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Teenagers from across Florida journeyed to Wakulla County in July to
attend the 2011 SEEK environmental conference. Nearly 60 high
school students from as far away as Winter Haven and Port St. Lucie
attended one of two 4-day conference sessions based at Wakulla Springs
Lodge.
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This is the fourth year that SEEK has been held in Wakulla County and
the fifth year that Lynn Artz has coordinated the statewide conference.
The session for younger and first-time participants included many of the
activities that have made this an outstanding, life-changing experience
for students in previous years.
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This group calculated their carbon footprints, explored the salt marshes
of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and visited the Apalachicola
National Forest to learn about the longleaf pine ecosystem that once
dominated the southeast.
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They visited a red-cockaded woodpecker colony and stood inches away from
male and female red-cockaded woodpeckers that were captured for
banding, and then released.
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The touch tanks and fascinating critters at Gulf Specimen Marine Lab
delighted the students as always. The session for older and returning
participants included visits to solar thermal and solar PV installations
in Wakulla County and a tour of FSU=s Off-Grid Zero Emissions building.
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This group had a lively discussion after watching the film Addicted to
Plastic and also toured Marpan Recycling. Marpan successfully recycles
68% of the construction and demolition debris, used mattresses and
furniture, and the like that it receives.
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As part of learning about Karst hydrogeology and springs protection,
participants in both groups hiked to see the sinkholes and swallets
(disappearing streams) at Leon Sinks, swam in the cool waters of Wakulla
Springs (a first magnitude spring), enjoyed a boat ride over the spring
vent and the headwaters of the Wakulla River, and canoed on the Wakulla
River as it flowed to the Gulf.
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The river boat rides offered many great photo opportunities and close-up
views of wildlife. The canoe adventures included manatee and
alligator sightings (and one tipped-over canoe). As a service project,
both groups of students uprooted dog fennel and ragweed B and collected
litter and recyclables -- from Wakulla County=s Roadside Wildflower
Preservation Project along the Coastal Highway (98).
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Members of the Iris Garden Club of Wakulla and the Tallahassee
Garden Club assisted in this effort. SEEK (Save the Earth=s Environment
through Knowledge) is an annual statewide conference sponsored by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. For more information, please contact Lynn Artz (850-320-2158; 850-320-2158) or Helen Purvis (850-878-6891; 850-251-7171) or visit SEEK's webpage. |
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