charlotte harbor environmental center - chec newsletter fall 2014.pdfnew programs offer even more...

New Programs Offer Even More Fun

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Read up on the latest happenings and upcoming programs to experience the saltier side of CHEC.

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Fall 2014 Update Newsletter

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Cedar Point Happenings

Ashley Demarais joins our team as our new program coordinator.

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Meet Our New Program Coordinator

From yoga to new cruises, CHEC is now offering even more ways to enjoy the great outdoors.

Caniff Nature Center Getting Prepared for a Makeover

Our beloved Caniff Nature Center is about to get some new exhibits and learning spaces, thanks to a recent grant from the Charlotte Harbor Fund. To prepare for the updating of the center, the Alligator Creek staff rolled up our sleeves and reorganized the whole

Continued on page 6

Out on the Water

Naturalists Chris Salmonsen and Martha Clemente share what its like being out on the water through the eyes of a 4th grader

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Biodiversity at Its Finest

9 Exposing children to all the variety of life teaches them why it’s important to care about our environment.

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Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

Message from our Chief Executive Officer

Twenty-seven years ago, a visionary endeavor to create a special place for people to enjoy and learn about Charlotte’s natural environment formed into the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC).

Now with two locations serving the community in providing environmental education, scientific research and environmental lands management, CHEC has grown into well-established institution in the Charlotte County community.

I am very honored and excited to join CHEC as its new CEO. I have hit the ground running in working with our talented staff and volunteers to freshen facilities and create new exciting programs for this coming season. In this newsletter, we hope to share with you some of the ways CHEC is continuing to fulfill our founders’ vision. These include some exciting new environmental education and outdoor recreational programs for all ages.

As you read this issue filled with accomplishments and innovations, I hope you will be reinvigorated to continue supporting our work and take advantage of all that CHEC has to offer. We cannot do what we do or grow CHEC to become an even greater asset to our community without your support.

I look forward to meeting you out on the trails and Happy Holidays to you and your family,

Thomas Hecker Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center CEO

DIRECTORS

Chair Dorothea Zysko

Vice Chair Stacy Calvino

Chief Executive Officer Thomas Hecker

Treasurer Larry Linn

Secretary Mary Ann Hughes

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Capt. Ralph Allen Kellee Anderson John Aspiolea Kelly Beall Adam Cummings Ken Doherty Barbara Fleshman Michael Haymans Jennifer Huber Rachel Keesling Steve Osborne Thomas Parker Lee Swift Rindi Welton

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Newsletter - Fall 2014

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Mosiac Company Foundation for underwriting CHEC’s Seagrass Adventure Wading Trips for both the general public and every 2nd grade in Charlotte County.

Southwest Florida Water Management District, Mosaic Company Foundation, Charlotte County Public Schools, Charlotte Board of Commissioners, Marine Advisory Committee, Peace River Audubon Society, Punta Gorda Marina, Cape Haze Marina, Edward T. Bedford Foundation Grant, Friends of CHEC, as well as private donors and proceeds from Hands Across the Harbor for underwriting CHEC’s 4th grade program for all 4th graders.

Bob from Mowers & More for free mower repair.

Roxanne Broadbent for donation in memory of Dot Phillips.

JoAnn and John House for donation in memory of Dot Phillips.

Liz and Harry White for donation in memory of Dot Phillips.

Jean Key for a World Globe. Bill Messner for maintenance

supplies Mangrove Chapter Florida Native

Plant Society for marine life books.

Captain Marian Schneider for display case and artifacts.

Englewood Shell Club for cash donation.

We never know what we will find on the wading trips…this November we found our first mantis shrimp! Also called “sea locusts”, “prawn killers” or “thumb splitters”, these are not really shrimp (or mantis) but are marine crustaceans. Thank You to Roger DeBruler, Charlotte County Marine Resource Program Assistant for identifying.

CHEC’s Cedar Point Environmental Park has had a very busy year! Visitation from October 2013 to September 2014 numbered 8,865 - with most coming from other states (39%) while Sarasota and Charlotte Counties were represented with 29% and 21% respectively. Meanwhile, our ever-vigilant volunteers logged in a total of 4,760 hours!

We are already gearing up to provide Seagrass Adventure Wading Trips to both the general public and to every 2nd grader in Charlotte County. Check the dates and join us for one of these free fun educational excursions. If none of the dates are convenient, we even offer “private wading trips” for families and groups (including Birthday Parties) as resources and staffing allow. Call CHEC Cedar Point Education Center at 941-475-0769 for more information.

Out and about at Cedar Point

Thank You to Our Partners and Supporters

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Update Newsletter – Fall 2014

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CHEC has partnered with Captiva Cruises and the Florida State Park System to provide educational nature programs at Don Pedro Island State Park. Situated in Lemon Bay, the park is accessible only by boat. For a small fee, Captiva Cruises ferry visitors from Don Pedro Mainland State Park the short distance to the island state park for shelling, swimming and picnicking.

