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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 12 - 16, 2003 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 12 - 16, 2003 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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2003 SEMINARS
| HomePage | Keynotes | Articles | Field Trips | Workshops | Seminars | Photography | Kayaking | IDENTIFICATION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BUTTERFLIES
Presenters: Buck and Linda Cooper
Learn to identify the forty or so species most likely to be seen on festival field trips using only your eyes and close-focusing binoculars. Discover easy ways to separate look-alike species. From backyard gardens to coastal areas to weedy roadsides to upland habitats, sample the rich butterfly diversity of the Titusville area. A butterfly/birding field trip to different habitats around Titusville will leave at 11:30am.
Visit www.naba.org and www.butterflywebsite.com
Nov 13, 8:00am-9:30am; $3.00
A BIRDER LOOKS AT BUTTERFLIES
Presenter: Kenn Kaufman
They have color and variety and interesting habits, and you never have to go out in cold weather to see them -- it's no wonder that butterflies are capturing the attention of more and more people. Nature expert Kenn Kaufman is the co-author of the Focus Guide to Butterflies of North America, and in this talk he shares secrets about why these creatures are utterly different from birds, how they experience their miniature world, and what the butterflies are REALLY thinking about.
Nov 13, 9:45am-10:45am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
BORN OF FIRE, UNDER FIRE: THE NATURAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER
Presenter: Dr. Jerry Jackson
The federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker's fate is bound up in the fate of its preferred cavity tree, the longleaf pine. Vast uninterrupted savannas of these pineywoods once spanned the southeast in a great swath from North Carolina to the Missisippi. However, the longleaf pine, prized for the quality of its timber, was quickly logged by pioneers and has since been replaced with faster growing kinds of pine that can be harvested sooner, increasing the economic yield for commercial timber growers. Remaining longleaf stands have been threatened not by forest fires, but rather by the lack of fire: many of this plant community's plant and animal species rely on the renewing effects of regular fire. Fire suppression by people fearful of fire near their homes, and ignorant of the benefits of wildfire for wildlife, have suppressed fire for generations, making once viable longleaf pine stands uninhabitable for the species that rely on them. With research, however, come revelations, and conservationists have effected a remarkable about-face in land management in the last twenty years. Reintroducing fire into these existing longleaf forests and active reforestation efforts are restoring some of the past grandeur of the southeast's longleaf pine-wiregrass systems. Along the way, they're improving the fates of other imperiled species like the Gopher Tortoise and Gopher Frog, the Brown-headed Nuthatch and elusive Bachman's Sparrow. Florida Gulf Coast's University's Dr. Jerry Jackson is a Whitaker Eminent Scholar in Science at Florida Gulf Coast University, and is a world renowned woodpecker expert. Join him to learn more about the unassuming Red-cockaded Woodpecker, whose particular taste for a kind of tree has fueled the protection of an entire landscape!
http://rcwrecovery.fws.gov/rcw.html www.nwf.org/wildalive/woodpecker www.floridaconservation.org/viewing/species/redcockaded.html
Nov 13, 1:45pm-2:45pm; BCC Classroom 4123; $3.00
LET'S GO WILD
Presenter: Karen R. Hollingsworth A stunning multimedia presentation on America's National Wildlife Refuge System. See the write-up in the Photography section of the Festival Program.
Nov 13, 3:00pm-3:45pm, BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 14, 11:15am-12:00pm, BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Nov 15, 4:30pm-5:15pm, BCC Auditorium; $3.00
THE PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM ON THE LAKE WALES RIDGE STATE FOREST
Presenter: Dr. Anne C. Cox, Plant Ecologist
The Lake Wales Ridge State Forest consists of five separate tracts (24,000 acres) containing outstanding examples of naturally-functioning ecosystems. The Forest provides habitat for 24 plants and 19 animals currently listed as federal or state threatened or endangered. This list includes the Florida scrub jay and the sand skink. Rare and endangered plants include the pygmy fringe tree, scrub plum, Carter's mustard, scrub-blazing star, and bear grass. The Florida Plant Conservation Program, originated in 1992, is working toward the recovery of these federally-listed endangered and threatened plant species on the Lake Wales Ridge and throughout Florida. Ongoing projects address demography, monitoring, sandhill restoration, reintroduction, and other aspects of population ecology. The Lake Wales Ridge State Forest derives its name from the narrow ridge, which runs north and south through the Florida Peninsula. Many years ago ancient ocean levels rose and covered nearly all of the present-day Florida peninsula isolating the Ridge as an island upon which the plants and animals continued to evolve in isolation Today the scrub ecosystem that thrives on the ridge may have the highest concentration of rare and endangered plants in the continental United States. This presentation will focus on the ecology of Florida scrub and sandhill habitats and the listed species associated with the ancient islands in the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest.
