To enjoy nature you do not have to take a 20 mile hike or even a 3 hour kayak tour, you just need to take a small amount of time to look around you. Wildlife and nature are everywhere. This is also a great time to introduce little ones to outdoor activities before the hot summer temperatures return.

Check out the Miami  Dade EcoAdventures website: www.miamiecoadventures.org

Follow us on Facebook: Miami-Dade EcoAdventures or on Twitter: MDEcoAdventures

From our family to your – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 2009

The 110th Annual Christmas Bird Count

From Dec. 14 — Jan. 5 tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission– often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday Season.

Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain, to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations—and to help guide conservation action.

From feeder-watchers and field observers to count compilers and regional editors, everyone who takes part in the Christmas Bird Count does it for love of birds and the excitement of friendly competition—and with the knowledge that their efforts are making a difference for science and bird conservation.

For more information:

National Audubon         

Tropical Audubon

December Calendar of Events

 Crandon Naturalist Ecology Series: Seagrass

Saturday, December 5, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

$10 / person (Bring your own mask and snorkel gear or rent ours for $8 you get to keep the snorkel!)

Crandon Park Visitors and Nature Center

(305) 361-6767 ext 112

Sunset & Moonlight Kayak

Saturday, December 5, 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM

$40 / person

Crandon Park Visitors & Nature Center.

(305) 365-3018

Night Hike & Campfire

Saturday, December 12, 7:00 PM– 8:30 PM

$8 / person

Bill Sadowski Nature Center

305-255-4767

Night Hike & Campfire

Saturday, December 12 & 19, 7:30 PM—9:30 PM

$8 / person

AD Barnes Nature Center

305-662-4124

Crandon Naturalist Ecology Series: Mangroves

Saturday, December 19, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

$10 / person

Crandon Park Visitors & Nature Center

(305) 361-6767 ext 112

Yoga

Thursday, December 10, 6:00 PM—7:30 PM

Sunday, December 20, 10:00 AM– 11:30 AM

$10 / person

Bill Sadowski Nature Center

305-255-4767

Everglades Sunset Bike Hike & Wine Tasting

Sunday, December 27, 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM

$50 / person

305-365-3018

 For a full list of events, including on going programs click here

Feature Event for December:  Winter Camp

Week 1: December 21-24

Week 2: December 28-31

Kids  can enjoy winter break with these fun and active nature camps. Activities include exploring nature trails, interactive presentations, games, arts & crafts and so much more.

Camp will be held at the following Nature Centers:

AD Barnes Nature Center (ages 6-12)    305-662-4124

Arch Creek at the Greynolds Park Boathouse (ages 6-14) 305-944-6111 / 305-948-2891

Bill Sadowski Nature Center (ages 6-12 )   305-255-4767

Ask a Naturalist

Q: I have a small, sunny area that I would like to plant with a native ground cover that would also attract butterflies. What would you suggest?  – Amy, Miami

A: The native blue porterweed, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, is a low-spreading plant that is about one foot tall at maturity and has long, green spikes with blue flowers that attract a wide variety of butterflies. It would be perfectly suited for a small sunny area. Plant blue porterweed about one or two feet apart when used as a ground cover.     

 Have a question for our Naturalists? Send it to us here.

Kid’s Corner

 Do you know what bird is listed as Florida’s state bird?

 The mockingbird is the Florida state bird and is a resident of Florida year-round.

The mockingbird mimics many other birds’ calls, and is sometimes described as “mocking” the songs of others. Its scientific name, Mimus polyglottos, means “Mimic of many tongues.”

 The mockingbird eats fruit, insects, spiders, and other small animals (like lizards and snakes). Maybe you will see one if you participate in the Christmas Bird Count! Good Luck

Visit our Website to sign up if you would like to have the e-newsletter emailed to you each month.

For information on customized or group tours please contact:

 EcoAdventures Office

4000 Crandon Blvd.

Key Biscayne, FL 33149

305-365-3018

email

by Roger Hammer

When most people hear the word “ficus” They almost invariably envision massive, spreading threes from some far away land. This vision actually is not all that incorrect since some of the world’s largest trees are members of the genus Ficus, and a number of them are cultivated right here in South Florida. The species that we typically see are Ficus benjamina or weeping fig (native to India and commonly used as hedges or large, overbearing landscape trees), Ficus microcarpa or laurel fig (native to Australia and used as a large shade tree on home lots or on street along the turmnpikes), Ficus altissima or lofty fig (native to India and seen lining Old Cutler Road in the Croal Gables area), Ficus benghalensis or banyan fig ( native to India and seen occasionally as a large street or yard tree), Ficus eslastica or rubber tree (native to Africa and seen lining Old Cutler Road in the Coconut Grove area, or as a popluar indoor potted plant) and Ficus religiosa (native to India and sometimes seen in church yards or as a landscape tree, especially around Key West.