Twice a month on the first Tuesday and the third Thursday, CHEC will provide free guided walks focusing on beach ecosystems, history, shells, etc. beginning at the beach pavilion. Call Cedar Point Education Center at 941-475-0769 for information; call Captiva Cruises at 941-889-8000 for ferry reservations.


New Programs Offer Even More Fun at CHEC!

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Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center Update Newsletter – Fall 2014

Alligator Creek Welcomes New Program Coordinator

It’s been a whopping two months since I joined CHEC’s fabulous team of educators, volunteers, and staff. I’ve taken on the official role of “Program Coordinator,” but for me it’s about much more than that. It’s about finding a way to foster a life-long passion for discovery and the true challenge has been in the methods. As a student studying education I was bewildered by what I had come to regard as learning resistance. I couldn’t imagine how anyone, especially a child, could deny themselves the opportunity to learn. Naturally, I began asking questions (lots and lots of questions), and found that the most common complaint made by struggling learners was that they were bored. So I took it upon myself to capture the interests of these students by tutoring them…usually against their will. Years later I began to understand that most of these children weren’t resisting at all, but rather were being forced to adopt someone else’s learning methods. Information wasn’t being made accessible to those with different learning styles and aptitudes. They were also being denied the opportunity to focus on topics relevant to their interests and lives. Through my previous position as an Educator at the Imaginarium Science Center, I was able to test these theories and become proficient with a variety of research-based teaching strategies. In this way I hoped to re-kindle that spark of curiosity in each and every student that attended my classes. I plan to use these same techniques at the Caniff Visitor Center to encourage a more immersive experience, while also remaining true to CHEC’s mission. I am excited to unveil some exciting new programs including developing summer camp programs! Working with our wonderful staff and volunteers, it is my hope that CHEC will be able to expand upon its current conservation efforts to help build a more sustainable future. Look forward to meeting each of you, Ashley Demarais, Program Coordinator

You can see Ashley as well the children she is working with (like the young boy behind her) are having a lot of fun together.

Ashley helping children at the Charlotte Harbor Nature Center to make cute lighting bug toys with all the correct anatomical parts.

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Continued from Page 1 - Caniff Nature Center Getting Prepared for a Makeover Alligator Creek Nature Center campus – selling surplus items at our Very Scary Rummage Sale around Halloween and netting approximately $2,000 dollars.

We then moved the administration offices into the new Welcome Center, which also now houses our nature store gift shop. This central location near the entrance will be where future visitors will be greeted by a volunteer to check in and learn about our centers and programs. Now all of the staff offices at the Alligator Creek can also be housed in one building to facilitate communication and teamwork.

This allowed us to take the former administration building and create a new Volunteer Center. This new Center allows our volunteers to have a more comfortable space to work and take breaks in with a dedicated volunteer computer work station, break room, library, water quality testing resource room and dedicated office for our partner: the Peace River Audubon Society.

Finally, moving the gift shop out of Caniff has allowed us to truly use our fabulous nature center entirely for educational programming. We are creating a new more kid-friendly youth learning space as well as designing new dynamic and interactive exhibits to add to our already fantastic ecosystem murals.

We are excited to make all of these improvements to take full advantage of our exceptional facilities. Look for these improvements to keep unfolding in the coming months and watch the transformation into a new more exciting nature center for all to enjoy!

Out with the old and in with the new - as surplus items were prepared for sale at CHEC Rummage Sale.

New Welcome Center conference room being used for monthly volunteer meeting.

For more information, go to www.checflorida.org

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Out on the Water Through the Eyes of a Fourth grader

Every year, CHEC Naturalists Chris Salmonsen and Martha Clemente get excited about the opportunity to teach about our estuary and the Peace River. They test the water quality with the children for things like pH, phosphates, salinity, clarity and water depth. They also pull a plankton net. Most of the fourth graders know plankton only as an evil cartoon character Sponge Bob but don't know what real-life plankton are.

The children are fascinated with the wild birds and animals they get to see in our estuary. Alligators and dolphins always entertain, but the real thrill is sighting a spoonbill or “pinky” as they like to call them. Initially some of the kids think that they are flamingos and Chris or Martha patiently will explain the difference. The students’ knowledge of world wildlife from watching television shows is amazing but at the same time, it is sometimes disappointing how little they often know about wildlife in their own backyards. At CHEC, we hope that between the educational booklet we provide prior to their fieldtrip and the opportunity to see local wildlife up close our students with passionate naturalists like Chris and Martha, students will become more aware and appreciative of our unique natural environment in the Charlotte Harbor estuary - because every child should have a chance to really know and understand the place that they call home.


Environmental Cents

Doris Button, CHEC’s Director of Finance, has been taking an in-depth look at more economical and efficient use of our on-site resources, as well as how to trim our expenses while meeting the established objectives for our programs.