www.archbold-station.org, www.ridgerangers.org/dates.html, www.ridgerangers.org/map.html, www.fl-dof.com/Conservation/plant_program.html, www.archbold-station.org/lwrewg/ecosystem.html, www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/Lake_Wales_Ridge.htm, www.fl-dof.com/Conservation/plant_program.html
Nov 13, 3:00pm-4:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HUMMINGBIRDS, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO ASK.
Presenter: Fred Bassett Among the world’s tiniest birds, with the fastest wing beat and the ability to fly backwards, forwards, and even inverted, remarkably tame in the presence of humans, the hummingbird is a creature of endless fascination. What would you like to know about the beloved Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the only hummingbird that breeds east of the Mississippi? Fred Bassett, master bird bander, will give an in-depth look into the most common hummer found in Florida. And, in addition to the Ruby-throated, it may surprise you what other hummers may show up in your yard this winter! Come and see how many more species were found in Florida this past winter. Contact Fred at this e-mail address if you spot a hummer in Florida or Alabama during the winter months, Fhound@aol.com.
www.hummingbirdsplus.org
Nov 13, 4:00pm-5:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 16, 9:30am-11:00am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
THE MIGRATIONS AND CONSERVATION OF RED KNOTS
IN THE AMERICAS – AN INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION CHALLENGE Presenter: Brian A. Harrington
The Red Knot is one of the longest distance migrants on Earth, routinely commuting between High Arctic breeding areas in Canada and wintering habitats in the southernmost lands of South America. Brian, author of The Flight of the Red Knot, is a researcher with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences where he has been studying knot migration since 1980. Today Red Knots populations are thought to be declining rapidly, and the species is one of the highest conservation priority shorebirds in North America. Brian’s program, illustrated with slides, describes the amazing migration of Red Knots and discusses why shorebirds may have such amazing migrations. The talk also discusses some of the reasons why knots have become such a high conservation priority.
http://www.manomet.org
Nov 13, 4:15pm-5:15pm: BCCClassroom 4123; $3.00
THE FLORIDA SCRUB JAY AND SCRUB FIRE ECOLOGY
Presenters: Dave Brieninger and Dr. Paul Schmalzer
Sponsored by Dynamac International and NASA Kennedy Space Center
The Florida Scrub Jay, fascinating from both biological and conservation perspectives, is the only avian species restricted entirely to Florida. Endemic to the scrub habitats of peninsular Florida, scrub jays exhibit a suite of remarkable adaptations. Scrub habitat evolved when North America was much drier, and desert animals from Texas and Mexico colonized Florida. When the oceans rose, the plants and animals remained, and evolved into an ecosystem unlike any other in the world, one that is highly dependent on fire. Dozens of plants and animals living in the Florida scrub are found nowhere else in the world. The presentation will focus on Florida Scrub Jay habitat use, demography and sociobiology in different types of habitat with an emphasis on fire ecology.
Nov 14 & 15, 8:00am-9:15am: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
A free field trip on a NASA bus to see Florida Scrub Jay families will follow the presentation. See the field trip description. Visit www.archbold-station.org and www.usgs.gov, search for Florida Scrub Jay
OCULINA BANKS MARINE PROTECTED AREA: MAPPING, EXPLORING AND RESTORING THE CONES
Presenter: Andrew Shepard
Deep-water Oculina coral reefs stretch for over 90 miles along the shelf edge at depths of 70-100 meters off the eastern Florida coast. Known locally as "the Cones," Lumps, and Humps, these reefs consist of numerous pinnacles and ridges, 3-35 meters in height. The reefs are built by the ivory tree coral, Oculina varicosa, a branching stony coral that lives as isolated colonies from North Carolina to the Caribbean. However, the stretch off Florida is the only place in the world that massive Oculina reefs have been found. Most of these reefs are now enclosed in a marine protected area closed to bottom fishing. Intact reefs are essential fish habitat and recover slowly from damage. Extensive areas of Oculina rubble may be due to human impacts (e.g., fish and shrimp trawling, scallop dredging, anchoring, bottom longlines) or natural processes such as bioerosion and episodic die-off. Early in the 1970s, the reefs were teeming with healthy coral and fish. By the early 1990s, fishing activities had taken a toll on the reefs, especially on the coral habitat and populations of grouper and snapper. Recent mapping and submersible studies found that considerable portions (>90%) of the coral habitat have been impacted, grouper spawning aggregations were absent, and illegal trawling continues. This talk summarizes these recent research expeditions and continuing efforts to expose the Oculina Banks to the public.