Not all ficus, however, fit into the same category as the above species. One is Ficus pumila, which is native from Japan to Vietnam. This species is the vine you see clinging tightly to the concrete Metro Rail supports along US 1 in Miami. Another species, and one that everyone has probably eaten, is Ficus carica, native to the Mediterranean area. This is the familiar edible fig, which forms a somewhat leggy shrub and is cultivated in many parts of the world for its tasty fruit.

There are two Florida native ficus. One, the strangler fig, Ficus aurea is a familiar sight to anyone who has ever walked through the hardwood forests of southern Florida. Strangler figs grow to be immense trees, have a very aggressive root system and are often found growing epiphytically on other trees. Over the years, a strangler fig will kill its host tree.

Another, more well-behaved ficus, is our native short-leaf fig, Ficus citrifolia. This is a handsome, straight-trunked tree with an attractive, well-rounded canopy. If you desire to attract birds to your yard, you will be delighted by the shortleaf fig.

The abundance of small fruit borne throughout the year are beloved by birds, especially cedar waxwings, thrushes, blue jays, mockingbirds, and other fruit-earing birds. It is also the larval food plant of the native ruddy daggerwing butterfly. You will not notice any leaf damage on your shortleaf fig by the larvae of this butterfly, but what you will notice is the attractive adult butterflies with their dark orange wings flitting gracefully around your yard.

Give the shortleaf fig the room that it requires to grow to full stature (typically 30 to 40 feet) and it will become a great shade tree for you and future generations as well. And the birds and butterflies are free.

By Roger L. Hammer

Most Often, common names of plants make some sort of sense but, occasionally, we encounter one that defies our imagination. This is one of them. The green, leathery fruit ripen black and wrinkled with dark brown, somewhat edible pulp that surrounds the seeds. Nothing at all like an apple. The fruit ripen very slowly, which takes the better part of a year. Someone lost count.
At least, the latin name, Casasia clusiifolia, makes sense. Casasiahonors an 18th Century Spaniard, Luis de las Casas y Arargorri, and clusiifolia refers to the leaves, which resemble plants in the genus Clusia, such as pitch-apple, Clusia rosea.
Seven-year-apple is a sparsely-branched shrub of coastal areas in the Florida Keys. Leaves are deep green, glossy and are clustered at the tips of the branches. Female trees bear solitary flowers while males produce clusters of several flowers. The flowers resemble miniature, white frandipani flowers and are sweetly fragrant. Hummingbirds and sphinx moths visit the flowers for nectar.
Some fine examples of seven-year-apple can be found along the nature trail on Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park but, unfortunately, they tend to flower at the height of mosquito season in late spring and early summer. To truly appreciate this beautiful, small tree, plant several in your home landscape. Seven-year-apple is a fine, low maintenance, salt and drought-tolerant plant perfectly suited for a sunny location.

This blog entry was taken from Miami-Dade Parks Tropical Trails magazine Fall Edition 1994

