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EVERGLADE KITENEWSLETTEROFTHE

AUDUBONSOCIETYOFTHEEVERGLADESServingPalmBeachCounty,Florida

Volume46,Number9June2006

CALENDARTues.June6,7:30p.m.

General meeting, Howard ParkCommunityCenter.

Wed.June7,8:30a.m.FL Conservation Commission,NorthlakeBlvd,W.PalmBeach.

Sat.June24,10a.m.3p.m.ASEtableatMountsBotanicalGar-den Annual Get-Together, 599 N.MilitaryTrail,WestPalmBeach.

Tues.July4INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAYGeneral July meeting cancelled.HappyFourth;seeyouinAugust!

VOLUNTEERSNEEDED

PublicRelations:Writing publicity releases andnotifying print and electronicmediaofupcomingevents.

Exhibits:Stafng ASE table, distributing

literature at Mounts Botanical

Garden,June24.

Interestedinoneofthese(orother)volunteer opportunities? Pleasecontact Cynthia Plockelman at561.585.1258.

TuesdayJune6thProgramFloridaButterfiesAlanParmalee

Our speaker for the June 6th meeting is Alana Edwards, co-founder and currentpresident of the Atala Chapter of the North American Buttery Association.An alumna of Florida Atlantic University, Ms. Edwards did her masters thesison the effect of prescribed re on butteries in pine atwoods. Today she isworking as the Education and Training Coordinator for FAUs Center forEnvironmental Studies and teaching subjects concerning the Kissimmee RiverRestoration and the Everglades Restoration Projects.

Ms. Edwards program, Butteries in their Ecosystems, will delight childrenand adults alike. Please join us at 7:30 PM at the Howard Park CommunityCenter to learn about the buttery life cycle, interesting buttery behaviorsand where to nd these magnicent creatures in the wild.

As we head into the quieter summer months, I would like to thank our ASEvolunteers who do so much to promote environmental education right here inPalm Beach County. In April, ASE volunteers staffed an exhibit booth at the2006 NatureScaping event held at MacArthur State Park. This all-day eventattracted those interested in the environment, native planting, birds and animalsActivities included arts and crafts, silent auctions, and lectures on butteries

native plants, and sea turtles. In May, ASE partnered with Loxahatchee NationaWildlife Refuge and the Palm Beach Zoo to celebrate International MigratoryBird Day. As with NatureScaping, this event brought out many young familiesinterested in learning more about the environment and conservation. Suchcommunity activities are at the heart of ASEs organizational mission, andremind us that environmental change is possible if we all participate. Whereveryour summer travels may take you, whether its across the county or across theglobe, I hope that you will come back in August relaxed, refreshed, and readyto share your adventures, discoveries, knowledge, and expertise with ASE.

PresidentsComments

MarcellaMunson

The long, hot summer season beginsin June when the rains set in andSouthFloridaagainfeelslikeasteamysubtropicalregion.Whenthewinteringbirds have long since departed andthe snowbirds have gone, only ourFlorida natives remain. Two of themostfamousaretheseaturtleandthealligator. Starting in late May, severalspecies of sea turtles beginnesting onourshores.FromHobeSoundtoBocaRaton,hundredsofGreen,Loggerhead,Leatherback, and even a few Kempsridleys,willhaulthemselvesontocounty

beachesastheyfollowinstinctsmillionsof years old.Year after year, they willtraverse hundreds, even thousands, ofmilesofoceanwaterstoclimbontotheirnatalshoreandlaytheireggs.GumboLimbo Nature Center in Boca Raton(561.338.1473), and the LoggerheadMarinelife Center in Juno Beach(561.627.820), offer nighttime turtlewalks this month togive residents andvisitorsthechancetolearnmoreabouttheseamazingprehistoriccreatures,and(hopefully) witness an actual nesting.Juneisalsowhenfemalealligatorsbegin

buildingtheirnests.Afterthebellowingandheadslappingofthematingseason(springthroughearlysummer),therainbegin and the gators can disperse inthehigher water, helping calmhumanfears about concentrations of angryreptiles inourshiny newsubdivisionsGator eggs cannot survive immersionin water, so the nests are often builup to5 meters from the waters edgeIfyoureadventurousenoughtovisittheEverglades(SharkValleyorrighthereaLoxahatchee NWR)in thewetseasonyoumightspotone!

