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Today the SNC donated dish and appliance sets to FLITE Center. FLITE’s mission is to “guide those aging out of foster care and other vulnerable youth for a successful transition to independence.”
The SNC is very happy we got the opportunity to give back to our community this way. Kids that have grown up through the foster care system are more vulnerable as they start their adult life and many of them do not have support systems to help them get started on the right foot.
Remember, as a community, there is no issue we can’t tackle together.
Hey everyone,
The Sawgrass Nature Center is halfway to our minimum goal to provide free educational and professional development resources to Title I schools. These resources will include an environmental education program, a volunteer program, and professional skill building program. The professional skill building program will teach students how to write and build their resume, how to navigate an interview, and how to use social media is changing the job market. The volunteer program will provide them with skill building, hands-on experience at the Sawgrass Nature Center as well as a resume building and networking opportunity. The environmental education program will give them the chance to interact with wildlife and wildlife rehabbers in an educational environment.
To qualify as a Title I school, 40% of the student body must be living below the poverty level. This funding will allow us to bring resources to typically underserved communities to help bridge the gap in job opportunities and educational quality between socio-economically distinguished groups.
Please consider sharing or donating here: https://acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/story/Elzntf
Disclaimer: The SNC is continuing to take every necessary precaution to protect our employees and volunteers from COVID-19, including virtual programming.
Hi! My name is Abby De la Rocha and I am the Volunteer Coordinator at the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital in Coral Springs, Florida. I was born in Puerto Rico and lived there until my family moved to Botswana when I was 8 years old. I returned to Puerto Rico when I was 16 and finished high school in Ponce. I then moved to New Orleans where I studied at Loyola University. I have been in Florida since 2006.
In this post, I’m going to tell you about Hispanic Heritage month as well as some interesting facts about Puerto Rico’s agriculture and its most precious ecosystem El Yunque.
What is Hispanic Heritage Month?
Each year, we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme- Hispanics: Be Proud of Your Past, Embrace the Future – invites us to embrace our backgrounds, to be proud of who we are and where we came from.
Embracing the Future
The future of agriculture in Puerto Rico
Currently, Puerto Rico imports 85% of its food. This is a huge vulnerability for an island with a population of 3.1 million. For several years, my family has been involved in the agroecological movement which seeks to increase the self-sufficiency of Puerto Rico through their agricultural project Finca El Reverdecer. This movement has been largely spearheaded by young people who are eager to make a difference. I believe that by looking at our past we can create a better future.
The present agricultural reality of Puerto Rico can be traced back to Puerto Rico’s history as a Spanish colony and later as a Commonwealth of the United States. The establishment of the monoculture of sugarcane meant that many Puerto Ricans worked on sugarcane plantations. My grandfather worked cutting cane during his youth. Later, he would go on to own land that he cultivated for his own consumption. At the age of 93 he continues to enjoy getting his hands dirty on my parents’ farm.
Eventually, the sugarcane industry on the island collapsed. Its demise was due to various factors including hurricanes that decimated the island as well as policies imposed by the Federal Government. In particular, a land tax imposed in 1901 known as the Hollander Bill. As a result of this bill, many local farmers were forced to sell their land. This eventually led to mass migration from the island to the mainland. It also led to a decrease in farming in general as people did not have land to farm. Subsequently, attitudes towards farming became unfavorable, especially among young people. This is changing. Today, many small farms produce high-quality products that are sought out by individuals and restaurants alike. While still a work in progress, the path to agricultural self-sufficiency is being forged.
Celebrating the only U.S. National Forest located on an island
The El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest in the national forest system. At nearly 29,000 acres, it is one of the smallest in size, yet one of the most biologically diverse.
The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. (2020) describes El Yunque, “Caressed by gentle easterly winds the forest has an average temperature of 73° F, and seasonal changes are almost imperceptible. It is the ideal climate for exuberant tropical vegetation. The rain forest is noted for its biodiversity; it is “home” to thousands of native plants including 150 fern species, 240 tree species (88 of these are endemic or rare and 23 are exclusively found in this forest). The El Yunque National Forest has no large wildlife species, but hundreds of smaller animals abound in this gentle forest, many of which exist nowhere else on the planet.”
