1/12/11 Return to Blanchard Park, A Brazilian Pepper Tree and my Laundry.

     I came back to survey Blanchard Park and found the wall of Cesar Weeds to be leafless. Recent frosts have stripped them bare and now I can see just how extensive the invasion is (see top picture). I'd love to burn them if I could. It is still freezing and I have arthritis, so I fought to pull off 100 Air Potatoes from the recently frost burned vines (bottom picture) and 4 Cesar Weeds until my hands couldn't take it any more.
     Later I went to eat dinner and remembered there was a Brazilian Pepper Tree near by. I ripped off a branch to bring home to burn.
     I think I saw Turk's Turban there also. If it is it would be the first time I've seen Turban loose in the wild. I need to see it have flowers or seeds before I can be sure.
     Then I went to do my laundry at the laundry mat. They know me there and tonight let me have the key to their back dumpster to pull out the cardboard and empty laundry soap containers. Now my five recycling bins are full of other people's beer bottles, soap containers and cardboard.

Channel Apple Snails (Pomazea insularum)

     1/9/11
     Today I arrived early for an Eco-Action Canoe River Clean Up at Econlockhatchee Road and Harrell Road. This is part of the Little Econlockhathee River. I came to take pictures and work the shore line on foot. Right away I noticed another irrisponsible Pit Bull dog owner sitting with his dog off a lease. I quietly walked back to by car and strapped on my fighting knife. The owner put the dog on a lease when he saw me coming back.
     I worked for two hours before the group arrived (I had to leave early to teach a class). I Picked up bunch of beer cans and blown in plastic bags.
     I picked up 88 Air Potatoes and one big Cesar Weed plant.
     I noticed an exotic and invasive type of snail called the Island Apple Snail (Pomacea insularum) shell all along the river bank, then I saw the tell tale pink egg cases along a wall. The native snails have small white egg cases while the exotic ones have large pink egg sacks. I couldn't get to the eggs because they were out of reach and I didn't have a canoe with me. But Eco-Action will get them. From all the empty snail shells, I see that something, maybe Limpkins, are eating the invasive species. I have no problem with that as long as the exotics (like Talapia fish and Armoured Catfish) are not a danger to the birds that eat them.
     I feel at peace sometimes, just unwinding Air Potato vines from some native tree. Or slowly collecting recyclables off the shore bank. There is something meditative about putting an environment back on the right track.

1/5/11 Mystical Forest

     I returned to the Mystical Forest and picked 50 Air Potatos off of the vines. The vines are leafless or burned from recent frosts. If I'm going to keep collecting these Air Potatos I need to find a way to destroy them.
     I made a Air Potato snake. :)

1/4/11 Mystical Forest

     There is a odd stretch of very low elevation woods, sandwiched between a shopping center and a highway. It is the most wild mix of exotic/invasive and native plants and animals I've seen yet. The large trees here are completely covered with some kind of vine. It is an island of last hope for native Golden Orb Spiders and native Green Anole Lizards. From the elevation I suspect these woods are often under water, yet I have not seen any swamp plants here yet.

     I have been here several times before to protect Green Anoles and kill Cuban Anoles.

     Today I collected 19 large and small Air Potatoes from the outskirts of this woods. I have a foot injury right now from my Hapkido class. So I could only slowly walk around. I have an active life and injures are often part of my day.
     It will take me years to clear these woods of exotics. But that's ok. These kinds of giant projects give my life meaning. It is this type of never ending goals that subconsciously promote longevity. "I can't die I haven't returned these Magical Woods (and twenty other parks) to a native state yet."

So far I know this wooded area has the following exotics:
Cuban Anole Lizards
Air Potato Vines
Paper Mulberry Trees
Japanese Climbing Vines
Litter from Humans

I've also seen the following natives:
Green Anole Lizards
Blue Tailed Skinks
Red Shouldered Hawks
Golden Orb Spiders
Passion Vines
Beauty Berry Bushes

1/2/11 Holiday Initiative X, Return to Bridge Out

     I returned to the Big Econlockhatchee to clean up after other people's New Years celebrations. While other people are at their churches this Sunday morning, I'm out here protecting Florida's native eco-systems. I had to postpone my main clean up due to a large dog barking at me. I carry a survival knife for dogs. The owner showed up and at my request put the dog on a leash.      I picked up most but not all of the beer bottles and cans that were thrown all throughout the bushes. I don't drink alcohol but I have three recycling bins full of beer bottles. I also picked up several can rings (see the bottom picture), these things are very dangerous to animals. I always cut the rings open before putting them in my recycling bin.
     I found one Air Potato and an old Trot Line that was tied to a Cypress Knee.

1/1/10 Holiday Initiative VIIII, The Big Econlockhatchee River "Bridge Out" I

    
     I started off this year on the Big Econlockhatchee River down the street from my house. An area known as "Bridge Out" by my Eco-Action family. I was Cesar Weed hunting, but recent frosts have knocked all the leaves off the plants. So I have no way to identify them.
     So instead I pulled out four bags of beer bottles and cans. That was about half of what was out there. I may go back tomorrow to finish the job. (See top picture)
     Not to far into the woods I found a dead Wild Boar. Wild Boar are an exotic and dangerous species here in Florida. One less Boar is a good thing.
     I did catch one Cuban Anole lizard and two Air Potatoes also.

12/31/10 Holiday Initiative VIII, Seminole Environmental Center and Orlando's Azalea Park

     I went with my friend Sara to the Environmental Studies Center in Winter Springs Florida. There was long trails there with bins for Air Potato Vines. There was lots of Cesar Weeds along the trails and also some Japanese Climbing Ferns. I didn't see any Chinese Tallow.

     Later I found Azalea Park in Orlando (There is another Azalea Park in Winter Park). While exploring the park I took out 7 Cesar Weeds 14 Air Potatoes and an arm full of the vines. I did notice Turk's Turban there also but I'm thinking they may have put it there on purpose. I may pull it out anyway because it is such and invasive pest. (See the above picture of the Air Potato leaf).