Florida is famous for its sandy beaches. But, although beaches may be enchanting on a quiet evening, or a place of peaceful solitude for early morning seashell collectors, they also have a turbulent history of violence. Beaches bear the full brunt of an angry sea when tropical storms and hurricanes literally hurtle the sea on and across the dunes.
One constant feature of a beach dune is that of movement and change. Change can be subtle one day, drastic the next. Plants that live on beach dunes must be adapted to harsh environment. They must be extremely salt tolerant, decidedly wind and drought tolerant, and capable of surviving in nutrient-poor soils. They must have adaptations to survive shifting sand and even be able to help stablize a most unstable environment. This is no easy task.
The plant that is most up to the task is a tall, clumping grass called Sea Oats. It is recognized as such an important plant to Florida’s beaches that it is protected by the State of Florida. Sea Oats grow in dense clumps and spread by seed, underground rhizomes and by rooting readily wherever stems touch the sand. Drifting sand piles up around the plants and is trapped in large quantities, restricting erosion and literally keeping beach dunes from disappearing altogether. Other important dune stabilizing plants in southern Florida are Beach Croton, Railroad Vine, Beach Sunflower, Burrowing Four O’clock, Beach Elder, and some hardy grasses and sedges. hese are floral guardians of that which lies behind the dunes, especially during hurricanes.
The most dangerous single element of a hurricane is the storm surge, which includes the high tides and rough seas that accompany storms as they move landward from the sea. The storm surge and accompanying coastal currents can cause significant changes to the shoreline, removing and erecting huge sand bars in a matter of a few hours. Seawalls offer little or no protection from storm surge and give coastal residents a false sense of security. It would have been far better for Florida’s coastline if our beaches had been spared from development and allowed the dune vegetation to remain intact.
As much as plants are important to the survival of beach dunes, the dunes are important to the survival of many different species of animals. Wherever land meets the sea in Florida, you will find a rich feeding zone for birds, mammals and invertebrates. Shorebirds such as sandpipers, plovers, and willets are a constant sight on beaches as they search for small marine life that becomes washed up or expose on beaches by tides and wave action. Raccoons ply the dunes in search of food, and there are even reptiles, such as the Six-lined Racerunner, Everglades Racer, Gopher Tortoise and, in remote areas like Cape Sable in Everglades National Park, even Diamondback Rattlesnakes. Look closely along the dunes and you will likely see a Ghost Crab scurrying quickly across the sand. At night during the spring and early summer, sea turtles undergo their anicent ritual of laying eggs in nests that they dig in the sand. Upon hatching, the young turtles head for the sea, and the female turtles that survive to maturity will one day find themselves digging a nest on the very same beach where they were born.
Tides and waves also bring interesting and sometimes unsightly things to Florida’s beaches. One obvious feature of any beach is the wrack line, which is the long line of sea debris left along the beach at high tide. The wrack line will include seaweed, shells, flotsam and unforunately, litter and tar. This wrack line is a home for a variety of creatures such as Beach Fleas and other amphipods and therefore is a favorite feeding zone for birds. The wrack line may also harbor stranded sea life such as Jellyfish, poisonous Portuguese Man-O-War, and Sea Cucumbers.
Beaches are a valuable natural asset of the State of Florida, and are a prime area for recreation. Cities have grown on or near Florida’s beaches and the attractiveness of beachfront property has made this the most valuable real estate in Florida. It is wise for all Florida residents to learn the importance of dune vegetation, because without it there would be no beaches. When coastal plant communities are destroyed by storms, new vegetation springs up in the same alternating pattern as before. And when plants like Sea Oats sprout along an eroded beach, new sand is trapped and held in place. Thus, a dune grows. So by simply allowing plants such as Sea Oats to flourish, it will do much to help preserve one of Florida’s most valuable resources, the beaches.

This blog entry was taken from Miami-Dade Parks Tropical Trails magazine – Fall Edition 1994

 Celebrate Earth Day at Earthfest 2009 at Crandon Park Visitors and Nature Center, Sunday, April 19, 2009,
10 a.m. to sundown

 Event Features Live Music, Spoken-Word Performances, Hands-On Workshops, Eco-Tram Tours, Nature Walks, Community Drum Circle, Green Mobility Bike valet service and Much More

 MIAMI – In honor of Earth Day, Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation and Earth Learning present the annual Earthfest 2009, an event for the whole family on Sunday, April 19, 2009, 10 a.m. to sundown, at the Crandon Park Visitors and Nature Center, 6767 Crandon Blvd., located at the North Beach entrance of Crandon Park.  Admission is free.  Parking at Crandon Park is $5. 

The day-long event will feature “green” vendors offering earth-friendly products such as clothing made from eco-friendly materials, accessories and gifts made from recycled newspaper, eco-friendly products for children and infants, the Smart Car, an electronics recycling center, environmental educational organizations, vegetarian food vendors, and much more.  To encourage bicycling to the event, Green Mobility Network will offer a free bike-valet service, parking bikes in a secured area.

Workshops will also be going on from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on topics including:

·         Greening every room in your house

·         Reducing your electric bill

·         Rain barrel construction

·         Organic gardening

·         Raw food preparation

·         Deep ecology and more

The Miami-Dade Parks EcoAdventures staff of naturalists will provide Eco Tram Tours of the Bear Cut preserve and guided nature walks through Coastal Hardwood Hammocks.  Other activities include a Discovery Lab, a Kidz Corner, previews of Disney Nature’s film Earth, a drum circle, and much more.

 Earthfest will also feature performances starting at 2 p.m. with the Spam Allstars, Patxi Pastor Band, Song of the Soul, and GSR.  For detailed bios of the artists and for more information on Earthfest 2009, please visit the website at www.earthfest.us or call the Crandon Park Visitors and Nature Center at 305-361-6767, ext. 112. 

