12/30/10 Holiday Initiative VII, Fort Christmas Park and the Big Econ River

    Today I visited Fort Christmas Park in the town of Christmas. The weather was really starting to warm up. I saved a Green Anole from being stomped on by small children. I tried to catch a Cuban Anole but it escaped through a fence. I did find a small group of Cesar Weeds and pulled out all 23 of them. I did see some Japanese Climbing Fern there also. The two pictures above are male (top) and female (bottom).
     I returned home to do a foot patrol of the Big Econlockhatchee river behind my home and I pulled out 55 small Cesar Weeds, 74 Water Hyacinths and a tiny bit of litter.

12/29/10 Holiday Initiative VI, Green Images & the Big Econlockhatchee River

     Yesterday I spent the day recycling things and looking downtown for parks. I took my Styrofoam and CD's to the Eco-Guys (Who have an environmental radio show on 810 AM on Saturdays from 4pm-5pm). Then on to one of my favorite shops to give them all the plastic bags I've been gathering for them. It is a family business so I give them my bags to save them money. I also found the Orange County Extension Office.

     Today I got back to the hands on part of my vacation. I found Green Images Native Plant Nursery. They taught me some tips on identifying native palm trees. I'm going to help them with advertising and they are going to help me with native plant identification.

     Then I went home to work hard for the rest of the day. I broke up a large pile of drying Chinese Tallow branches. I walked out to the river and pulled out 107 baby Cesar Weed plants and 19 Water Hyacinths (see the above before and after pictures). I also spent an hour with my axe cutting down part of an South American Ear Tree.



12/27/10 Holiday Initiative V, Savage Creek Preserve and a Vacant Lot

     Today I found Savage Creek Preserve and took lots of native plants pictures. There was a sign there saying they were fighting Chinese Tallow and Coral Ardisia, but I didn't see either. The day was freezing cold and windy so I could stay for only about an hour. I did see the tracks of what I think is Wild Hogs. (See top picture) I did pick up an arm full of litter which looked like it was blown in from the road.
     There are two big lone Cesar Weeds I know of in town and today I got one of them. It was on the corner of a vacant lot. I couldn't get the roots as it was tangled up with a native Beauty Berry plant. But I used my pullerbear and pulled out every above ground bit of it and 33 babies. (The bottom photo is a Cesar Weed but not the one I pulled out today).
     Today I also burned all the Turk's Turban and Cesar Weeds I've been drying for a couple weeks.

12/26/10 Holiday Initiative IV Little Big Econ State Forest

     After a freezing cold hour long walk through the woods, dodging occasional off road bicycle riders I was very happy to find no exotics! I wasn't carrying a bag so I had to pass up on a lot of litter. Mostly drink bottles from the sports persons. I took a picture of a beautiful moss covered log (see top picture) and I filled my pockets with litter and carried out this four foot block of Styrofoam. (see bottom picture). I guess the only destructive exotic here is people.          This was a huge park with the winding Econolockhatchee river winding far below sandy banks. I'll return here someday with a trash bag and my swimming trunks.

12/25/10 Holiday Initiative III Sweetwater Park Oviedo & More

     Today I found Sweetwater Park in Oviedo Florida. I found this nice park to be full of exotics and litter. I pulled out 50 Cesar Weeds and a 5 gallon bucket full of recyclables all of which I pulled from the bushes. 90% of the recycling was beer bottles. (See bottom picture) This park has Chinese Tallow, Taro, Cesar Weed, Old World Climbing Fem (See top picture), Paper Mulberry and Air Potato.
     Later I had a Holiday Lunch at the University Unitarian Society. I explored their property and found just 8 Cesar Weeds. I almost feel better pulling out a small group of Cesar Weeds than a couple hundred of some huge infestation. With the small group I know I have completely stopped a new invasion.
     After that I went to Lake Claire on the campus of UCF and explored some fire break trails behind the lake. Around the lake there was lots of litter and some Cesar Weed of which I pulled out 200.
     After that I had a Holiday Dinner with a friend and his family.
    

12/14.10 Holiday Initiative II An Armadillo in Chuluota Wilderness Area

     Today I found Chuluota Wilderness Area. I was happy to see not a single exotic plant in this large rustic park. I did hear then see this exotic Armadillo. rooting through the brush, stealing food from the native animals. I didn't have a way to kill it so I just took its picture. Yes Armadillos as cute as they are, are exotics in the state of Florida.

     I did remove some blown in litter. I also found a fake gun, which looked very real. I kept it to use in my self defense classes.

12/23/10 Holiday Initiative I, Round Lake Park

     I am beginning a 10 day, end of the year holiday vacation! I plan to do a lot of exploring and environmental good deed doing. After work on Thursday I found a park I've never been to called Round Lake Park in Oviedo Florida. 

     I took a walk around and found this hidden park to be larger than I thought. I pulled out 79 Cesar Weeds and a 5 gallon bucked full of recycling I pulled out of the bushes. 

     You see in the top picture a bunch of baby Cesar Weeds. In the bottom picture you see them gone (and headed for my fire pit). A few more feet claimed in the name of native plants.