Florida Food Summit, April 12-13

Florida Food Summit

April 12 & 13

J. Wayne Reitz Union

 

The Florida Food Summit will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about sustainability and food systems through keynote presentations, panel discussions, a fair featuring a farmers market and a photography exhibit.

 

Event Highlights:

"Food on the Lawn" Fair and Farmers Market

April 12, 11 AM – 3PM, North Lawn

 

Can Food be Local, Healthy and Fair?

Michael Dimock

April 12, 8 PM, Rion Ballroom

 

Florida Cowboys: Reflections on the Past and Visions for the Future

Robert Stone and Carlton Ward Jr.

April 13, 7:30 PM, Rion Ballroom

 

Check out the full schedule of events 

 

Save the Mississippi Delta

 

Take Action

Every 30 minutes, an area of coastal land the size of a football field vanishes from the Mississippi Delta. The Mississippi Delta is the world's seventh largest river delta, but we are losing these wetlands at an alarming rate. Please do your part by emailing President Obama and urging him to restore coastal Louisiana. » Eighty years of national actions to channelize and control the Mississippi River for economic development and navigation have diverted sediment and freshwater from the Delta. As a result, since the 1930s, more than 1.2 million acres, an area the size of Delaware, has disappeared. Congress directed agencies to work together on a restoration plan in 1990. But while multiple plans have been written, little has been accomplished on the ground. President Obama's leadership offers us a new opportunity to get coastal restoration right. Ask him to restore coastal Louisiana. » Thanks for taking action! Samer ThePetitionSite Save the Mississippi Delta Forward to a friend >> Read the petition >> Take action link: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AFU9d/zkoW/b0hWS

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March 27 Tampa Bay Weedon Island Preserve Landscaping for Wildlife

www.FloridaEvents.info

 

From: WIP Events

Don't miss our great program on "Landscaping for Wildlife" this Saturday, March 27th, presented by Wilma Holley- Extension Specialist.
 
Landscaping for Wildlife (Weedon Island Preserve)
Saturday, March 27, 2010 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Wilma Holley, Pinellas County Extension
Learn how to invite birds and butterflies to your yard by attending this landscaping for wildlife class. You will learn what plants attract wildlife, where to plant them, and how to take care of them. Free. Pre-registration required. Recommended for adults.
 
This program is also being offered at Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 2:00PM - 3:00PM.
 
Landscaping for Wildlife (Brooker Creek Preserve)
Saturday, March 27, 2010   2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Wilma Holley, Pinellas County Extension

Spring is here and it's time to start getting back into our yards.  Join us to learn how to invite the birds and butterflies to your yard by attending this landscaping for wildlife program. You will learn what plants attract wildlife, where to plant them, and how to take care of them.  Pre-registration is required.  Free.  Best for adults.
 
 
Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center
(727) 453-6500
The Center is located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Or visit our website at www.weedonislandpreserve.org
 
 
Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center
(727) 453-6800
The Center is located at 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688
Or visit our website at www.brookercreekpreserve.org
 
 

AZA Grants Certification To Lubee Bat Conservancy

news release

Contact: Steve Feldman 301-562-0777 ext. 252

AZA Grants Certification To Lubee Bat Conservancy

 

Silver Spring, Maryland (March 16, 2010) – The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) today announced that the Lubee Bat Conservancy was granted certification by AZA's independent Accreditation Commission.

 

Located on a 110-acre property outside Gainesville, Florida, Lubee Bat Conservancy houses the largest and most diverse collection of tropical Old World fruit bats (Pteropodidae) in the world, and is recognized as a unique center dedicated to research, education and conservation of these threatened bats. The center hosts researchers and offers teaching and informal science education opportunities in partnership with colleges, universities, zoological institutions, museums and others.

 

"Lubee Bat Conservancy is one of the best in the world because it has met the highest standards in the world," said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. "It takes hard work and dedication to meet Association of Zoos and Aquariums Standards."

 

Each year Lubee Bat Conservancy connects to the local north central Florida community through environmental education programs delivered to local students, and it's "Florida Annual Bat Festival". Hosted at the center in the fall, this popular "batty" event attracted 2,300 visitors in 2009, offering a world class setting in which to view the real stars of the night; bats. This year, Lubee Bat Conservancy opens the doors of its newly certified center to the public on Saturday 13^th November.

 

To be certified, Lubee Bat Conservancy underwent a thorough investigation to ensure it has and will continue to meet ever-rising standards, which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, and safety. AZA requires zoos and aquariums to successfully complete this rigorous review and inspection every five years in order to be members of the Association. 

 

"As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Lubee Bat Conservancy is a true leader in wildlife conservation," Maddy added.