www.uncw.edu/nurc, www.dynamac.com, www.hboi.edu, www.hswri.org, www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov, click on Explorations, then click on Islands in the Stream.
Nov 14, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 15, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
A free hands-on demonstration of a submersible Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) will follow Andrew’s presentation. Look for the big tank outside the Gymnatorium.IN SEARCH OF THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER
Presenter: Dr. Jerry Jackson
Mention Passenger Pigeons or Carolina Parakeets to a birder, and you'll likely watch a cloud of regret drift across their features, considering the wasteful extinction of these two species near the turn of the 20th century. Mention the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, however, which is similiarly considered to be extinct, and hope will spark in their eyes. The Ivory-billed, North America's largest woodpecker is thought to have faded from our landscape in the mid-1900's, but persistent sightings, regardless of their credibility, sustain hope in many birders' hearts that the birds still remain in some secluded area, yet to be discovered by man. Credible reports from Cuba in the 1980's implied a hold-out population in a remote area there, but attempts to verify the sighting have since been unsuccessful and further compounded by political realities. Occasional reports from across the United States are frequently greeted with skepticism because of the bird's similarity to (and likely confusion with) the common Pileated Woodpecker. However, in 2001, a possible, credible sighting of the bird by a wildlife biologist hunting deep in the swamps of Louisiana sparked hope for the species and spurred a latent dream of many birders: to see this legend among woodpeckers "in the feather." Zeiss Optical sponsored an expedition in search of this borderline-mythical bird, returning empty-handed save for tantalizing tales of overheard drumming consistent with tapes made of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers decades ago. How likely is it that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers still survive in some remote corner, and what are our chances of finding them? Moreover, should we? Join Florida Gulf Coast University's world-renowned woodpecker expert, Dr. Jerry Jackson, veteran searcher for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, as he teases apart fact from fiction, and reality from hope, in search of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
www.birdingamerica.com/ivorybill/ivorybilledwoodpecker.html, http://birds.cornell.edu/ivory/, www.anomolist.com/reports/woodpecker2.html, www.geocities.com/tertial/ibwo2.html, www.juliezickefoose.com/articles/ivory_billed_wp.html, www.northlakenature.org/CurrentEvents/Feb2002-IvoryBilledWoodpecker.html
Nov 14, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Nov 16, 11:30am-12:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
FLORIDA MOTTLED DUCKS: A Radio Telemetry Study and Hybridization Problem
Presenter: Ron Bielefeld The Florida mottled duck is a species of duck that occurs nowhere else in the world but peninsular Florida. A recent study of Florida mottled ducks using surgically implanted radio transmitters to track their movements throughout the year has provided new information on how mottled ducks live and die in South Florida. Specifically, the study provided data on habitat use, movements, and survival of adult females. It was determined that birds moved on average short distances, used a variety of types of shallow wetlands containing emergent plants, and had a 50:50 chance of surviving to the next year. In addition, recent observations by biologists suggest that feral, captive-reared mallards threaten this unique bird. These released mallards are interbreeding with the native mottled ducks producing fertile hybrid offspring. It is believed that if captive-reared mallards continue to be released into the wild, the Florida mottled duck may be lost as a distinct species. www.fwc.state.fl.us
Nov 14, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Class 4123; $3.00
FLORIDA ON FOOT: AN EXPLORATION OF ITS NATURAL WONDERS
Presenter: Sandra Friend
To truly know Florida's habitats, wildlife, and birds, you need to meet them up close and personal-- on Florida's hiking trails. Perhaps the state's best kept secret, the Florida National Scenic Trail stretches more than 1,300 miles between the Big Cypress National Preserve and Pensacola. Hundreds of shorter trails provide access to wilderness areas with a stunning variety of habitats, from the tropical hardwood hammocks of the Keys to the Appalachian-style ravines of the Panhandle. Join author Sandra Friend ("50 Hikes in Central Florida," "50 Hikes in North Florida," "50 Hikes in South Florida") on a slide show journey to Florida's most beautiful places-- along her hiking trails.
