View from the L-39 Levee - Photo by Jeremy Raines
Cycling West on the L-39 Levee
By Jeremy Raines
I was concerned that I had not bicycled much
this season. Turns out I need not have worried.
One morning a friend and I embarked on a
marathon bicycle ride into the Refuge. There
are two crushed limestone levees that intersect
at right angles at our starting point, about 20 minutes west
of my home in Deerfield Beach. Levee 40 runs north and
south, with the Everglades on its west and residential
neighborhoods on its east, a sad reminder of how
developers will destroy wilderness areas if given half a
chance.
That’s why I find Levee 39 far more attractive. It runs
east and west, with pristine Everglades wilderness on
both its north and south. Levee 39 was off limits to
bicyclists until last fall. Now, however, there is a bold
brown official national park sign displaying the bicycle
icon, affirming that Levee 39 is now open to cyclists.
In the past, I have hiked on foot along Levee 39 up to the
Third Water Control Gate, about 12 miles round trip. But
there was still tantalizing wilderness beyond that, too far
to access without a bicycle. On this day, we were going
to blow away that limitation.
Friends Annual Membership Meeting
On our bicycles, we reached the Third Water Control
Gate in about an hour and stopped for a picnic lunch.
Afterwards, we pressed on through unspoiled
wilderness. The bright white crushed limestone levee
wound through tall swamp grass and vast expanses of
water on either side, and the deep blue sky was filled
with billowy white clouds, a picture perfect day. Our only
visible company was tropical birds and an occasional
alligator.
The silence and solitude were exquisitely delicious, rare
commodities in our modern world inundated with noise
and artificial lighting. We did not encounter a soul,
except for two Broward County fire & rescue officers on a
training exercise, who passed us in their bright red truck.
We stopped to chat and exchange jokes for a couple of
(Continued on page 9)
18th Annual Everglades Day
All Day Family Festival
Saturday, February 11, 2017
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“Mother Nature’s Magic Show”
Activities for All Ages
Speakers, Exhibits, Food, Music,
Wildlife Presentations, Plein Air Painters
FREE ADMISSION
Sunday, January 29, 2017
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Visitor Center Auditorium
Come join us and gain insights from our speaker
Martha Musgrove, a board member of
Florida Wildlife Federation, who spent 37 years as a reporter,
writer and editor for Cox Newspapers and
The Miami Herald. She retired to establish
Decision Maker Forums, to promote public discussion of
Everglades and environmental issues.
Enjoy Wine and Cheese on the Pavilion afterwards.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 1
Snake Encounter - Photo by Alan Crutcher
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Save our Refuge!
By Elinor Williams
The South Florida Water Management
District is considering terminating the
50-year lease under which the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service operates the Refuge due to
insufficient federal funding for controlling invasive
exotics. After listening to members of the public speak
up in protest at meetings of the governing board, the
board has sought to reassure the public that they would
not lose access to the Refuge in the event of a takeover
by the state. We would still be able to come out to the
boat ramps and launch our boats and fish at the pier.
But it's so much more than that.
Visitors come here from all 50 states and from all over
the world for the educational as well as the recreational
opportunities the Refuge has to offer.
Refuge staff provide hands-on learning experiences on
an almost daily basis for school groups and others,
including the Caridad Center, Queen of Peace Mission,
JROTC, and YMCA. The students learn about
Everglades native species, invasive species, tree islands
and gator holes and where our water comes from; some
are taught how to conduct water quality tests; all of them
get to hunt for lizards, spiders, alligators, butterflies and
whatever else happens along.
Scientists and researchers come from all over the
world. This month seven wetland scientists from the
Chinese Academy of Sciences came to the Refuge to
learn about the ongoing research in the mini-Everglades
ecosystem of the LILA impoundments.
The District's governing board tells us that the Fish and
Wildlife Service would be welcome to continue these
activities, but the Service would not be able to justify the
current level of staffing after losing most of the more than
140,000 acres that now comprise the Refuge. It is not
clear what level of staffing could be provided by the
District, given that it finds itself cash-strapped and
dependent on the state legislature for funding in the
same way the Service must depend on Congress.
