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.

12/20/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turban Removal VII Success!

Success! Success! Success!
     The picture here is a little bright because I took it with a flash. I worked until it got dark to finish the job and had to take the picture after the sun went down.
     It has taken me a long long time to defeat these Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds and today after pulling out 243 of them I have done it! This is a major win. Today was a mix of pulling out baby plants and pulling out giant fifteen foot tall ones. But after a couple hours I got them all.
     I know many are still under the ground still alive, but that's OK. I'll keep on them and never let them grow a leaf. Eventually the roots will die.
     I've been searching for hours on the Internet to find the name of this plant. Today after work I'm going to make the long drive to the plant nursery where I saw them for sale. I thought about gathering live ones and selling them to the nursery, but then I thought better of it. I didn't want to contribute to the spreading of an invasive exotic.
     Wednesday
     I found it! The plant nursery still had them for sale. This horrible plant's name it Turk's Turban (Clerdendrum indicum). It is an exotic invasive from Malaysia. It has other names such as Sky Rocket, Bowing Lady and Turk's Cap. Now I'll go back and change all the Turban Removal posts from "Evil Weed Removal to Turban Removal".

12/19/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turban Removal VI

     I went out early in the morning and pulled out 100 Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds Weeds with my pullerbear. Then it started raining. I ate lunch and went back out and took out another 100 of them. I'm claiming more and more footage in the name of many baby Wild Coffee plants that are trying to grow under the shadow of the Turban plants.

12/18/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turban Removal V

     I pulled out 100 more Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds today.I noticed this plant is in Mead Gardens also, but no where near the infestation I'm dealing with in my own property.

Exotic Plant and Animal Removal: Mead Gardens

12/16/10
     I have been trying to ID this big soft leafed tree for a while now. Now I know it is the exotic/invasive Paper Mullberry (Broussonetia papyrifera). I had to test if the hairy bark and leaves would react with my skin. So I ripped out 12 small trees, making sure to rub it on my arms.
     Later I went to the other side of the park and pulled out 100 large Cesar Weed plamts and one small Chinese Tallow Tree.
     Even much later in the day, I had no bad reation at all form the Mullberry hairs.

12/15/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turban Removal III

10/15/10
      I took out the Pullerbear and removed 100 more Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds. By year's end I want all the above ground parts of the plants out. I know many of the ones that broke off will grow back but at least they will never go to seed again. I will not use poisons in my yard.
12/16/10
     I pulled out another 100 more Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds. Why only 100? I have a back injury from my days in the U.S. Marines. So I pull out exotics until I my back starts to really hurt then I stop for the day.

12/13/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turban Removal II

     Despite the cold I went out and with my Puller Bear Tool and ripped out 100 more Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds. Most snapped of at the base, but I did get a few with roots intact. It is nice not to have mosquitoes feasting on me as I work on these plant in my front yard. In the second picture you can see how far reaching and strong gripping their roots are.

12/13/10 The Coming Freeze and Coming Winter

     Although I like it staying around 80 to 90 degrees, I am looking forward to the a deep freeze that is expected in the next couple days. I suffer when it is cold here in Florida, but I know a good freeze will be a drop kick to the exotic species. Natives will shrug it off like they do Hurricanes. It is what they have evolved to do.
     Cuban Tree Frogs will be dieing by the thousands. Iquanas in south Florida will be dropping out of the trees. Exotic plants of many types will get burned back, giving all the exotic fighting agencies an upper hand in our battle.
     12/14/10 My friend Frank posted the two above picture on his Eco-Action facebook page. The top picture is an African Tilapia Fish killed by the recent cold snap. The below picture is an Amazonian Peacock Bass also killded by the cold temeratures. Both species are exotics and compete with native fish for food and nesting areas.

12/10/10 A Return to Mead Gardens

     I'm getting the upper hand on the Cesar Weeds here. They can't grow back as fast as I can pull them out. I got 100 of them today, along with 32 baby Chinese Tallow Trees and 2 baby African Ear Trees. In the above picture you see a thick mat of Cesar Weed and in the bottom picture they are gone, never to return.
A recent frost has burned their leaves along with the invasive Elephant Ear plants you see in the back ground.
    My hands and legs are getting stronger. Basically I do a low squat when pulling out a plant. I keep my back straight and lift with my thigh muscles.