www.floridatrail.org www.sandrafriend.com
Nov 14, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 15, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
CURRENT RESEARCH AND RESTORATION OF MIGRATORY WHOOPING CRANES
Presenter: Jennifer Green
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center has been the home of the world’s largest captive Whooping Crane population since 1965, spearheading critical research and restoration efforts for this terribly endangered species. Current research efforts include establishing a non-migratory flock of Whoopers in Florida, and establishing a migratory block that would travel from Wisconsin to Florida. In December 2001, after an exciting journey, the first Whoopers trained to follow an ultra-light aircraft landed at Chassahowitzka NWR on Florida’s Central West Coast, 48 days and 1218 miles from their starting point. Six months later, they returned to Necedah NWR in Central Wisconsin on their own in only 7 days. The following fall, the cranes return to Florida on their own becoming the first successful migrating Whoopers east of the Mississippi River in more than 100 years! At the same time the first group of Whoopers was winging it to Florida sans the human powered aircraft, 17 new young Whoopers left Necedah NWR tailing an ultra-light that was painted like a Whooping Crane, the pilot decked out in a white crane costume. During the flight south, one bird was lost and another one injured. The injured bird was transported by van each day to the flock’s landing point where she joined the Whoopers for the night. This process continued until the flock reached Chassahowitzka NWR, where she rejoined the flock permanently. All 16 birds returned to Necedah NWR on their own the following spring. There’s now a total of 21 Whoopers migrating between Wisconsin and Florida, all behaving like normal wild Whoopers should, with a third group of young cranes being groomed to chase the ultralight south in fall 2003. Patuxant wildlife biologist, Jennifer Green has been working for years to bring this magnificent bird back from the brink of extinction. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear her exciting story, and see video footage shot from the ultralight, looking down at Whooping Cranes flying over the Appalachian Mountains, ablaze in fall colors. A field trip on Nov 15 will visit Overstreet Ranch and Forever Florida Wilderness preserve in Osceola County to look for Whooping Cranes and other wildlife of Central Florida’s prairies.
www.pwrc.usgs.gov, www.bringbackthecranes.org, www.savingcranes.org
Nov 14, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Nov 16, 11:00am-12:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
SATELLITE TELEMETRY: A NEW FRONTIER FOR WILDLIFE RESEARCH
Presenter: Fred Anderka
Telemetry used to track wildlife has advanced dramatically over the past two decades. Among the first systems developed was the Global Positioning System (GPS), in which an animal carries a receiver which receives data from low-polar orbiting satellites to calculate the position of the subject. GPS represents a highly reliable way for increased position accuracy from extremely remote locations at a level never before possible. A miniature, satellite based tracking system light enough to be carried on the backs of birds was first developed in the mid 1980's. By the close of the decade, projects on eagles, cranes, geese and other wildlife applications were underway and the technology had become an operational tool for tracking the long range movements of animals. Satellite monitored radio tracking methods have been used on large whales (blues, humpbacks, grays, rights and bowheads), dolphins (bottlenose, pilot whales and white-sided) and manatees to reveal important aspects of behavior, habitat utilization and migration. Transmitters have decreased in size enough to allow the study of much smaller animals, including bats and small songbirds, snakes and even insects. A new and more capable generation satellite tracking system containing a GPS receiver and a suite of advanced sensors is now being developed. These advanced sensors may include a digital acoustic sensor and a tiny black and white camera, along with other sensors to provide meteorological and animal physiological data. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can then relate animal movements and activities to jurisdictional boundaries, habitats, ecological community structures and land-use activities with far greater accuracy than currently possible. Advanced biotelemetry capabilities that incorporate the latest innovations in microelectronics, GIS and computer modeling offer great promise in helping to define and characterize human impacts on important species and ecological communities.