We have met with members of Congress to try find more
funding and we have written to the Governor and pointed
out that more state dollars would be spent taking over the
Refuge than in continuing to work together in partnership
to combat invasive exotics. A number of organizations
are advocating on our behalf in Washington and
Tallahassee, including the National Wildlife Refuge
Association, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife
Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon Florida,
Florida Wildlife Federation, Everglades Coalition and
others, as well as local organizations like Audubon of the
Everglades, Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group and, of
course, the Friends of the Refuge.
You, too, can help! Go to www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
and click on Save the Refuge! to express your support.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 2
4th-graders with their new “Every Kid in a Park” passes learn
about the Everglades from Ranger Joseph Whelan - USFWS Photo
Friends Donate $4,000 for Buses for
Field Trips
The Friends of the Refuge recently donated $4,000 to
the School District of Palm Beach County. The money
will be used for bus transportation to bring Palm Beach
County school children to the Refuge to learn about the
Everglades through hands-on field experiences. The
Refuge is working with Tom Salinsky, K-5 Science
Program Planner for the School District, who thanked the
Friends for their generosity and support of the school
district's educational goals. In Tom's words, "We will start
bringing little feet to the Refuge in no time at all!”
This funding follows a $9,000 grant last year from the
National Park Foundation that has so far enabled 955
Palm Beach County students to be bussed to the Refuge.
That grant was awarded in conjunction with the Every Kid
in a Park program started last year by the Department of
Interior. The goal of the program is to introduce young
students to our rich national heritage by giving every 4th
grade student in the country a year-long pass, allowing
the students and their families access to all National
Parks, Wildlife Refuges and other federal fee areas.
Thank you to all our members and donors who made this
donation possible!
Donations for Field Trips
Go to www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com,
select Contributions, then specify Field Trips
Sponsor an Intern
The Friends are sponsoring an intern in the first half of
2017 to help with visiting school groups and other public
use programs, as well as to assist the biologists with water
quality monitoring and native and exotic wildlife surveys.
To help the Friends with this expense:
Go to www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com,
select Contributions, then specify Operating Fund
If you would like to sign up for our e-mail newsletter,
or if you have any other questions,
please contact us at [email protected]
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Art at the Refuge
Stop by the Visitor Center and check
out the stunning artwork from the
Seventh Annual Loxahatchee Visions
Art Contest just concluded. The
works will remain on display and available for purchase
until mid-January. The winning entries will be featured in
our next Gator Tales. And be sure to come out for
Everglades Day, February 11, when the Plein Air painters
will be out and about. Their works will be put on display
at the end of the day and available for purchase.
Weekly Activities
Bird and nature walks,
tram tours,
guided canoe trips and other activities
occur on a weekly basis.
Visit www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com or call the
Visitor Center at 561-734-8303 for more information.
3-Day Photography Workshop
Saturday, Jan. 28, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Visitor Center
Sunday, Jan. 29, 6:30 - 10:30 a.m. Hands-On Photography
Sunday, Feb. 5, 9:00a.m. - 12:00 noon Visitor Center
Improve your basic techniques, capture birds in flight,
control depth of field and exposure,
evaluate light and have some fun!
Entry fee is $50 per participant, with all funds donated to
the Friends of the Refuge.
Contact Mike Cohen - [email protected], 954-815-5955 or
Don Hamilton - [email protected], 561-212-7358
to reserve your spot!
This workshop is best suited for intermediate-level photographers.
34th Annual Photography Contest
Entries accepted Saturday, January 7
through Sunday, April 2
Reception and Award Presentation:
Sunday, April 23, 1:00 p.m.
For the Contest Entry Form and
complete set of rules:
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Visit the Refuge!
The Refuge main entrance and
Visitor Center are located at
10216 Lee Road, just west of U.S. 441,
two miles south of Boynton Beach Blvd.
The Refuge is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The Visitor Center is open daily
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Entrance fee is $5.00 per vehicle.
