Great Suwannee River Clean Up a Smashing Success!

On Saturday, December 4, UF Wetlands Club volunteers participated in the last clean-up of the Great Suwannee River Clean Up. This effort was composed of many small clean-ups over the past three months from the Georgia line all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico and was organized by Current Problems, the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail Working Group, and the Suwannee River Water Management District.

Despite a cool start, the weather turned beautiful as the day progressed and volunteers collected trash from the cypress floodplain beyond the river. By the end of the day, over 500 pounds of trash were collected! Special thanks go to Fritzi Olson of Current Problems and Pam Darty of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge for coordinating this successful event.

Tumblin Creek Clean-up, 20 Nov, 2010

Tumblin Creek Clean-up, 20 Nov, 2010
Thank you all for participating in the fall clean up and making it successful. We managed to collect half a dumpster of regular non-recyclable trash, and some 8-9 big bags full of glass bottles, plastic containers and drink/soda cans, and all of this in about 3 hrs!

As tradition has it, we found some interesting items as well, - a vacumm cleaner, 3 automobile tyres, a florida highway sun pass, a driving license issued in seventies, and a soft toy. The winner for the most interesting item of trash was this soft toy which was unanimously named as 'RJ junior', and was christened as the creek clean up mascot for the season.

It was a beautiful day and a satisfying feeling to be out there walking in the creek, taking out all that does not belong there. Thanks for your help and support.

Tumblin Creek Clean Up: 20' Nov, 2010

Tumblin Creek Trash Clean Up : 20' Nov, 2010

The Wetlands Club has adopted Tumblin Creek through Adopt A River.  Wetlands club is responsible for organizing trash cleanups in the creek and the floodplain twice in a year.  Over past many years the club has been providing excellent service by collecting the trash brought in by the Tumblin Creek on to the flood plain of the Biven’s Arm lake. Last semester we collected a huge volume of glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans which were then sent for recycling. This activity therefore not only prevents pollution in the water body but also helps in recycling some of the waste.

Information about Tumblin Creek: 

Tumblin Creek is a spring fed creek that travels through portions of East Gainesville. The watershed of the creek is heavily urbanized with 60% impervious surfaces. Due to the impervious surfaces, trash, pollutants and sediments are rapidly mobilized during storms in to the creek. The creek along with the trash and sediments enter a 30 acre floodplain wetland. This floodplain facilitates sediment and trash deposition, which is where the Club cleans up trash.

Meeting Time: 9 am, 20' Nov, 2010.

Directions:

-Travelling south on Hwy 441 (NW 13th St) cross over University Avenue and SW 16th St.
-Just past SW 16th Avenue you will see The America's Best Value Inn on the right hand-side.
-Turn right at the southernmost entrance to the Motel and drive all the way back. Park anywhere next to the big grassy field.
-The clean-up will occur at the end of the channel. So follow the creek westward until you see the group

-Wear field clothes and shoes that can get dirty.
-We will have some drinking water.

Suwannee River Overnight, Oct. 23-24, 2010

The Wetland Club will be embarking on a weekend paddling and camping trip, Sat and Sun, Oct. 23-24, 2010 on the beautiful Suwannee River!  Bring your own boat or rent a canoe at the Suwannee Canoe Outpost (paid for by the club, if you are member).

Details:

- leave from UF campus at 9:00am on Sat.

- carpool to Canoe Outpost (near Live Oak, ~45 min from G-ville)

- bring your own lunch for Sat. and breakfast for Sun., snacks, water, and other drinks

- Sat. dinner will be prepared as a group

- make sure to pack a sleeping bag, warm clothes, water shoes, flashlight, and tent (borrow from friends or rent from the Reitz Union Outfitter 352-846-3003, outfitter@union.ufl.edu if you don't have your own)
- we will be shuttled 13 miles upstream (Pine Grove launch) by the Canoe Outpost, then float/paddle downstream
- we will camp on a public sandbar along the river


If you want to come...
- email Lisa Gardner (lisagardner@ufl.edu) ASAP to get your email address on the trip emails
- get a $10 deposit to Lisa by OCT. 14th (drop it by her office at Rm 102 Newell Hall, or put it in her mailbox in Rm 106 Newell Hall- include your name!)

Cypress Weeding/BBQ This Weekend!

October 9th -Cypress Weeding/BBQ
Come help give our cypress seedlings some much needed care! We will be clipping away the weeds from the cypress seedlings we have planted in containers, so that an herbicide can be applied to help keep down future weeds.  After the work is done, stay and enjoy a BBQ.  Details on transportation and the time will be updated soon.

Planting Seedlings

Weed Free!

Lots and lots of weeds!

Successful Education Activities

SEEP TOUR : On Thursday September 30th, members of the Wetlands Club led about 45 5th grade students from Rawlings Elementary school on an interactive tour of SEEP. The students made stops at 5 stations, and learned about soils, aquatic life, vegetation, hydrology & water quality, and enjoyed a wetland walk. The weather was perfect for the event, and the students seemed to have a great experience, so thanks to all the club members who helped out!

DR. DISCOVERY at the Florida Museum of Natural History: This summer, members of the Wetlands Club were involved with the Dr Discovery series organized by the FMNH. In this event we had an interactive session with the young kids (3-5 yrs age group), and used some small exhibits to demonstrate the differences between a wetland and an upland. The idea behind this event was to introduce young kids to the differences between the wetlands and uplands and point out the importance of wetlands.  There were live plants, some wetland fishes, a green tree frog and leeches, which got all the attention from  the kids.

Some 15-17 kids attended this presentation, mostly accompanied with their parents. This was the first educational even organized by the club in coordination with the FMNH, and we are hoping that the club will have more opportunities in the future to collaborate with the museum.

Welcome to the Wetlands Club

The Wetlands Club is excited about the 2010-2011 academic year! We are looking forward to getting involved with some fun activities this year, and excited to meet new members.

The officers for the 2010-2011 year are :

Luke Gommerman, President luke04@ufl.edu
Lisa Gardner, Vice President lisagardner@ufl.edu
Julia Maki, Treasurer, jmaki@ufl.edu
Rupesh Bhomia, Secretary, rbhomia@ufl.edu

Please feel free to contact us with any questions!

The Wetlands Club at the University of Florida was created in 1995 by students and staff who share an understanding of wetlands and their values. The Club, an official UF student organization under the Benton Engineering Council, is open to all students and staff regardless of their majors.

Field Trip and Social Events
Because learning about wetlands is an important part of being a member, the Wetlands Club sponsors field trips every semester to natural areas. Recreational opportunities include canoeing, hiking, birding, swimming, and camping.

Service Projects
Club members educate the public through public service projects.Since the summer of 1995 members have restored wetlands in Paynes Prairie State Preserve, planted trees in stormwater retention ponds at a Gainesville elementary school, picked up litter in the Hogtown Creek in Gainesville, and taught about wetlands through a three-day wetlands lecture series. The Club also made interpretive signs for a boardwalk in Paynes Prairie, Stromwater Enhancement and Educational Project (SEEP).

Research Opportunities
The Wetlands Club provides a clearinghouse for members who need help on research projects. Members volunteer to assist others in the field and often provide new ideas for research efforts.