www.holohil.com
Nov 14, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
STATUS OF NON-MIGRATORY FLORIDA WHOOPING CRANES
Presenter: Steve Nesbitt
History was made June 7, 2002 when a young Whooping Crane spread its mighty wings and flew across the Leesburg marsh in which it hatched and was reared by first time parents. The fledgling, named "Lucky" by volunteers, survived dogs, eagles, cold temperatures and drought to become the first of its kind to fledge in the wild in the United States in 63 years. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has taken the lead role in a cooperative effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the International Crane Foundation and several private land owners in a large scale project to restore this magnificent bird to its former range in the southeast. The Non-migratory Whooping Crane Reintroduction Project began nearly 22 years ago, with 13 years of preliminary study of Sandhill Cranes before the first captive-reared Whooping Cranes were released to Central Florida’s wetland prairies in 1993. This bird’s parents were released in 1999, and are the first Whooping Cranes raised in captivity to breed, nest and hatch offspring that survived long enough to fledge. Lucky’s solo flight is a milestone in the FWCC’s efforts to establish a non-migratory flock of Whooping Cranes in Florida. Now that it can fly, it has the same chance for survival as its parents. Steve will explain what we’ve learned, outline the drama and the disappointments and describe the nesting attempts and results of Spring 2003. The world’s authority on Florida Sandhill Cranes, Steve Nesbitt is one of the few recipients of the North American Crane Working Group’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
www.floridaconservation.org, www.bringbackthecranes.org, www.savingcranes.org
Nov 14, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
A field trip on Nov. 15 will visit Overstreet Ranch and Forever Florida wilderness preserve in Osceola County to look for Whooping Cranes and other wildlife of Central Florida's praries and meet FWCC biologist, Marty Folk, who has lived with Florida's flock of non-migratory Whoopers since their arrival.SAN JUAN ISLANDS; EVERGREEN JEWELS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Discovery Sea Kayaks Presenters: Charlton DuRant and Lynn Petrotte
Picture yourself in an intimate group of paddlers witnessing the splendor and magnitude of the great Pacific Northwest. Snow-capped peaks explode from the rocky shoreline, Bald Eagles soar overhead, Dall’s Porpoises frolic and Minke Whales cruise the rocky coast. By chance, one of the three resident Orca Whale pods race by in pursuit of a school of salmon. You tread lightly on the habitat while paddling in your kayak; a vessel with ancestry dating back to early aboriginal cultures. Created during the Ice Age, the San Juan archipelago is made up of a chain of nearly 800 islands lying between Canada’s Vancouver Island and the Washington State mainland. A string of evergreen jewels, the San Juan Islands are well known not only for their natural beauty, but also their abundant wildlife; including Orcas, Minke Whales, Harbor Seals, Dal’s Porpoise, River Otters and more than 200 species of songbirds, seabirds and waterfowl. Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Pelagic Cormorants, Black Oystercatchers and Pigeon Guillemots are residents to the islands. Many other species migrate through the area seasonally. Discovery Sea Kayaks offers extraordinary sea kayak tours throughout the San Juan Islands. Based in Friday Harbor, Washington, a quaint village with a lovely harbor filled with commercial fishing boats and private yachts; the kayaking adventures offer outdoor enthusiasts a rare and unique opportunity to relax and paddle in one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. Charlton and Lynn will convey the splendor, and their awe of, the magnificent Pacific Northwest in their slide presentation.
www.dicoveryseakayaks.com
Nov 14, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 15, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
THE ARCHIE CARR NWR: PROTECTING MARINE TURTLE NESTING HABITAT LEADS TO BROADSCALE PRESERVATION OF COASTAL WILDERNESS AND WILDLIFE.
Presenter: Dr. Llewellyn M. Ehrhart, Univ. of Central Florida
This is an account of the history of the systematic, long-term research in the 1980's that demonstrated the critical importance of a 21-kilometer beach on the Indian River coast that led to the authorization, by the U.S. Congress, of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in 1990. In and of itself this is one of the most significant features in marine turtle conservation in this country but it led, just as importantly, to much greater benefits for wilderness and wildlife. Other governmental agencies and NGO's joined with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to bring tracts of upland barrier island habitats into public ownership, thus preserving natural scrub and hammock communities across the barrier island from the beach to the lagoon shore. These habitats support a host of native mammals (e.g., cotton mice, eastern woodrats, spotted skunks), reptiles (e.g., gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, eastern diamondbacked rattlesnakes) and birds, including many neotropical migratory species. Since the creation of the refuge, loggerhead nest production has risen linearly (14,000 +/- 3,000 nests per year), green turtle nesting has risen exponentially (to 2,588 in 2002) and leatherbacks have established a rookery that was essentially nonexistent prior to 1996. The Carr Refuge and contiguous Pelican Island NWR provide unparalleled opportunities for wildlife and ecological research. These include investigations of population dynamics and epidemiology of in-water aggregations of juvenile green turtles and loggerheads and of the ecological geography of all three species. The latter work is now accomplished primarily via satellite telemetry, in which the UCF research group works in tight collaboration with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute. Ehrhart will provide synopses of several of these high- and low-tech research efforts.