 Earthfest is presented by Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation and Earth Learning.  It is funded in part by Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Department and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos A. Gimenez, District 7.  Sponsors include Nature Disney, Whole Foods Marketplace, Natural Awakenings Magazine, Imagine Miami, The City of Miami Office of Sustainable Initiatives, Green Mobility, WLRN Public Radio, The New Times, and CBS Outdoor Advertising.

 Miami-Dade Parks creates outstanding recreational, natural and cultural experiences to enrich you and to enhance our community for this and future generations.

Vendors:

A celebration of Earth, the Greater Everglades Bioregion, and the possibility of choosing a sustainable future for all in South Florida!

Why celebrate EarthFest?
We live in a world that seems to be breaking down is so many ways…it becomes overwhelming…people feel powerless to make a positive difference. EarthFest will communicate a positive and empowering message that each and every one of us has the ability to bring about a more sustainable world through our everyday actions and personal choices.

 What makes EarthFest unique?
EarthFest proposes to inspire a community-wide discussion and a much needed cultural learning process. The event will showcase artists whose work expresses consistent messages of sustainability, interdependence, peace, unity, compassion, and action towards positive change.

 When and where will it take place?
Sunday April 19^th 2009 from 10 am to 8 pm at the North Beach Entrance of Crandon Park: 6767 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, Fl. 33149. Free admission / $5 parking fee at Crandon. Public Transportation via Metrorail Station & “B” Bus

Free Bicycle valet

 Who is performing?
Musical guests includes Spam Allstars, which will move audiences with their uniquely spirit-lifting sounds and rhythms. They are joined by a terrific roster of bands yet to be announced.

 What Activities are planned?

• Interactive Exhibits, eco demonstrations and workshops
• Eco tram tours through Bear Cut preserve and nature walks through the Coastal Hardwood Hammocks
• Discovery Lab activities
• The Kidz Corner will make recycling and conserving water and the Earth fun for kids of all ages.
• Recycling of old computers, computer parts and peripherals; electronics of all kinds, even small appliances (no large appliances please!).
• Exquisite vegetarian and vegan food and green vendors

 What to bring?

• Concert blanket/chairs
• Water bottles (free refills)
• Drum/instrument for drum circle
• Electronics to recycle

 We are currently still looking for vendors to participate in this years event. If you are interested in participating please contact Aimee at 305.361.6767 ext. 112 or Ascott@miamidade.gov to receive information on how to become a vendor.

Metopium toxiferum

By Roger L. Hammer

Have you ever considered planting a poisonous tree in your yard? As odd as that may sound , don’t forget that the leaves of the oleander can kill you if eaten. And let’s not forget poinsettia, lantana, dieffenbachia, fishtail palm, oyster plant and other commonly cultivated poisonous plants. Mangos anyone?

Anyway, if you are a real native plant aficionado, I think poisonwood, Metopium toxiferum, is as worthy as any other native tree for landscaping in southern Florida. Mature trees are sturdy, and the small, mustard-colored fruit are attractive to birds, especially to the endangered white-crowned pigeons that gorge themselves and their nestlings on the fruit.

Yes, the tree is poisonous, and the clear sap, which turns black when exposed to air, can cause a blistering rash similar to the related poison-ivy, Toxicodendron radicans. Other relatives of poisonwood include Brazilian pepper, mango, pistachio and cashew. Its not that I would suggest placing a poisonwood right out in your yard as a focal point or specimen tree, unless you’re even weirder than I am. Poisonwood would, however, be perfectly suitable for inclusion in a hammock re-creation, since that is its typical habitat, especially in the hardwood forests of the Florida Keys. It also occurs naturally as an invader in pine rocklands where it is kept shrubby by fire.

The compound leaves of poisonwood closely resemble gumbo-limbo, but a key diagnostic feature is that the leaflet midrib (central vein) of poisonwood divides the leaflet equally, whereas the leaflet midrib of gumbo-limbo cants off to one side. Poisonwood produces 3, 5 or 7 leaflets (usually 5), and gumbo-limbo produces 3, 5,7, or 9 leaflets (usually 7).  Like Gumbo Limbo,  poisonwood can mature into a rather large tree, and a classic example is the National champion poisonwood in Brickell Hammock (Vizcaya) that was measured at 90 feet tall prior to Hurrican Andrew.

This is not a tree that you will find in your local Home Depot garden shop. The tree in my yard came from the Florida Keys Native Nursery at Mile Marker #89 on Key Largo. And if you think you have to be mentally deranged to plant a poisonwood as a landscape tree, let me tell you about the manchineel tree in my yard.

Roger Hammer is a naturalist with the Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Dept.

This blog entry was taken from Miami-Dade Parks – Tropical Trails magazine Vol. 23 No. 2