A variety of annual passes are available.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 3
Volunteers Scott Ervin, Robby Chamizo and Samantha Hudon
with their cypress trees - Photo by Denise Valentin
Celebrating National Public Lands
Day with Cypress Tree Plantings
Refuge staff, Friends and 50 hard-working volunteers
planted 700 Cypress seedlings and trees on the Refuge
for National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September
24, 2016. The Cypress plantings help reforest a portion
of the Refuge where non-native invasive Brazilian Pepper
trees used to grow. At one time, Cypress trees
dominated the eastern boundary of the Everglades and
Cypress swamp stretched from Lake Okeechobee to Fort
Lauderdale. Today, the Refuge hosts one of the largest
remaining stands of Cypress.
The Friends helped the Refuge by purchasing the
Cypress seedlings and trees. National Public Lands Day
is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for
public lands. During National Public Lands Day events,
federal land management agencies work to connect
people to public lands in their community, inspire
environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public
lands for education, recreation, and general health.
Full Moon Canoe Trips
Enjoy a guided tour through a part of the Refuge interior.
Trips generally start at 7:00 p.m. and last two hours.
Call Loxahatchee Canoeing at 561-733-0192
for reservations and to verify start time.
Saturday, January 7
Saturday, February 11
Saturday, March 11
Saturday, April 8
Saturday, May 6
Friday, June 9
Saturday, July 8
Saturday, August 5
Like Us on Facebook!
Join our growing community of fans
www.facebook.com/LoxahatcheeFriends
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Invasive Exotics Update
Burmese Python Found on Refuge
By Refuge Manager Rolf Olson
In the dark hours of Friday night, September 16, Refuge
Law Enforcement Officer Patrick James encountered a
10-foot Burmese python crossing the L-40 Levee
approximately 3 miles south of the Lee Road boat ramp.
Unable to stop in time, Officer James ran over the
python. He went back to check on the snake, then
retrieved a machete and euthanized it. The remains were
sent to the University of Florida to determine whether it is
the first wild python found on the Refuge.
Just in case you haven’t heard, the
Refuge has a big problem with
Lygodium and Melaleuca. The
South Florida Water Management
District (SFWMD) has made it clear;
they expect the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) to
guarantee $5 million dollars for 5 years and $3 million
every year thereafter in Federal money to combat the
problem. The Friends of the Refuge, Audubon Society of
Florida, National Wildlife Federation, National Wildlife
Refuge Association, and many others have worked
tirelessly to find this money for the Refuge but what has
the Refuge done to address the problem?
In Fiscal Year 2016, $5,519,628 was spent on actually
killing Lygodium and Melaleuca. The Refuge spent
$2,969,628 and the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWC) spent $2,550,000.
38,985 acres or 27% of the 143,924 acre Refuge were
cleared of these plants during this period. The sad fact is
that Lygodium grows back quickly and many of these
same acres will need to be treated again within a few
years.
Environmental DNA testing by the U.S. Geological Survey
had previously indicated the presence of the highly
invasive exotic snake, however, three previously captured
pythons turned out to be
released pets. With no
natural predators and a
voracious appetite,
Burmese pythons pose a
significant environmental
threat to native wildlife
throughout South Florida.
Their impact on the
Deceased Burmese Python,
mammal populations of
Found by Officer Patrick James
- USFWS Photo
Everglades National Park
has been well documented.
Also happening in Fiscal Year 2016:

The Refuge conducted prescribed burns on 39,000
acres of the interior. This prescribed burn also plays
an important part in controlling invasive exotic plants.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released 33,700
Lygodium moths, which have been thoroughly tested
and proven to only eat Lygodium.

The Refuge partnered with the SFWMD and FWC in
a long term University of Florida study to explore
ways to better kill Lygodium.

Extensive outreach on this issue was done for anyone
willing to listen. USFWS staff conducted airboat tours,
gave presentations, held public meetings, and
Southeast Regional Director Cindy Dohner traveled to
Washington D.C. to provide briefings to interested
Senators and Congresspersons.