To embrace the future, we must plan and prepare for it. Looking forwards requires us to look back at our history so that we can make sense of our present. Puerto Rico’s future is being planned by those who work the land in order to provide food for its people as well as those who work to preserve the natural wonder that is El Yunque National Forest.
If you’d like to learn more about some of the agricultural projects on the island check out the links below:
Proyecto Agroecologico el Josco Bravo
Organización Boricuá de Agricultura Ecológica de Puerto Rico
El Departamento de la Comida
Finca El Reverdecer
References:
Charles, D. (2017, May 13) How Puerto Rico Lost Its Home-Grown Food, But Might Find It Again. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/05/13/527934047/how-puerto-rico-lost-its-home-grown-food-but-might-find-it-again
U.S. Census Bureau (2019). Quick Facts Puerto Rico. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/PR.
The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. (2020) About the Forest. Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/elyunque/about-forest
Dick, D. L. (2015) U.S. Tax Imperialism in Puerto Rico. American University Law Review. Retrieved from http://www.aulawreview.org/us-tax-imperialism-in-puerto-rico/#_ftn220
https://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/2020/09/29/hispanic-heritage-month/
The Sawgrass Nature Center has the chance to win up to $20k in grants if we can raise just $3,000 in donations. The goal for this grant is to provide under served communities with career-building mentorship programs and educational resources for free. Please help us reach our goal by sharing or donating. Learn more about the mission here: https://acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/story/Elzntf
Our resident Green Heron, named Goblin, is a little protective. He likes to patrol his territory any time our rehabbers get close. Like all herons, the Green Heron has a long neck. What’s unique about these guys is that they like to keep them pulled close to their chest unless they are hunting, or feel threatened.
Heron are considered aquatic birds. That means they have special adaptations for hunting in and living near freshwater, like the Everglades. Their long necks and pointed beaks make them great fishers.
This is a reminder that tortoises can NOT swim like other turtles. If tortoises are dropped in water, they will drown. You can tell the difference between a swimming turtle and a tortoise by looking at their feet. Turtles will have webbed feet that help them swim, or flippers. Tortoises do not have webbed feet.
A Successful Camp During a Pandemic
Spring of 2020 set back many with the realization that COVID-19 was going to affect us for far longer than hoped. Places closed, families went into quarantine, and everyone was left wondering—what happens next?
One of the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital’s main goals was to continue our mission of Environmental Education. No other program meets that goal like our youth camp, Camp Wild. However, Spring Camp had already been canceled, so there was no precedent for running a successful camp during a pandemic. But the need for a sense of normalcy and a place for children to go have fun and further their education was definitely there.
Camp Wild 2020 – Summer Session continued under new rules and safety regulations. An average camp size of thirty was reduced to a capacity of fifteen. In the open-air outdoor classroom at the Sawgrass Nature Center, assigned seats and spaces were created for campers with a six-foot minimum distance between them. Masks were required and worn at almost all times, apart from food and water breaks. Mandatory hand washing and hand sanitizing were scheduled throughout the day. Regular reminders to keep their hands to themselves, to show care for their friends’ safety by not sharing and the risks involved with breaking the very important safety rules helped campers understand the role they were playing toward a safe and successful camp experience.
The curriculum and activities were also adapted to new safety requirements. Typical toys and games that could not be easily sanitized (playdough, crayons, Legos) were substituted with items that could be kept clean and separate. When it came time for crafts, every camper was preassigned with their own set of supplies and materials. Counselors were then responsible for collecting and cleaning supplies.
One of the most difficult issues of running an outdoor camp during COVID-19 is the requirement of face masks. How do we ensure the campers keep them on and that they are breathing properly in the face of Florida’s unrelenting heat? Fortunately, face masks have proven to be quite breathable. Campers were told that if they ever felt like they needed a mask break, or that they were breathing too hard, a safe space would be made for them to breathe freely.