NaturalistsCalendarforJune

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TheEvergladeKiteisthenewsletteroftheAudubon

SocietyoftheEverglades,published12timesayear.

PresidentMarcellaMunson 445-7102marcellamunson@adelphia.net

1stVicePresident

CynthiaPlockelman 585-12782ndVicePresidentRickByrnes 798-6566

SecretaryANYVOLUNTEERS?

TreasurerLeahSchad 848-9984

FieldTripsGloriaHunter 585-7714eldtrips@auduboneverglades.org

BirdID GloriaHunter 585-7714

ConservationRosa(Cissie)Durando 965-2420

EducationSusanSnyder 627-7829roysuesnyder@aol.com

MembershipDebbieSmith 712-1100

SalesStellaRossi 732-4786

LibraryGloriaHunter 585-7714

HospitalitySheilaReiss 627-0510

BusinessCommitteeRobertDebbs 252-8603robert.debbs@ubs.com

GrantsEstherZaresky 689-6689

KiteEditorBenKolstadnewsletter@auduboneverglades.org

ASEontheInternet

Audubon@auduboneverglades.orghttp://www.auduboneverglades.org

AudubonSocietyof theEverglades,incorporated in 1966, serves com-munitiesinPalmBeachCounty.Ourpurposeistopromotetheconserva-tionofwildlifeandthenaturalenvi-ronmentandtoadvancehumanun-derstandingofourplaceinthetotalecologicalsystem.

Please put June 7 and 8 on your calendar. A very rare event: theFlorida Conservation Commission, formerly known as the GameCommission (and that moniker remains a more accurate name) will beholding its quarterly board meeting at the West Palm Beach Marriotton Okeechobee. The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m [Ed.: the full agendacan be found online at http://myfwc.com/commission/2006/June/

index.html]. Cant remember the last time they held a meeting in WestPalm Beach! Rules and listing of species like manatee, gopher tortoiseand eagles will be discussed along with habitat protection plans. Ourchapter is morally obligated to turn out. We should also ask what hasbeen done for Scrub Jay and Snail Kite lately. What is the status of theRed-cockaded Woodpecker, especially since all the burning?This one month has seen major assaults on land use planning in ourcounty. Notably the planning of a large new FPL plant near TwentyMile Bend in the EAA. It will require enormous quantities of coolingwater. Source? Between the C-51 and L-8 canals. This will put NO2

and SO2 emissions just upwind of the Refuge. Acid rain possible. Alsoin the EAA, a proposal to mine 4000 acres of land for the next 40 yearsto a depth of 50 feet. These impacts will surely piecemeal the EAA. Youshould be aware our stalwart county commissioners declined to planor create policy for the future of said EAA. Dade county, move overBetween their infamous Lake Belt region and congestion we skippedBrowardization and are moving right into Dade-ization.One item coming up on Friday, May 19, at the Treasure Coast RegionaPlanning Council (of which Palm Beach County is supposed to be amember) is a study titled Sustainable Treasure Coast. The study hasominously omitted Palm Beach County.

Other items coming up that day will be three invasions of sprawlinto rural agriculture (1 unit per 10 acres), in our county: 1 unit/acre residential. Inadequate road system, no public transportation,bad drainage, no schools. From the regional planning councilrecommendations go to the Department of Community AffairsProtests to the DCA might help convince them that this is stupidplanning. Call me (561-965-2420) for more details.You all need a few bright spots: vulture shooting is still on hold. TheWellington proposal to keep their dirty pumps pumping into theRefuge, which was passed by SFWMD over my protests in April: afterthreats in May, I was told it will be brought back for reconsideration

on the second Wednesday of June board meeting. Help? Please call.On May 2, we gave a Pathnders Award to a deserving young mannamed Stephen McLaughlin of John I. Leonard for his diligent workon surveying endangered air plants in Grassy Waters preserve. Hewrote an excellent thesis that was accompanied by superb gradescommunity and school outreach, and wonderful recommendations.I shall end on this cheerful note, and not get into extension of SR7loss of thousands of acres of grove land to massive development, needfor more road building and schools. The latest on that one: the front15 acres of Pine Jog!

