In March 2022, Apalachee Audubon awarded two grants of $500 each, for conservation projects in our six-county coverage area. Here are their reports, with photos, on how the money for each grant was spent.
Leon County Parks & Recreation
In collaboration with Apalachee Audubon Society, Leon County Parks & Recreation installed 8 Eastern screech owl nesting boxes and 12 blue bird nesting boxes. Leon County Parks & Recreation installed signs adjacent to the Eastern screech owl nesting boxes to engage and inform the public on the importance of wildlife conservation. The signs includes a QR code that directs the public to the Apalachee Audubon Society website, so that others can learn more information about the variety of bird species native to Florida. Our goal for education is to inspire and prepare the next generation of conservationists through inclusive and engaging learning environments. What better way, than to visit a local park and to see wildlife in their natural habitats!
Eastern screech owl boxes have been placed at the following parks:
J Lee Vause Park plus education sign
J R Alford Greenway plus education sign
Jackson View Park plus education sign
Pimlico Park plus education sign
Man O War plus education sign
Broadmoor Pond plus education sign
Kate Ireland plus education sign
Okeeheepkee Prairie Preserve plus education sign
Eastern bluebird nesting boxes have been placed at the following parks:
Rhoden Cove Landing (2)
Jackson View Park (2)
J Lee Vause Park (1)
Fort Braden Community Center and History Trail (3)
Coe Landing (1)
Williams Landing (1)
Pimlico Park (2)
We chose these parks for bluebird nesting sites because they don't seem to have a consistent population. Our hope is that with permanent nesting boxes it will increase the population.
Leon County Parks & recreation manages a robust bird program which includes Eastern bluebird boxes, purple martin gourds and now Eastern screech owl boxes. We hope to continue to support and increase our native bird populations.
Screech Owl nest box and interpretive sign at Lee Vause Park.
Eastern Bluebird nest box at Fort Braden Park
UF/IFAS Extension, Jefferson County
In March, the UF/IFAS Jefferson County Extension office was awarded a $500 grant from the Apalachee Audubon Society to install a native plant pollinator garden at the office property in the hopes of encouraging area residents to install their very own gardens and help our declining pollinator numbers. The project is ongoing with a few more pieces being added in the future including name placards with information on pollinators and a potential pond. We are hoping to use this garden for future pollinator inspired programs and as a demonstration piece for how to plant a backyard pollinator garden. It will also help area residents identify plants that would fit the climate of the area. Over the next several years we hope to add on to the garden and make it bigger and better.
We are excited to finally see the project coming to fruition and hope it will grow into an amazing feature of our office. Our hope is to inspire others to plant backyard pollinator gardens in help out pollinators and critters of all shapes and sizes. The Jefferson Extension Office would love partners to come out and add on to this wonderful garden or use it to educate others on how anyone can help pollinators. Come out to our office and check it out. It may inspire you to build your very own garden and be able to identify which plants to plant. Hope to see you soon!