With all these safety regulations, Camp Wild attendees were able to participate in typical camp activities like outdoor games, dip netting, slogging, bug hunting, and more. Camp Wild 2020 was a success in the face of a global crisis. Six weeks of successful operation showed us that there is a way to keep our children safe and educated during uncertain times and for them to have a fun summer camp experience.
Bees are necessary pollinators for our natural environment. Without them, majority of the plants we that produce oxygen we need to breathe wouldn’t be able to survive. A world without bees is no world indeed.
As part of our efforts to help slow the alarming rate at which bees are dying out, the Sawgrass Nature Center is 4.5 acres of nationally certified wildlife habitat. Part of that means we host many pollinator gardens. We even have our own apiary.
Check out how you can turn your backyard into a certified wildlife habitat here: https://www.nwf.org/garden-for-wildlife/certify
And stay updated with our social media to learn more about the SNC’s own beehives and gardens.
“There’s no platonic explanation for this” ?
No, try
There’s no plastic explanation for this
do not confuse the lack of foot traffic outside for cleaning the environment. big oil companies dumping oil in the ocean and large industries polluting greenhouse gases are what is hurting the planet.
animals going into the city is just entropy, it is less noisy or they have become dependent on human food or they are foraging. that is just normal. not a sign that mother nature is healing. just shut up.
people aren’t the problem, capitalism is what is causing global warming and climate change. we need to stop massive waste and large scale pollution.
There are a lot of times I feel like just…flipping the vegan script.
It’s not ‘polyester’ it’s plastic
It’s not ‘vegan leather’ it’s plastic
Its not ‘faux fur’ it’s plastic
Plastic is a pollutant and causes far more damage to the environment both now and in the future than leather or wool.
Please stop telling me that the Plastic Lyfe is the only life, it is not. My leather shoes will last a decade where pleather is lucky to last 12 months. Leather (and wool) decompose and are renewable. Plastic is neither of those.
Saw this in my textbook and found it very interesting that it’s VERY clear who is hurting the environment, the developed countries, by a lot.
junton Lee - http://www.weibo.com/xiaojunaikoo?topnav=1&wvr=5&is_all=1 - http://blog.163.com/aikoo_king
Glenn Porter - http://tavenerscholar.deviantart.com - http://www.gporterdesign.com
Jessica Smith - http://artofjess.com - http://mei-xing.tumblr.com - http://mei-xing.deviantart.com - https://twitter.com/jessmeixing - https://society6.com/jessmeixing/prints - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-xq5B-_2ADygQa7x7a8YqA/feed - https://www.instagram.com/jessabella_xing - http://jessmeixing-art.blogspot.com.es - http://mei-xing.blogspot.com.es
Pablo Carpio - http://pablocarpioart.tumblr.com - https://www.facebook.com/pablo.carpiomaraver - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablocarpiomaraver - http://pablocarpioart.deviantart.com
Time: “She knows action on climate change won’t happen instantly, but she’s prepared to dedicate years to this cause, even if life in the public eye has its drawbacks.
“When I grow up, I want to be able to look back and say that I did everything I could,” she says. “I think that more people should feel like that.””
Visual communication project brief: do something inspired by one of three given songs
Grimes - Be a Body
[3/3]
#ForestFriday
Of all the paths you take in life make sure some of them are in the forest.
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#NatureNestd #Nature #Earth #Plants #Environment #Natural #Hike #Outdoors #Landscape #PicOfTheDay #Hiking #USA #America #Forest #Wilderness
This Nature Nest looks like it’s on Mars! 🌎
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🌎: Goblin Valley, Utah
#NatureNestd #Nature #Earth #Plants #Environment #Natural #Hike #Outdoors #Landscape #PicOfTheDay #USA #America #Utah #PlanetEarth
Nature can be wicked... WICKED COOL!
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🌎: Booker, Texas
🎥: @markokorosecnet @jonathanwennstroem
#NatureNestd #Nature #Earth #Plants #Environment #Natural #Hike #Outdoors #Landscape #PicOfTheDay #Tornado #Clouds #USA #UnitedStates #Texas