ConservationReportRosaDurando

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University of Miami alumnus DennisPaulsons tongue-in-cheek name forthe long-legged elegant members ofthe stilt family is the slenderellas.The genus Himantopus (Greek forstrap-foot, according to ChoatesDicti0nary of American Bird Names,

or spindle legged according toHolloways Dictionary of Birds of theUnited States) has several membersworldwideHimantopus himantopusin Asia, the Black-winged Stilt,looks very much like its New Worldcounterpart, Himantopus mexicanus.Our Black-necked Stilt differs mostnoticeably from its Asian cousin inone respect: in addition to the wingsand mask, H. mexicanuss neck is alsoblack.The stilt has the longest legs inproportion to body size of all theshorebirds; its black and whiteplumage and pink legs make it quitethe dandy, giving rise to its nickname,the tuxedo bird. Approach tooclose, however, and one discoversthat this bird does not enjoy sharingits space with other party-goers. Ahigh-pitched kek-kek-kek erupts, andthis skinny little bird will rise up intothe air, incredibly long legs danglingdown and extending well past the

tail, to start harassing pedestrians,other shorebirds, passing raptors,encroaching Great Blue Heronsthisslender little bird takes on all comers,although its vocal defense is no realthreat to a determined predator.The Black-necked Stilt can be foundin marshy areas and shallow pondsacross the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, onUtahs Great Salt Lake and CaliforniasSalton Sea. According to NationalGeographics Complete Birds, its rangeis spreading north in interior Western

states. and is a short to mediumdistance migrant, leaving the interiorfor coastal regions in winter. There is asmall but (from informal observations)increasing breeding population here inPalm Beach County.During May and probably well into

June, youll be able to see these mostelegant of wading birds tendingchicks at Green Cay Nature Center inBoynton Beach. They have also beenspotted at Wakodahatchee Wetlands.

BirdoftheMonth:Black-neckedStiltBenKolstad Audubon Success: Reinforce Hoover

DikeandRestoreLakeOkeechobeeAudubon of Florida successfullyconvinced the Governing Board ofthe South Florida Water ManagementDistrict (SFWMD) not to recommendthat Herbert Hoover Dike be turnedinto a dam and instead focus on real

solutionsfor protecting people and theenvironment.DuringitsmeetingMay10,theSFWMDBoard received a recommendation tosend a resolution to Congress callingforchangingthestatusoftheDiketoadam,apolicythatAuduboninsistscouldputthepublicingreaterdangerbecauseit could lead to higher water levels,ultimatelydestroythe Lakes ecologicalfunctioning, and increase ecologicaldamagetoestuaries.Solutionsexist thatwould bothprotect

residentsandtheenvironment:ReinforceHooverDike, Manage the Lake at lower, moreecologicallyhealthylevels, Increase water storage upstream tohelpprevent the Lake fromgetting toodeepintherstplace, Develop additional water storageprojects throughout the Okeechobeewatershed and in the EvergladesAgriculturalArea(EAA),andBuildowageprojectstomovemorewatersouth.After hearing public comments, theGoverningBoarddecidednottoapprovetherecommendation.Instead,itdirectedstafftolobbytheUSCongressformorefunding to reinforce the Dike and toassisttheUSArmyCorpsofEngineerstodevelopahurricaneevacuationplanforthe communities around the Lake.ThiswasabigvictoryforthehealthofLakeOkeechobeeandlocalcommunities.