 

The certification process includes a detailed application and a meticulous on-site inspection by a team of trained zoo and aquarium professionals. The inspecting team observes all aspects of the institution's operation in areas such as animal care; keeper training; safety for visitors, staff, and animals; conservation efforts; veterinary programs; financial stability; risk management; and other areas.  The inspection team prepares an extensive written report for the Accreditation Commission.  Finally, top officials are interviewed at a formal Commission hearing, after which certification is granted, tabled, or denied.  Any institution that is denied may reapply one year after the Commission's decision is made.

 

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information about AZA, please visit www.aza.org. For more information about Lubee Bat Conservancy, please visit www.lubee.org

 

Please contact Dr Allyson Walsh (Director) at Lubee Bat Conservancy at 352-485-1250 for additional information about the institution, including special events and activities for visitors and its ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation and science education.

Florida Springs John Moran Speaks at the State Capitol

www.johnmoranphoto.com - Florida Springs John Moran speaks at the State Capitol

 

From Audubon Society -

Florida's Springs Need Your Help

Florida's springs—once clear blue and thriving—are fading. Competition with human consumption has reduced many of their flows, and nutrient pollution has overstimulated the growth of algae in others, coating them in a green slime. With more than 700 springs, Florida is thought to be the densest concentration in the world of these brilliant windows to the aquifer, a source of tremendous ecological wealth, as well as a significant economic driver for Florida's rural communities

Read the rest here and take action to restore our springs
https://secure3.convio.net/nasaud/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=785

www.greenplanet.info

March 27 Umatilla, Florida Black Bear Festival

Dear Andrew, Join Defenders at the 11th Annual Florida Black Bear Festival in Umatilla next Saturday, March 27th! As spring approaches and Florida black bear cubs begin to come out of their dens to explore their new world, I can't think of a better time to get outside and celebrate these amazing animals. Be a part of the celebration this year: RSVP now to let us know you're coming! What: 11th Annual Florida Black Bear Festival! (free and open to all) When: Saturday, March 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Where: Cadwell Park (4 Cassady Street) - Umatilla, FL Defenders organized the first Florida Black Bear Festival back in 1999 -- and it just gets bigger and better each time. There's something for everone this year, so you won't want to miss it! RSVP now to let us know we'll be seeing you at the Festival on March 27th. Festival Highlights Include: Field trips into the Ocala Forest led by bear experts and tours to Carr Cabin Live music and food and craft vendors Locally and nationally renowned authors A new "Bear Den" with movies and presentations about bears and how to avoid conflicts with them Defenders of Wildlife is sponsoring the Children's Pavilion to make learning about the Florida black bear FUN! So don't forget to stop by and say hello -- and join us for arts and crafts and games that are fun for the whole family.  Umatilla is just outside the Ocala National Forest, where most of our black bears live -- and many people in the area have been paid "special visits" by these curious creatures. Because people cause most of the conflicts between humans and bears, it's vital for Bear Country residents to learn more about what bears do, why they do it and what can be done to help them survive. I hope you'll come out and join us on Saturday, March 27th for a fun-filled day to celebrate the Florida black bear and learn more about how we cam help make the future a bit brighter for these rare bears. Don't forget to RSVP to let us know you're coming! We hope to see you there!   Elizabeth Fleming Laurie Macdonald Shannon Miller Fast Facts about the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus): This threatened subspecies of black bear is found in Florida, southern Georgia and southern Alabama. Because it's usually warm in Florida, many of our black bears do not hibernate, or only hibernate for a short time. Most females reproduce just once every two years. Florida black bears face several threats -- the most serious include habitat loss and fragmentation, logging, human encroachment, vehicle collisions and poaching. Defenders protects Florida black bears by working to preserve a connected system of wildlife habitat for them and educating people about how they can be better neighbors. Visit our website to learn more about our work.
		© Copyright 2010 Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. Defenders of Wildlife can be contacted at: 1130 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036

Elephants Are Worth More Than Their Tusks

 

Hi Andrew, Poachers kill an estimated 38,000 elephants every year for their tusks. While the ivory trade is illegal, demand for it grows -- especially when countries such as Zambia and Tanzania propose one-off sales of ivory stockpiles. But we can stop them and protect Africa's elephants » Members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are meeting right now and will discuss the international ban on ivory trade in six days. The United States was the first country to sign on to this international agreement that protects wildlife. Now we must live up to its tenets. Tell Congress to extend the international ban on ivory and reject requests for one-off sales » In testimony before Congress, Patrick Omondi, a top Kenyan wildlife official, proposed extending the current ban from nine to 20 years, and ending one-off sales, ideas Kenya and 23 other nations in the African Elephant Coalition support. Congress must heed his words. Protect the African elephant -- demand Congress extend the ivory trade ban and reject one-off sale requests from Zambia and Tanzania » Thanks for taking action! Emily V. Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team Take action link: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AFUOf/zkni/b0hWS

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