august/september 2014 · 2014-08-25 · august/september 2014 in this issue: every week should e...
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August/September 2014 In This Issue:In This Issue:
Every Week Should Be Shark Week!
FMNP Instructor Showcase
Likable Links—Natural Resource Information for FMNP Enthusiasts
Genuine Junior Genius Juice
FMNP Announcements
Experiential Learning, Permits, Certification, and Citizen Science!
Core and Special Topics Courses Around the State
Every Week Should Be Shark Week!
But this full-moon Sunday starts the real thing! Shark Week was created by the Discovery Channel in 1987, making it the longest-running cable television event in history. It is a week-long series of programs focused on these ancient fish. In honor of Shark Week, here are some juicy, shark bites that hopefully will float your boat:
The International Shark Attack File (ISAF) is the only globally comprehensive, scientific shark database in the world. Here’s a link: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/isaf/isaf.htm . Created in 1958, owned by the Smithsonian Institution, and housed at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Florida, ISAF contains accurate, regularly-updated information on all known shark attacks.
Gene Helfman and George Burgess’ new book, ‘Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide’ has just been released. It’s a fantastic book that contains a wealth of easily assimilated information about all things sharky. Here’s a link: https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/sharks .
It’s no surprise that EDIS contains information about sharks. Here is the EDIS publication ’Common Sharks of Florida’: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg062
The Guy Harvey Research Institute lets you track tagged shark individuals at this site: http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri . The Institute, established in 1999, is a private organization dedicated solely to the science-based conservation of marine fish populations and biodiversity. Dr. Mahmood Shivji, the Institute’s Director, has developed a method to determine the species of a shark through a one-step test of its fin. This is vital to the protection of imperiled shark species. For more on Dr. Shivja’s research go here: http://www.nova.edu/spotlights/mahmoodshivji.html!
While you’re at it, get social! Follow one of the most popular ocean science blogs on the Internet, Southern Fried Science at http://www.southernfriedscience.com . David Shiffman, the blog’s creator, is a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami’s Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. For what’s trending in sharks, his Twitter account, @WhySharksMatter, has over 17,000 followers - more than any marine biology researcher in the world.
Another shark superstar living in the Sunshine State is Dr. Robert Hueter, Associate Vice President for Research at the Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota and a Senior Scientist and Director of the Center for Shark Research. Here’s his site: http://mote.org/research/program/shark-biology-conservation .
Last but not least, OCEARCH, http://www.ocearch.org/ , facilitates shark research initiatives on a global scale by enabling specific teams of scientists from around the world access to live mature sharks at sea through use of their 75,000 pound capacity hydraulic platform.
This url speaks for itself: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0805/Watch-great-white-sharks-trying-to-eat-
an-underwater-robot
After swimming in these sites, you’ll have the tools to turn your students on to all things sharky! And if you need more, Netflix just released Sharknado 2….
FMNP Instructor ShowcaseFMNP Instructor Showcase
Likable LinksLikable Links —— Natural Resource Information for FMNP EnthusiastsNatural Resource Information for FMNP Enthusiasts
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The website for Eco-Voice, Inc. is a public service facilitating the flow of information about environmental issues and
events in South Florida. It is a great resource for the entire state! http://www.eco-voice.org/ .
The Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources is offering a free , monthly webinar series!
Each webinar can be viewed on your schedule and is only one hour long. On August 20th the webinar is titled Public
opinion of endangered and invasive species. Learn more at: http://www.piecenter.com/2014/03/27/august-public-
opinions-about-invasive-species/ .
Here’s a site for the Gulf Coast Seafood Marketing Coalition. It will make your mouth water!! http://
eatgulfseafood.com Note the new APP for Gulf Coast seafood consumption. Download it and feel good about the
culinary choices you make!
It is important that information gleaned from every FMNP course is shared not only with adults but with children as well. The following websites from the University of Illinois Extension are worth a look!
Let's Talk About Insects http://urbanext.illinois.edu/insects
‘Let's Talk About Insects’ is designed to help students ages 9-11 years of age gain an appreciation of insects.
Schools Online http://urbanext.illinois.edu/schoolsonline Wonderful interactive curricula for students about a variety of science and social studies topics.
Dr. Arbor Talks Trees http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees Dr. Arbor teaches all about trees!
Trees Are Terrific http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees1 Travel with Pierre as you learn all about how trees are important to us!
Secret Life of Trees http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees2 Learn all about the parts of a tree and why trees are important to us!
Claude's Got the Scoop on Soil http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/ Students learn about how soil is made, who really needs soil, and what happens to soil if you don't take care of it.
Knowing Your World http://urbanext.illinois.edu/world Lessons and activities designed for 4th & 5th graders to learn about acid rain, global warming, water resources, and oth-er environmental topics. For the photographers in the bunch! Please go to http://www.projectnoah.org/ . This site touts itself as “a tool to ex-plore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere.”
If you know a website that contains kid-friendly, science-based natural history information, please email its site address
to [email protected] . The site may be included in a future newsletter.
Genuine Junior Genius JuiceGenuine Junior Genius Juice
FMNP AnnouncementsFMNP Announcements
Experiential Learning, Permits, Certification, and Citizen Science!Experiential Learning, Permits, Certification, and Citizen Science!
Upcoming Core and Special Topics CoursesUpcoming Core and Special Topics Courses
Coastal Systems
Freshwater Wetlands
Upland Habitats
www.MasterNaturalist.org
Conservation Science
Environmental Interpretation
Habitat Evaluation
Wildlife Monitoring
Photo by Sander van der Wel
Peggy Lantz’s new book, Florida’s Edible Wild Plants, describes and illustrates about 60 “weeds” that may grow in your own yard and that you can add to your dinner table.