Audubon Urges Government toMakeEvergladesDecisionsintheSunshineAs Everglades restoration projectsmove forward, the U.S. Army Corps oEngineers is excluding the public fromattending important project planningmeetings.Thisisunacceptable!Floridianhavelongbeenaccustomed tothe idea

of government in the sunshine.Webelieve that if citizens and stakeholderepresentatives are in the room, bettedecisionsaremade.In thesemeetings,Audubon contributecrucialscienceandpolicyexpertisethahelps inform environmental protectionandrestoration. Ourscience andpolicystaffhashistoricallyparticipatedinmanyoftheseagencymeetingswhereimportantdecisions are made. Experience tellsus that our presence helps ensure thaecologicalgoalsarenotcompromised.

This decreased transparency isdisturbing and has real consequencesAudubon Scientist Paul Gray, Ph.Dhas been prohibited from attendingLake Okeechobee Watershed projecplanning meetings. Sr. PolicyAssociateJamieFurgangwasexcludedlastmonthfrom an important planning meetingon the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlandrestorationproject.Everglades advocates and othestakeholders should be given timelyaccess to importantproject informationWe should never be banned fromgovernment meetings that use publicmonies toplan andimplement projectthat impact thepublicgood.Currentlythe only information made availableto the publicis in the form ofthe mosgeneral progress updates, with fewtechnicaldetails.ThebottomlineisIveworkedherefora long time and can offer a lot of onthe-groundinformationtotheteam,Dr.Graysaid.Theseteamsaremadeupo

talentedpeople,butmostofthemarenofromaroundhere,andfewofthememberareecologists. Havingecologistsat thetable is important tocomplement othetechnicalexpertise,suchas engineeringand hydrology. Gray concluded, Thepubliccanhelpthemifweareallowedtoattendthemeetings.Audubon is formulating an appeal toCorps decision makers to reverse thipolicy in favor of Everglades decisionmadeinthesunshine.

The DuPuis Management Area, runby SFWMD, has extensive habitatright next door to Corbett WMAin northern Palm Beach County. Imsure some of you out there are morefamiliar with the area than I am. Weare currently seeking volunteers tosurvey the birds of DuPuis. If you areinterested in joining the study group,please let me know at 561.367.7689,or benkolstad@adelphia.net.

VolunteersNeededforBirdSurveyatDuPuisManagementArea

BenKolstad

AudubonofFloridaReport

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Name ____________________________________

Address __________________________________

City _______________ State ____ Zip _________

Phone _______________________

e-mail _______________________

How did you hear about us? __________________

___________________________________________Regular membership $20.00

I would like to donate an additional

$20$50$100$__________

MembershipsintheNationalAudubonSocietymakegreatgifts!In Florida, a special 3-way membership automatically makes you a member in the National Audubon Society,

Audubon of Florida, and Audubon Society of the Everglades. Your membership will includesubscriptions to AUDUBON magazine and the EVERGLADE KITE.

Make check payable toNational Audubon Societyand send to:

Membership ChairAudubon Society of the EvergladesPO Box 16914West Palm Beach, FL 33416-6914

E007XCH

Recipient of Gift Membership:

Name _____________________________________

Address ___________________________________

City ______________________________________

The Audubon Society of the Everglades General Meetings are held the rst Tuesday of every monthat 7:30 p.m. at Howard Park Community Center in West Palm Beach. The phone number for the Community

Center is (561) 835-7055. The public is welcome to attend.

GETPUBLISHED!ThedeadlineforsubmissionsfortheJuly2006issueisJune10th

AudubonSocietyoftheEvergladesPOBox16914WestPalmBeach,FL

33416-6914(561)588-6908

Non-protOrganizationU.S.Postage

PAID

WestPalmBeach,FloridaPermit46

TheEvergladeKiteisamonthlypublicationoftheAudubonSocietyoftheEverglades,P.O.Box16914,West Palm Beach, Florida, 33416-6914. Also available on the web: www.auduboneverglades.org.Members:AdvertiseintheKite.3linesfor$10.Contactnewsletter@auduboneverglades.org

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