Lygodium, also known as Old World Climbing Fern, climbs Tree
Trunks and can collapse Tree Islands - Photo by Dragana Connaughton
Fiscal Year 2017 will be an interesting one. Will the
Refuge be able to satisfy the requests of the SFWMD?
Will the SFWMD take the interior of the Refuge back?
Will the U.S. Department of Agriculture find a biological
control that will solve the problem? Only time will tell.
P.S. If you’re not depressed already. Two pythons were
found on the Refuge recently, one was a Burmese Python
stuffed full of bobcat and rabbit; Nile Monitor Lizards are
moving onto the Refuge from the North, and we think we
found Laurel wilt on our tree islands.
Tree Island with Dead Melaleuca Trees after Treatment
- Photo by Lance Warley
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 4
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Urban Refuge Partnership with FAU
Pine Jog to Restore Native Apple Snails
In an increasingly urbanized country, new U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service partnerships are helping to connect
residents with nature. The partnerships are part of the
Service’s Urban Wildlife Conservation Program.
Refuge Staff Partners with Sportsmen’s
Group to Combat Invasives
By Joseph Roth, SCA/Americorps Biological Intern
Conditions were hot, humid,
and wet, and there wasn’t a
cloud in the sky, but morale
was soaring due to
extensive planning paying
off. On Saturday, September
10, in what proved to be a
successful effort in the
restoration of critical
northern Everglades habitat,
the Refuge held its first ever cooperative volunteer day
with the Florida Sportsmen’s Conservation Association.
The association advocates for protecting and restoring
Florida’s unique natural resources while promoting
responsible public use. The association was able to bring
9 of their private airboats for this day of service. This
occasion marked the first time since the mid-1980’s that
private airboats have been allowed on the Refuge. Private
airboats are normally not permitted due to their potential
to damage and degrade wildlife habitat.
When association members arrived at the Refuge early in
the morning they were required to clean their vessels in
order to prevent contaminating the Refuge with any
foreign plants or otherwise harmful residues (they were
also required to clean their vessels upon departure).
When all boats were cleaned, Refuge staff and 19
association members traveled in groups into the interior to
treat small stands of Melaleuca, a highly invasive exotic
tree in South Florida. Once at the sites, association
members and staff waded through tree islands and used
machetes to girdle or hack down the Melaleuca trees
which were then sprayed with herbicide by staff.
Approximately 2.5 acres were treated. Following the
strenuous morning work, lunch was provided by the
Friends of the Refuge.
The day took a lot of hard work and planning, and is the
first of several projects planned to benefit the Refuge.
Plans are already underway to work together again on
Earth Day 2017 to remove an old research site no longer
being used in the interior. Working together with this
association should help build a partnership in a shared
appreciation and advocacy for the preservation of this
remaining portion of the once vast northern Everglades.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 5
West Palm Beach recently joined 17 other cities with
Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnerships. These partnerships
work to provide residents of demographically diverse
cities with fresh opportunities to get outdoors and
experience nature. The partnerships encourage and
nurture an appreciation of wildlife conservation.
The West Palm Beach partnership will engage more than
500 students from Florida Atlantic University Pine Jog
Environmental Education Center in propagating and
restoring native Florida Apple
Snail populations and removing
exotic snails at the Refuge and
also at Grassy Waters
Everglades Preserve.
The partnerships were made
possible by Five Star grants
from the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation, which in
2016 generated more than $2
million in direct contributions and
matching funds from local
partners for programs
Apple Snail Project at FAU Pine Jog
in the selected cities.
Florida Native
Apple Snail
(Pomacea paludosa )
- Photo by Dr. Peggy G.
