rangers (20-canoe maximum; RSVP to nicky.aiken@dep.state.fl.us) • 8:30 a.m.: Uplands Ecosystem Hike with Ranger (up to four miles long; 20-people per tour maximum; RSVP to nicky.aiken@dep.state. fl.us) • Florida Yards and Neighbors Workshop with Kathleen Patterson (95-people maximum; RSVP to kathleen.patterson@marioncountyfl.org) • 9 a.m.: Rainbow Springs Basin Tour with Pete Colverson (40-people maximum; RSVP to judygreenhalgh@yahoo.com) • 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.: Ranger-Guided Historic Garden Walk (20-people maximum per tour; first come, first served • 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m.: Butterfly Garden Walk and Garden Tips with volunteers (20-people maximum per tour; first come, first served) Park admission is $2 per person, but children 6 and under are free. More information is available by contacting Nicky Aiken, Park Services Specialist, at nicky. aiken@dep.state.fl.us. Rainbow Springs State Park is located at 19158 SW 81st Place Road in Dunnellon. For more information on Swimsuits to Hik- ing Boots, contact Nicky Aiken, Park Services Spe- cialist, at nicky.aiken@ dep.state.fl.us.
September 2012 Suwannee-St. Johns Sierra Club 7 Upcoming SSJ Outings Saturday, September 29: Exploring Florida’s Fragile Fountains - Spring-Hopping Near Branford Tom Morris and Rob Hopkins have agreed to lead a number of outings this fall, where we spend the day spring hopping. We will refer to these outings as “Exploring Florida’s Fragile Fountains” as a preview to John Moran’s new book, “Springs Eternal: Florida’s Fragile Fountains of Youth,” appearing in the Spring of 2014. The first such outing will be held on Sept. 29 near Branford, where Tom and Rob will hop the following springs: Branford, Little River, Royal, Cow, Running, Peacock, Troy and Ruth. Tom has dove them all. Bring bathing suits, snorkel gear, sun block, lunch and water. For more information, contact Dave Wilson at dcwswamp@yahoo.com. Sunday, October 7: Bike Ride Around Micanopy, Evinston and McIntosh Join us on a leisurely 19-mile bike ride in and around Micanopy, Evinston and McIntosh, all beautiful “old” Florida villages. No big hills - that’s a promise, and we won’t ride fast. Helmets are required: no helmet, no ride. Maps will be provided. Park and meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Micanopy library/town hall. Bring water and a snack. Call Kate Lee at 352-378-2344 for more details. Saturday, December 1: Second Bike Ride Around Micanopy We’re going to repeat this terrific ride on Micanopy’s really back roads for a 22-mile ride with only a couple of hills. There’s a surprise mid-way: a farm with zebra, oryx and who knows what else. It’s a wonderful easy and scenic ride. Helmets are required: no helmet, no ride. Maps will be provided. Park and meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Micanopy library/town hall. Bring water and a snack, and your camera for this one. Call Kate Lee at 352-378-2344 for details. Great Suwannee River Cleanup Kick-Off September 8 Gilchrest County Park at U.S. 47 bridge south of Ft. White 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.: Cleanup 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Kick-off Party with food, music and exhibits Volunteers still needed for cleanup! To register or find out more, email Fritzi Olsen at aar@currentproblems.org. When Rivers Run Dry, cont’d from pg. 2 we can observe and photograph vulnerable sites for ourselves. Also, Daniel Freed is organizing an SSJ film series at the Civic Media Center. Maybe we should expand UF’s Common Reading Program to something larger in the community. Water might be a great place to start. Our local writers, artists, filmakers, craftsmen, researchers and journalists form a core talent pool that is already focused on the problem. I, for one, would like to see these efforts coordinated into a larger effort that not only penetrates the consciousness of the electorate, but also begins addressing the magnitude of the problem. With the Floridan Aquifer stretching from Ocala to Savannah and with consumptive use permits being handed out like candy, we need a regional response that uses the media to deliver the science to the masses in a way that can be comprehended easily. Why don’t we all begin by reading “Blue Revolution”? When you are finished, pass it on to a friend. INNER CITY OUTINGS LEADER TRAINING AND MEETING FOR SOUTHEAST GROUPS OCTOBER 26-28 NEAR JACKSONVILLE (LOCATION TBA) Carpooling will be organized. For more information, contact Maryvonne Devensky at marydeven@yahoo.com.
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September - Sierra Club Florida

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