12/9/10 Big Econlockhatchee Turk's Turban Removal I

     Using my Pullerbear tool I ripped out 100 Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds which is about 1/10 of how many there are. Many broke off at ground level as they have evolved a break-off-joint. But some I got out along with their long tap root.
     These Malaysian Turk's Turban Weeds cost me a couple thousand dollars to get their matted roots out of my septic system.
     I've been sick with a cold for several days now. But I'm determined to get out and fight some exotics.

12/5/10 Big Econlockhatchee River

     Right next to my Cesar Weed free property is another property. Recently I stopped in for a visit and saw there was thousands and thousands of tiny to mid sized Cesar Weeds there! My neighbor has been mowing them (rather then pulling them out and burning them) so she has unkowingly aided in their spread. She also has a large fire pit, where I do not. I offered to pull out every last one and she told me I could use the burn pit any time. I said don't be so quick to make that offer I have a lot of exotics to burn.
     So today I got in there and easily pulled out 200 Cesar Weeds and 3 Chinese Tallow Trees.
     I found the above pictured animal skull among the weeds. I don't know what it is.

12/4/10 Blanchard Park

     I've come back for a second day on this main stand of Cesar Weeds. Today I pulled out 303 of them. You can see the pile in the top picture. Hidden in the Cesar Weed forest was several Ear Trees. I also pulled out 2 small Ear Trees, I cut down a medium sized one and girdled large one. This large stand of Cesar Weed is spreading seeds all over the area and it should take me a couple more months to finish it off.
     The second picture is of a Limpkin. This is one of my favoirite birds and a true symbol of the swamp. It has a Halloween erie cry that people mistake as a person calling for help.

12/3/10 Blanchard Park

     I've been pullng Cesar Weed out of this park for a year. Now I've begun an assault on the biggest and longest standing stand of plants. These plants are ten feet tall and six feet across. The rangers offered to dispose of any exotics I pull out and pile up. In the top picture you can see a large pile of Cesar Weeds the camophlaged things on the right side of the pile are my gloves.  I'd like to see them burned but there are just too many plants for me to burn myself.
    The second picture is the battle line. One the right native Florida plants. On the left a wall of Cesar Weed. I claimed about thirty more feet back from the invasive plants today.

12/3/10 A Good short book about the Exotics War

                                       

                                Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species

            I read this short and informative book by Sneed B. Collard III in one sitting.  “Science Warriors” focuses mainly on the Brown Tree Snake in Guam, The Fire Ant in Texas and the Melaleuca Tree, in the Everglades and it does introduce several other exotics. The book does give a sense of the extensive time, effort and money that goes into exotic control. In the U.S. we spend more money eliminating exotics than we do on education.

           

12/2/10 Mead Gardens

     In between appointments I got into Mead Gardens and pulled out 50 Cesar Weeds and 1 Tallow Tree. The park was getting ready to close so I had to leave or I'd have pulled out more.
     I think I may have found a Brazilian Pepper Tree in Winter Park also. I'll have to do some botany research to be sure. If it is, I'll be girdling it and cutting it down piece by piece.
     12/3/10 10:30am (See the two above pictures) I have confirmed that tree I saw last night is in fact Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). I looked it up on the several websites including The Center For Aquatic And Invasive Plants and Youtube. So the war is on. I'm looking for some agency to call to report it being there, so the City of Winter Park will take the whole tree out by the roots. Otherwise I'll have to take it piece by piece and that could take years.
     This is the first Brazilian Pepper Tree I have encountered close up. This is why I was so carefull to be sure it was what I thought it was, before pulling off even one leaf.
     12/7/10 Since that day I have located several more Brazilian Pepper trees in Olando. Several on East HWY 50, and another on North Lockwood Road. I am going to report them to the city and I'll begin working on them myself. Once I find one, it's days are numbered.

11/28/10 Thanksgiving Weedend VI

     These pictures are of a hunter's camp. One picture is the monitoring box which is hooked up to a car battery. The other picture is of the ladder to a tree stand. Today I was able to untie everything and take out the monitoring box. I'll have to come back for the battery and ladder. There is also an off camera reflector and feeding station which I'll have to come back for.

      A fallen tree has provided me with easy access to the far side of the river which I rarely visit.