VanArman
Refuge Staff and Florida Sportsmen’s Conservation Association
Work Together Treating Invasive Exotics - USFWS Photo
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 6
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Second Place Winners: Henr y Cohen “Loxahatchee Landscape” (Ar tistic); Ruth Pannunzio “Pr othonotar y War bler ” (Avian); Ruth Pannunzio “Gator
With Turtle” (Fauna); Kathleen Fosselman “Vine Wrap” (Flora); Jim LaRocco “Days End” (Landscape); Dion Sellitti “Blue Heron” (Youth)
33rd Annual Photography Contest
First Place Winners (opposite page): Jeremy Raines “Hawk in Late Afternoon Light” (Best of Show); Joseph Dell “Dragonfly” (Fauna); Leslie Gelman
“Beautiful Sunset” (Landscape); Meg Puente “Purple Passion” (Artistic); Dion Sellitti “Grasshopper” (Youth); Meg Puente “Spatterdock Trio” (Flora); Kathleen Fosselman “Great Horned Owl” (Avian)
Third Place Winners: J im LaRocco “Air bor ne” (Avian);
Jo Ann Ricchiuti “Halloween Pennant Dragonfly” (Fauna);
Grace Clarke “Fern Springs to Life” (Flora); Joe Dell
“Sunset” (Landscape); Lynne Mass “Canoes” (Artistic);
Troy Trevino “Lake Sunset” (Youth)
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 7
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Remembrances
Within the span of little more than two weeks, the Friends lost two of the three
volunteers who ran our gift shop for many years. Frank Bodofsky, a Friends volunteer
for more than 10 years, passed away on June 23. Frank was always there to keep the
store open whenever another volunteer couldn't be there. Along with Harvey Eisen and
Hal Albertson, Frank ran the store. Then on July 9 we received word from Hal's daughter
Barbara that Hal, too, had passed away. Hal had been a Friends volunteer for more than
20 years, serving as President of the Friends board of directors for many of those years.
Barbara remembers many newspaper clippings of her father at the Refuge and his personal Cattails and Floating Hearts
- Photo by Margaret Zuber
mission to raise awareness and support for the Refuge. Hal, Frank and Harvey were the first
recipients of the aptly-named Outstanding Friend of the Refuge award, for Outstanding Friends they truly have been.
Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the families of Frank and Hal, as well as to Morey Zuber and Heinz Schmitt. On June
29, Margaret Zuber, beloved wife of Morey, passed away in Idaho, where they were working as resident volunteers at
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. Margaret and Morey have been invaluable to our Refuge as resident volunteers
during the winter season ever since our resident volunteer program began several years ago. Margaret always found the
beauty in everything around her, as you can tell when you look at her photos and see the Cypress Swamp through her
eyes.
And on May 29, Isabelle Schmitt, beloved wife of Heinz, passed away. Earlier this year Heinz received the Honor Award
from the Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region for his longtime volunteer service to
the Refuge. Almost any day Heinz could be seen working on the grounds around the Refuge until his leave of absence to
care for Isabelle. We offer him our sincere condolences.
In Remembrance of
Frank Bodofsky
In Remembrance of
Hal Albertson
By Harvey Eisen, Gabriele Little &
Hal Albertson
By Harvey Eisen
No one seems to know when Frank became a volunteer
at the the Refuge, but we do know that he contributed
greatly. From day one he was a presence. In 2008 Frank
received the Volunteer of the Year Award and in 2014
Frank received The Outstanding Friend of the Refuge
Award.
About 10 years ago Hal Albertson suggested asking
Frank to join the Gift Shop Committee due to his 35 years
as a retail merchant. He agreed and the Age of the Three
Dinosaurs began - Frank, Hal and Harvey.
He knew the cost of every item he purchased for the
store, how many, when sales covered the cost of the
purchase, what to re-order, what to discontinue and all of
this in his head.
The three of us would have phone conversations in the
evening regarding the monthly sales report and Frank's
input was invaluable.
It was just last week that Hal, Gabriele
and myself wrote about our friend Frank Bodofsky. And
now, a few days later Gabby and I must write about Hal.
He was my best friend and partner in many programs and
projects at the refuge. He was a past president of the
Friends, he was a rover and he was one of the Dinosaur
members of the Gift Shop Committee. He also was a
recipient of the 2012 Friend of the Refuge Award.
He was kind, he was gentle and he made feel welcome
every customer who entered the store.