As a result, we’ve decreased our telephone expenses by 23% and increased our gift shop sales by 76% since relocating our gift shop from Caniff to our Welcome Center. We’ve implemented energy savings measures organization-wide in an effort to save money and be more environmentally energy conscious.

Here at CHEC, we are carefully stewarding every donated dollar to ensure the maximum amount goes directly to programming that furthers our mission. You can be certain under Doris’ watchful eye, that your donation will be well used.

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Every Thursday morning at 9 am, a group of CHEC volunteers affectionately called the “Pepper Busters”, meet at Cedar Point Park to traverse the trails and woods of local Charlotte County parks in search of invasive, exotic vegetation such as Brazilian pepper trees and rosary pea vines.

These non-native plants invade natural ecosystems and decrease (often totally destroying) the habitat that is so necessary for our native plants and animals to flourish.

Additional volunteers are always needed so call 941-475-0769 for more information on how you can join the crew.

Volunteers are Invaluable at CHEC We need you! Whether out on the trails guiding visitors or inside answering phones, CHEC depends on our volunteers to be able to offer environmental and educational programs and services to our community. We are currently short staffed on many critical positions and seeking volunteers of all talents, interests, and availability levels for this season. If you are interested in becoming a CHEC volunteer, please contact Ashley Demaris at (941) 575-5435.


Do you like meeting new people and want to help?

We have immediate openings for volunteer greeters who help orient our guests, handle gift shop sales, and answer incoming calls from our new comfortable front desk reception area.

Welcome our newest Volunteer Water Quality Monitors: Bob & Velvet Kinsley and Gail & Steve Hopper who participated in a training session on July 23 at Cedar Point Park conducted by Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve staff. Glad to have you on board!

Just a few of our many terrific volunteers who came out to help on Coastal Clean-up Day.

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Love Your Watershed Our summer Ecoweek Camp theme at Cedar Point Park this year was “Love Your Watershed”. After a week of fun-filled, excellent learning adventures, including a field trip to the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda, we wrapped up our camp with a visit from Dr. Katie McHugh from the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. She told us the story of a dolphin named Beggar, who died in 2012 after years of being illegally fed by humans. In her observations of Beggar’s behavior, Dr. McHugh noted that when law enforcement boats patrolled the area and no one was feeding Beggar, his behavior was more normal. Even after years of being fed by humans, he was able to go back to normal when people did not interfere. The problem was, once the patrol boats left the area, people fed him again. “If only we could get humans to do the right thing, then the dolphins will adapt back to their natural behavior”, said Dr. McHugh.

Biodiversity at Its Finest

Recent November field trips out in Lemon Bay have been outstanding. In just the first 2 weeks of West County field trips, the students have been delighted to see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Florida manatees, majestic bald eagles, ospreys, white and brown pelicans, black skimmers, a rare avocet as well as a reddish egret close to Stump Pass, royal and common terns, belted kingfishers, magnificent frigatebirds, willets, great blue, little blue and tri-colored herons, great white and snowy egrets, cormorants, anhingas and a variety of gulls.

In our seagrass habitat explorations, we have discovered a large (15+ inches) live lightning whelk, dwarf sea horses and a pipe fish, a baby puffer fish, a lizard fish, all varieties of shrimp you can imagine (pistol, arrow, ghost, common, grass, broken-back, isopods!), hermit crabs in a variety of small shells and more! The CHEC crab trap is always a surprise – recent catch has included a large marine hermit crab in lightning whelk shell, a beautiful calico crab and lots of spider crabs!

We also learn about the mangroves, barrier island native plants and the plankton that are designed to provide the abundant food chain foundation and other habitat needs for many of these creatures. The biodiversity in this estuary ecosystem never ceases to amaze us all!

This living showcase of biodiversity helps us to understand the interconnectedness of all living plants and animals to one another. Fostering an awareness and appreciation of it is the first step in hopefully cultivating the next generation of conservation leaders to protect these special places.


Ø Identification books on fish and marine organisms

Ø Gently used loveseat or couch for volunteer break room

Ø Functional kayaks and canoes Ø Spotting scopes Ø Garmin hand-held GPS unit Ø Full-size refrigerator Ø Working pick-up truck with under a

100k miles Ø Laptop computer and/or Ipad tablet Ø Upright vacuum cleaner

CHEC WISH LIST

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Alligator Creek Location 10941 Burnt Store Road Punta Gorda, FL 33955

Our beautiful Cedar Point Nature Center, lead by CHEC staff Bobbi Rodgers and a team of

dedicated volunteers.


CHEC is a private, non-profit corporation whose mission is to offer environmental education, recreation, research, and preservation land management to citizens and visitors of the Charlotte Harbor area.

charlotte harbor environmental center - chec newsletter fall 2014.pdfnew programs offer even more...

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