www.archiecarr.fws.gov
Nov 14, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES
Presenter: Marc Minno
This seminar will explore flower architecture and pollination strategies, and then compare the kinds of flowers attractive to butterflies. Some of the most attractive flowers suitable for gardens are in the Aster, Heliotrope, Coffee, Mint, and Vervain families. We will also discuss adding caterpillar host plants to the garden. Participants are welcome to bring in samples of plants, caterpillars or slides for identification and discussion.
Nov 15, 9:00am-10:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
BATS OF FLORIDA
Presenters: George and Cyndi Marks
George and Cyndi will introduce you to the world of Florida's bats. Florida is fortunate to have seventeen different insectivorous bat species that are either year round or seasonal residents. This remarkable group of animals serves a vital role in Florida's ecosystems. Meet some of these fascinating and beautiful animals "in person," and learn about their amazing diversity, behavior, habitat requirements, morphology and conservation work to protect them. The Florida Bat Center was established in1994 as a non profit organization for the purpose of protecting and preserving Florida's native bats. The Center is continuing to build one of the best on-line resources for Florida's native bat populations, with range maps, field studies and roosting preferences of all seventeen species.
www.floridabats.org
Nov 15, 11:00am-12:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
WETLAND AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT: MINWR
Presenter: Marc Epstein
Senior Refuge Biologist, Marc Epstein, will give an overview of how the Merritt Island NWR is moving forward to meet the challenge of biological conservation at ecosystem levels. One example is a large project involving multiple partners working to reconnect historic salt marshes that were impounded and turned into fresh water ponds for mosquito control in the 1940’s and 50’s. The original impoundment construction created mostly closed systems with 95% or more of estuary wetlands impounded and/or modified. Since 1997, more than 600 acres of salt marsh impoundments have been completely restored to a natural state. The Merritt Island NWR management follows the National Wildlife Refuge System Act of 1997 and the original purpose for which the Refuge was established, which is management for migratory birds. Refuge wetlands and open water habitats are presently managed under a multi-species management program with multiple considerations for fish, wildlife, plant communities and consumptive and non-consumptive public uses. The National Wildlife Refuge System Act of 1997 mandates "Wildlife First." The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is working with others to accomplish goals, adapting new concepts and meeting the challenge of national mandates.
www.marcepstein.homestead.com, www.merrittisland.fws.gov, www.nbbd.com/godo/minwr
Nov 15, 4:00pm-5:00pm; BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
REPTILES: IT'S A CRUEL WORLD OUT THERE
Presenter: Becky Smith
Most people do not consider reptiles to be beautiful, cuddly, or appealing in any way. However, this often misunderstood group of animals (alligators, turtles, lizards, and snakes) has developed incredibly interesting methods to survive and thrive. Rebecca Smith, wildlife ecologist for the Dynamac Corporation at Kennedy Space Center, presents the advantages and hazards of being a cold-blooded creature in a warm-blooded world. Join her for a look at the natural history of some of our common, and not so common, reptiles.
www.dynamac.com, www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/gtortoise, www.gophertortoisecouncil.org, www.wildherps.com, www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/indigo/
Nov 15, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
A free live animal display will be set up in the Northeast corner of the Gymnatorium following Becky’s presentation. Local high school teacher, snake fanatic and all ‘round good guy, Buddy Grout, will bring some members of his snake collection to join Mr. Stubby the Gopher Tortoise and some of Becky’s other animals.