He and I did the Speakers Bureau for 15 years until it was
too much for us to carry the equipment and make long
night trips No one saw fit to carry on until we no longer
could continue. However, while active we reached about
25,000 people.
He often said that involvement in the store kept him going
when he was physically coming apart. Even recently
when he no longer could come to the Refuge I had to call
him each Friday with the weekly sales and send him a
monthly sales report.
Hal did the Annual Volunteer luncheon for about 15 years,
and did it successfully with 70 to 90 people each
year. That was mainly due to the quality of his speakers Sun Sentinel science editor, Palm Beach Post science
photographer, professors of geology and archeology at
FAU, leaders of turtle geology and of botany at Gumbo
Limbo, Broward County congressman who constantly
fought for the Everglades, and so on.
Frank was a dynamo, friend and patient mentor. He will
be sorely missed.
His accomplishments go on but most of all he was a great
human being. Go in peace, dear friend.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 8
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
(Continued from page 1)
David Lurie
2016 Outstanding Friend of the
Refuge
Congratulations to
David Lurie, who
received the
Outstanding Friend
of the Year award
for 2016 for his
many years serving
as Treasurer of the
Friends, paying the
bills and working
behind the scenes
to keep the
organization running
smoothly.
minutes. About 8 miles
from our lunch stop, we
reached the relatively
primitive and abandoned
Fourth Water Control
Gate. Over the years of
inactivity, it had
degenerated into a pond
that was home to two
large alligators. But our
trek wasn’t quite over.
Softshell Turtle
- Photo by Jeremy Raines
Another mile down the levee was the Pumping Station, our
goal. Beyond that, signs warned us not to trespass, even
though the levee continued. But it was midafternoon and
time for us to turn around. On the return trip, we stopped
for a quality photo session with a large Florida softshell
turtle that was about to cross the levee from one water
body to the other. It raised its head and looked this way
and that with its sparkling blue eyes and long distinctive
snout.
We fought a formidable headwind of 20-30 mph on the
return trip. For the first time in recent memory, I
downshifted gears. In flat Florida, only a single gear is
needed 99 percent of the time.
Thank you, David!
The Friends Need Volunteers!
The Friends need help in our Nature Store,
help with weeding and sprucing up the grounds,
help finding sponsors and much more.
If you have an area of interest or
a talent you would be willing to share,
please contact us at
[email protected]
We arrived back at the car with plenty of daylight to spare,
although we had been on the levee for about 6.5 hours.
According to the map, the Levee 39 trail is 15 miles each
way. So, we had biked 30 miles round trip on the crushed
limestone levee, fighting a headwind for 15 of those miles.
Nice to know we can still do it, especially since I will be 70
(!!!) in only 19 months.
Help Us Grow!
Tell your friends about this hidden treasure!
How many of them know we have a piece of the Everglades
right here in Palm Beach County? Bring them out, and
encourage them to join the Friends.
Better yet, give them a gift membership!
Friends of the Refuge Board of Directors
Elinor Williams, President
Judy Colvard, Vice President
David Lurie, Treasurer
Linda Steinmuller, Secretary
Harvey Eisen
Dr. Jeff Kramer
Harvey Lee
Jay Paredes
Cathy Patterson
Dr. Tom Poulson
William Ross
John Siegel
Mike Winokur
Don Williams, Webmaster
Mimi Walling, Accountant
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 9
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
sanctuary for the Colombian Spider Monkey and the
Cotton-Top Tamarin. Last year, we bought 750 acres in
Liberia that form part of the Gola Forest National Park
where sixty threatened or endangered species, including
Forest Elephants, live. It was a real “Trunk or Treat” event!
Derek & Landon with Mangrove Seedlings
Wild Over Wildlife:
A Voice for the Voiceless
By Derek and Landon Petrisko
In 2009, our brother, Christian, wanted to start a
conservation club for our friends. He was 9 years old, and
although we were only 7 and 5, we wanted to help. The
club is called Wild Over Wildlife, or WOW, and is now a
501(c)(3) organization. The goal is to be a “voice for the
voiceless.” Christian was concerned about animal abuse
and the negative impact humans have had on the planet
recently. So, we thought educating our generation could
reverse that trend. Deforestation, endangered animals,
coral bleaching, pollution, invasive species, and the
proper care of a wide range of pets are discussed at our
meetings. WOW’s environmental branch does community
service and even obtained recycling bins in Fort
Lauderdale’s baseball parks and along part of the beach.