The first little book of its kind, Florida Incredible Wild Edibles by Dick Deuerling and Peggy Lantz and published by FNPS in 1993, is still in print and still selling, but this new book covers those plants and many more in much greater detail, with drawings by FNPS member Elizabeth Smith and color photos by Mike Brinkley, and a cookbook section on using them.
Published by University Press of Florida’s newly acquired publishing house, Seaside Publishing, the book debuted at the 34th FNPS conference in Ft. Myers last May.
Dr. Richard Wunderlin, past FNPS president and Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida in Tampa, reviewed all botanical information for accuracy.
Peggy has taught Upland and Wetland Florida Master Naturalist classes at the Oakland Nature Preserve, Orange County Extension Program, and Orlando Wetlands Park. She was also the first editor of The Palmetto, Florida Native Plant Society’s journal, and served for 15 years, receiving awards twice for service to FNPS, and edited Florida Audubon’s magazine, The Florida Naturalist, for over six years.
Reviewed at length by wild edibles guru Green Deane on his Eat the Weeds web site, he says, “Florida is a tough state to forage in, perhaps the most difficult in the nation. Climate wise it ranges from temperate to tropical, environ-mentally from desert-dry scrub to deep swamp. … We needed a good foundation-al book and Peggy has created that.”
Emily Ruff, director of the Florida School of Holistic Living, says, “Easy to read and hard to put down.”
Florida’s Edible Wild Plants retails for $16.95, and may be ordered by individuals, or by chapters for resale at a discount, directly from UPF at [email protected]. You may order autographed copies directly from the author or request a presentation through her web site, peggysiaslantz.com.
MORE SHARK TALK!
WHAT: The Sharks of Volusia County SPEAKER: Chad MacFie Learn about the sharks of Volusia County - from the way sharks live and hunt to the diversity of sharks and how to identify them. Sharks have been in the fossil record for 450 million years and have de-veloped means to live that still astound us today. The presentation will detail the kinds of sharks that live off our coast and how they spend their lives. WHEN: Thursday, August 21, 6 –8 PM WHERE: Marine Discovery Center, 520 Barracuda Blvd. New Smyrna Beach COST: No Charge, No reservations required
Attention all FMNP graduates!
Please go to the FMNP Graduate Database.
http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/db/graduates.aspx
Check to see if your information is accurate. If it is not, let us know by emailing
If you live in the Gainesville area, FMNP’s three-part Florida ecology series on DVD is available to you– at
least on a temporary basis. The DVDs are catalogued, on the shelf, and available for circulation at UF’s
Marston Science Library. Check them out!
Registration deadlines are fast approaching for several courses! Become an Advanced Master Naturalist
to help maximize your ability to connect the citizenry of Florida to the Sunshine State!!
Photo courtesy of Sea Grant
Attention all educators! Want a great way to spend your Saturday? Brevard County will hold an
Aquatic Species Collection Workshop tomorrow, August 9, from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. The workshop
will be located in the nature center at Riverwalk: A Family Park, 5355 US Hwy 1, Rockledge, FL
32955. The course is designed to allow educators to collect and keep marine and freshwater fish
and invertebrates for education purposes only. The cost of the course is $25 and the permit issued
by FWC upon completion is valid for 3 years. You can go to https://www.regonline.com/ascw-
riverwalk_140809 to reserve your space. Contact Brandon Smith at bran-
[email protected] with any questions. Visit http://fmsea.org/events/ascw/ for a listing
of additional classes around the state.
And for next weekend, there’s Oyster Mat Making! These oyster
mats are made from recycled oyster shells and form the foundation for new oyster
beds in the Indian River Lagoon. They provide homes for many animals and reduce
erosion along the shore. The event will occur on Saturday, August 16, from 9 AM to 1
PM at the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach. For more info, contact An-
nie at [email protected]
Save the Date! The Annual League of Environmental Educators in Florida (LEEF) Fall Mini-Conference will take place at
St. Marks Wildlife Refuge on Saturday October 4th. For more details: http://leef-florida.org/net/content/go.aspx?
s=47776.0.0.37432
Become a Certified Interpretive Guide! For anyone who has completed or is working on the FMNP Courses, a great
supplement is the Certified Interpretive Guide Workshop. The Environmental Learning Center in Vero Beach, in part-
nership with the National Association for Interpretation, is offering this 32-hour workshop during the months of Janu-
ary and February, 2015. The workshop will enhance your interpretive skills to help you design and deliver more effec-
tive programs, hikes, and other presentations. Many environmental outreach programs seek volunteer and staff guides
with the Certified Interpretive Guide credential. Here’s the link: http://www.interpnet.com/nai/_certification/
CIG_Workshops/CIG-2015-01-FL.aspx !
Engage in citizen science and help the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) better protect species like Southeastern American
Kestrels, Florida Burrowing Owls, and Painted Buntings. The FWC has
launched an interactive web page to solicit sightings of Southeastern
American Kestrels during the breeding season: https://
public.myfwc.com/FWRI/RareUpland/UserHome.aspx . This resource
will help the FWC update their understanding of kestrel distribution,
build better habitat models, and target where to implement conserva-
tion actions. Two other focal species of conservation concern are in-
cluded on this sighting registry, Florida Burrowing Owl and Painted
Bunting.
Photo by Doug DuCap
Photo by David Jenkins
Photo courtesy of
Sea Grant
Photo by Chris Zlelecki