THE PREHISTORY OF BREVARD COUNTY
Presenter: Thomas Penders
Brevard County and east-central Florida history did not start in 1492 with the "discovery" of the new world by Columbus. There was already 12, 000 years of occupation in this area before the first European explorers. From the first inhabitants of this area who hunted mastodons to the mound builders to small groups of hunters-gatherers and farmers, there has been continuous occupation of this region. Many of the indigenous peoples who inhabited this area were highly sophisticated. They left behind a wealth of archaeological sites and resources, many of which have yet to be discovered. One of the most famous archaeological digs in Brevard County is at the Windover Site. Here, a peat bog, near Titusville has revealed remarkable clues about the lives of Native Americans who lived near a small pond 4,000 years before Christ was born and 2,000 years before the pyramids were built. Windover has proved to be one of the most important and productive "wet" archaeological sites in the history of the nation. There are numerous other sites in this area, including many mounds and middens. Mounds and middens are quickly disappearing through vandalism, neglect, looting and destruction by development. The Brevard Museum of History and Science in Cocoa, FL has an excellent recreation of the Windover Archaeological Dig located within the museum. To find out more about Florida’s first inhabitants
www.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras/, www.nbbd.com/godo/history/index.html, www.nbbd.com/godo/history/windover/index.html, www.artandscience.org and http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/index.html
Nov 15, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
Nov 16, 9:30am-10:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
THE THOUSAND ISLANDS
Presenter: Tim Kosusko
Please see description for Thousand Islands tour in the Kayaking section of this program.
Nov 15, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
MANATEE BIOLOGY AND THE CHALLENGES FOR THEIR CONSERVATION
Presenter: Dr. Jane Provancha
Brevard county’s location, the presence of a warm water refuge, ample forage and a protected area in the north Banana River make Brevard ideal habitat for manatees. Brevard County has the largest spring and winter manatee aggregations documented in the state. Join Dynamac Corporation Conservation Group Leader, Dr. Jane Provancha, for a brief overview of the biology and natural history of manatees. Current understanding of the status of manatees at the local and global level will be reviewed, as well as challenges to conserving the species and their habitat.
Visit www.usgs.org, search Manatee
Nov 15, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4123; $3.00
SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION – THE U.S. SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE SHOREBIRD RESERVE NETWORK
Presenter: Brian A. Harrington
There is a growing variety of evidence indicating that populations of 34 of our 71 species of North American shorebird species are declining, some at very alarming rates; Only 2 species are thought to be increasing, and the remaining 35 are mostly ones where the population status is unknown. Finding ways to save North American shorebird populations is unusually complicated because most of the species are highly migratory, some living in as many as 28 nations of our Western Hemisphere. This talk focuses on 2 conservation efforts, one focused on developing conservation strategies specific to the United States, and the other focused on building momentum for shorebird conservation throughout the Americas.
Visit http://shorebirdplan.fws.gov/, http://www.manomet.org/WHSRN/
Nov 15, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
THREATENED BUTTERFLIES OF FLORIDA
Presenter: Marc Minno
Florida is undergoing dramatic change from mostly a natural landscape to an increasingly agricultural and urban place. While most butterfly species in Florida are currently able to survive these changes, some are not. At least 7 species, especially tropical butterflies, are critically imperiled and may disappear from Florida in the next decade. Another 19 species are highly vulnerable and are declining. We need to protect our rarest butterflies now or they will likely be lost forever.
Nov 16, 8:30am-10:00am: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
FLORIDA'S SPECIAL BUTTERFLIES
Presenters: Buck and Linda Cooper
Due to subtropical habitats and mild year-round temperatures, Florida has a group of butterflies unique to the south Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys. About twenty-five species are found only here in the United States and we share another fifteen with the southern tip of Texas. Many are rare with very limited distribution. This slide presentation covers identification of these exciting species with information on where and when to search for them. Come and meet these rare and sparkling jewels.
Nov 16, 10:15am-11:15am: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
FLORIDA BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS AND THEIR HOSTS
Presenter: Marc Minno
Florida has a rich diversity of butterflies ranging from tropical to temperate in affinity. At least 170 species breed in the state. While adult butterflies are familiar to most people, their fascinating caterpillars are often ephemeral and secretive. We will examine various kinds of Florida butterfly caterpillars, discuss the plants they eat, and compare how they live. Participants are invited to bring in samples of plants, caterpillars or slides for identification and discussion. Marc is currently working on a new guide to Florida butterfly caterpillars and their host plants. It will be available in the fall of 2004.
Nov 16, 11:30am-12:30pm: BCC Gymnatorium Classroom 4121; $3.00
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