“No Mangrove = No Man” is our mangrove restoration
project. We have grown and planted thousands of red
mangrove seedlings since 2014. We try to get the whole
community involved in our projects, especially other
children.
WOW gives a permanent home to unwanted animals from
the exotic pet trade. Some had been released into the
Everglades and others were abused. Several were cast
aside due to advanced age, health, behavioral issues, or
when their owners could no longer care for them. Our
educational branch makes presentations with the animals
at our meetings. We have also taken them to camps and
schools to meet the students. We encourage everyone to
consider adopting, not shopping, for companion pets. We
stress the importance of researching an animal’s needs
before taking it home because some of them are hard to
care for!
Each summer, our oceanographic branch organizes
beach clean-ups and hosts a private turtle hatchling
release. Hundreds of kids have had the opportunity to see
thousands of Loggerhead, Green, and Leatherback
hatchlings head into the ocean. Our campaign “Take Ten
for Turtles” is based on a short documentary film we made
and can be seen on YouTube. It gives ten simple tips
anyone can do to help sea turtles. Hundreds of people
have signed our “Take Ten” pledge and the artist, Wyland,
even drew a Green sea turtle for us to put on the sheets!
He gave all of the WOW board members beautiful medals
naming us “Ambassadors for the Planet.” We also
promote family ecotourism events which have included
kayaking through mangroves, visiting animal rescues,
tagging sharks, and photographing wildlife at preserves
such as the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National
Wildlife Refuge. We even made a 2016 Native Florida
Species calendar to raise awareness about the animals
who share our state with us and listed the major threats to
all of the species.
Finally, we use videography for conservation to help put a
face to the name of a species. Our board of directors
filmed manatees in the cold waters of Crystal River and
turtles along the warm beaches of Florida’s southeast
coast. WOW’s board also traveled to Mexico to film the
whale shark aggregation, Hawaii to film Galapagos sharks
and manta rays, and California for otters, seals, sea lions,
humpback and blue whales. The footage was used to
make four award-winning short documentaries that show
people the importance of protecting these animals. Two
other films will be released soon for upcoming film
festivals. We hope we give people incredible experiences
with wildlife so they will be inspired to protect what they
come to understand and love. Together, we can undo the
damage that has been done and be a voice for the
voiceless.
The Petrisko brothers visit the Refuge often on their visits
to the grave of their grandmother, their inspiration and the
original “voice for the voiceless.”
At Wild Over Wildlife, we hold our annual fundraiser and
costume party, the Howl-O-Ween Ball, each October.
Donations have allowed us to make symbolic adoptions of
several endangered species and purchase over 1000
acres of rainforest around the world that will never be
developed. In Colombia, our land helped create the first
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 10
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
trees, on the other hand, have shallow root systems and
topple over in storms causing further destruction, even
obstructing evacuation routes in the process. Finally,
mangroves effectively lower atmospheric carbon dioxide
which combats global warming.
Fortunately, mangroves are now protected, but considerable
damage has already been done. Optimistic that the process
can be reversed, entire communities have become engaged
with “No Mangroves = No Man”. Banks have vases of
mangroves on their desks, schools are raising trays of
seedlings, and hundreds more are being grown in the
backyards of WOW members. Hopefully, these numbers will
continue to increase each year.
Landon, 12, Christian, 16, and Derek Petrisko, 14
receive the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens
2016 Environmental Excellence Award
“No Mangroves = No Man”
By Christian Petrisko
In 2014, Wild Over Wildlife (WOW!), a 501(c)(3)
organization for young conservationists, decided to
“Adopt-A-Mangrove” through Florida International
University. After an informative presentation, WOW
students started several trays of seedlings, but soon
accomplished far more than ever anticipated. Thousands
of red mangrove seedlings have been harvested,
nurtured, and transplanted throughout Florida, helping
local communities, ecosystems, and global warming!