      This area is my property and state forest. Hunting is illegal both by state law and because I don't allow it. Now that I have easy access again, I'll be patrolling heavily.

11/28/10 Thanksgiving Weekend V

     I returned to the Big Econlockhatchee to get those patches of Water Hyacinths. There turned out to be more that I thought. I took out 103 this trip, above you can see the before and after pictures. These Water Hyacinths were on dry land and rooting into the soil. They can't survive like this, but this area floods and that is what they are waiting for. The log in the picture blocked them from going down stream.
     Since I was on foot I could only take out what I could carry through thick Cypress Swamp. I loaded fifty plants in two bags and carried one bag over each shoulder. The extra weight made keeping my balance difficult in the uneven and slippery swamp ground.

11/27/10 Thanksgiving Weekend 4

     I stopped on a bike trail that leads to Big Tree Park in Casselberry Florida. The day was ending and I just had an hour left of sunlight. It is my first time here and right away I spot both Cesar Weed and Castor Bean. Castor Bean is an exotic which I don't see in the swamps where I spend most of my time.
     I picked up a large bucket of all recyclable litter, see picture #1. I don't quite understand the psychology of people who come all the way out to a secluded nature spot and then spoil it.
     I took out 110 Cesar Weeds, which is about 1/5 of how many were there, see picture #2. The Castor Bean will have to wait for another day.

11/26/10 Thanksgiving Weekend III

     I went to Mead Gardens in Winter Park and claimed a couple hundred feet from the Cesar Weeds, 200 plants in all (see top picture). I also took out one baby Ear Tree by the roots and hacked three more to the ground. I caught two Cuban Anoles and picked up some litter. I see the City of Winter Park is spraying for Cesar Weed and it looks like there is hope this park will one day be Cesar Weed free.

     I also saw a large Box Turtle (see below picture). I left it there and only took a picture, but I'm wondering now if I should have moved this land turtle to a more secluded area.

11/25/10 Thanksgiving Weekend II

     I took my canoe out into the Big Econlockhatchee River to patrol for Water Hyacinth plants and ended up in a tug of war with several Chinese Tallow Trees. I pulled out 4 by their roots and cut down 8 more. Late in the day I found a big patch of high and dry Water Hyacinths which I'll have to come back for. I also will have to come back for a hunter's camp I spotted. I disarmed their monitoring equipment which I had to untie off of one of my Bald Cypress Trees.
     My neighbor has a burning pit and she said I could use it for the Tallow Trees. She also has a million tiny Cesar Weeds which I am determined to kill. I don't know how so many got there. She lives just across a tree line from me.
     I also released my pet Musk Turtle. I spend to much time either working or out in the war against exotics I was leaving the turtle alone all day. So I took it far upriver and told it over and over, "I love you, but don't come back to my house."

11/24/10 Thanksgiving Weekend I

     I have four days off from work and I'm determined to do some environmental good. :)

     After work I went to Blanchard Park and got right to business. I pulled out 100 Cesar Weeds 52 baby Chinese Tallow Trees and a bunch of litter. I girdled several more Tallow Trees too big to pull out by hand. I found a pair of reading glasses buried in the ground. I pulled them out and I may start using them.

11/21/10 Blanchard Park

    

     Blanchard Park is a big big project. I've been working the exotic plants here for many months. Mainly Cesar Weeds which dominated the landscape every where. In the before and after pictures above you see an area infested with Cesar Weed and in the next picture returned to it's native state.
     Today I ended up collecting a lot of litter along with plants. For Cesar Weed I took out 313 plants. I also took out 7 Chinese Tallow Trees. I also collected 2 Water Hyacinth and 2 Water Lettuce plants to show to a class at my university.

11/18/10 The Big Econlockhatchee River

     Today I wanted to get some environmental good done, so I after work I made use of the few hours left of sunlight and walked out into the swamp I live on the edge of. Water levels are low and I was able to cross a fallen tree to the other side of the river. There I found several Spanish Moth "convict" Caterpillars (Xanthopastis regnatrix). I was able to identify them with the help of staff at the Lukas Nusary Butterfly Encounter in Orlando.
     I was surprised to find two, four foot Chinese Tallow Trees there which I promptly ripped out of the ground. I'm really getting to the point I can spot those spade shaped leaves from quite a distance, even through thick brush. See the second picture.
     To get used to looking for some specific thing is called "search image".