Funded by grants from the Youth Ocean Conservation
Summit, “No Mangroves = No Man” has been able to
engage people of all ages with nature and protect the
environment.
Mangroves provide a diverse habitat for native wildlife,
but years ago, many were replaced by Australian pine
trees. Restoring native habitats is finally a priority for
several reasons. They offer protection and a food source
to young aquatic species such as juvenile sharks, rays,
snook, tarpon and crustaceans. Migratory, terrestrial, and
marine birds all breed, feed, and roost in the wetlands.
Additionally, mangroves provide a staple in the diets for
the critically endangered Key Deer. Their fallen leaves
enrich seagrass beds which are crucial to the survival of
manatees, turtles, and fish that feed and live in them.
However, Australian pine trees provide very little for
native species and are detrimental to the ecosystem.
Their shallow root systems prevent American crocodiles
and sea turtles from constructing nests along the
coastline, and their dense leaf litter damages native
plants as evidenced by their invasion of the Everglades.
Efforts are now underway to not only restore mangrove
forests, but to remove invasive plant species from the
areas as well.
Mangroves were also extensively removed for coastal
developments. Without their deep roots to protect the
shorelines against storm surge, flooding became a major
concern. Additionally, their tangled root systems filter
water, maintaining quality and clarity. The roots also
reduce erosion by stabilizing sediments. Australian pine
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 11
Christian (foreground) & Derek plant mangrove seedlings
What began as a simple mangrove adoption has grown
exponentially. Five hundred seedlings were planted in the
summer of 2015 along the Oleta River where buckets of
new propagules were collected. With the cooperation of
multiple communities and organizations, 1500 red mangrove
seedlings were transplanted throughout Florida in 2016. On
August 13, FIU, Lee County 4-H Club, Florida Conservation
20/20, and National Honor Society students helped restore
the Galt Preserve in Fort Myers. Pelican Harbor and the
Brevard County Zoo assisted in additional plantings. Finally,
on September 23, the Friends of Spoil Islands and the
Marine Clean-Up Initiative provided three boats full of
volunteers to restore the beautiful Spoil Islands so they can
be enjoyed for generations to come. People everywhere
have united for this project, all realizing that “No Mangroves”
could mean “No Man”.
Award-winning artwork by Manon Sander
“The End of the Boardwalk” now on display at the Visitor Center
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Holiday Special - Brick Pavers
Two for the Price of One!
Through January, get two engraved brick pavers for $100.
Up to 3 lines, 18 characters per line.
Installed on our Cypress Swamp
pathway within 30 days of order.
For an additional $25
you'll also receive
matching 4”x4” tiles,
suitable for display in your home or office.
Contact [email protected].
Shop for the Holidays in the
Friends Nature Store!
Visit the Friends' Nature Store in the Visitor Center,
where you’ll find a large selection of nature-themed books
for children and adults, nature jewelry,
wildlife-themed T-shirts, caps, hats,
original artwork and much more!
Be sure to pick up our lovely 2017 Calendar
with photos from this year’s photo contest.
Maybe you know someone who would appreciate a yearly
pass to the Refuge - just $12 - or a Friends membership.
All proceeds go to support the Friends and the Refuge.
Shop on Amazon and
Support the Friends!
Shop at AmazonSmile and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the
purchase price to the Friends, at no extra cost to you!
Go to http://smile.amazon.com and select
“Friends of the Arthur R Marshall Loxahatchee
Natl Wildlife Refuge”
(You can just search for “Loxahatchee”
but don’t try to spell out “National” or it won’t work!)
Make Your Gift Go Further!
Many companies will match your gift to the Friends.
If you are an employee or retiree of one of them,
please include your company's matching gift form
along with your dues or contribution.
Renew your Friends membership online at www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
Not a member, why not join now! You can join online at www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com
or mail in the Membership Application below.
Fall / Winter 2016 | Page 12
www.LoxahatcheeFriends.com