Environmental Times Winter 2022 Published by the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management
A Refreshed Royal Palm Beach Pines We are happy to announce that the Department completed renovation of the public use facilities at Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area. The project started in the spring of 2021 with re-paving of the two parking lots and replacing the boardwalk and wetland observation platform. Then the hiking trails were upgraded. The final piece of the renovation puzzle was hiking / equestrian trail improvements which included enhanced wayfinding features, kiosks, trail markers, shade shelter, permitted equestrian access at the northwest corner, pitcher pump located near the shade shelter and new mounting blocks at all equestrian access points and shade shelter. In addition, the Department modified and re-named one of the original trails the Torres Trail. This 2.5 mile trail honors Jose Torres, a contractor who worked at Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area for over two decades. Jose died from COVID-19 in July 2020. The Torres Hiking Trail takes visitors through slash pine woods and freshwater wetlands full of wildflowers and wildlife. For more information about Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area, visit www.pbcnaturalareas.com.
Environmental Times
Helping Lichens at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
Eagle Scout Project Upgrades the Soggy Socks Primitive Campsite at Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area
The 120-acre Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (JILONA) provides habitat for 25 special status species - a remarkable amount for such a small area. Included among them is Florida perforate cladonia (Cladonia perforata), a lichen found in scrub lands with open sandy soils. It was listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1993.
The 61.4-mile Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail (OTLHT) starts at Hobe Sound Beach. It travels through Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Palm Beach County Natural Areas, Corbett Wildlife Management Area and Dupuis Management Area. The trail ends at the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail (LOST) trailhead. Thanks to Eagle Scout candidate Robby Vargas of Troop 141, hikers can now enjoy new amenities at the Soggy Socks primitive camp site located in Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area along the OTLHT. Robby recruited volunteers from his troop to build two benches, install two sets of hammock posts for hammock camping, and install a backpack post which is also suitable for drying out soggy socks. Hikers typically complete the OTLHT in three to five days and must plan ahead to secure camping permits from the various management agencies. The Florida Trail Association Loxahatchee Chapter maintains the trail and their website http://loxfltrail.org/Ocean2LakeHikingTrail.html - is a great resource for planning your OTLHT adventure. By Melissa Tolbert
Thirty C. perforata were translocated to JILONA in 2009. These transplants came from an area with a large C. perforata population that had accumulated sand pine fuels and was at risk of a fire. The four transplant recipient locations had no lichen present and had either been recently burned or were in areas with no prescribed burns planned in the near future. Across the four locations, C. perforata have increased substantially. They numbered 173 in 2015 and 443 in 2020 - that is more than a 14-fold increase in lichen numbers over 11 years. This highly successful method of helping lichens colonize new sites helps buffer vulnerable populations at this location.
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Photo of Cladonia perforata, taken at JILONA by Roger Rosentreter, graces the cover of the journal Evansia
Winter 2022
Lake Worth Lagoon Update
By Mayra Ashton
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners adopted the 2021 Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan on July 13, 2021. This is the first time the lagoon’s management plan strategically embraces a watershed management approach. The lagoon’s health is connected to the activities and inputs occurring across a watershed 42 times the size of the lagoon itself. The lagoon is bordered by 13 municipalities, from the Town of North Palm Beach in the north to the Town of Ocean Ridge in the south, and has 30 municipalities and additional unincorporated areas within its watershed footprint. The Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan includes 25 action plans that guide the restoration and management priorities for the wildlife and diverse estuarine habitats found throughout Lake Worth Lagoon. There are six action plan categories: Water and Sediment Quality, Habitat Enhancement and Protection, Fish and Wildlife Monitoring and Protection, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise, Public Outreach and Engagement and Public Uses of the Lagoon. The plan can viewed online at https://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/Publications/ LWLManagementPlan2021.pdf. To request a presentation for your organization highlighting the different elements in the 2021 Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan, email ERM-LWLI@pbcgov.org If you want to learn more about the lagoon and the monitoring and restoration work Palm Beach County and partners are doing you can join one of the Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative (LWLI) Working Groups or volunteer at one of our stewardship events. For more information on the lagoon and the LWLI working groups, which include Water, Habitat and Outreach groups, visit www.LWLI.org.
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Environmental Times
Sea Turtle Watches and Hatching Success Evaluations Popular in 2021 Palm Beach County beaches host the densest sea turtle nesting in the United States. Each year over 30,000 nests are laid here collectively by loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles. These nests produce over two million hatchlings. Florida hosts roughly 90% of the nests associated with the Northwest Atlantic Ocean’s loggerhead sea turtle population. Loggerhead sea turtles emerge at night, nesting about every two or more years, to lay an average of four clutches of 100 eggs every 14 days during a nesting season.
Photo by FWC
Late June through early July marks the peak of sea turtle nesting season. The perfect time for the Department to offer the public an opportunity to participate in a guided sea turtle watch. With a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the Department hosted five public turtle watches at the Jupiter Civic Center within Carlin Park. Each event included a presentation on sea turtle biology and conservation and, if lucky enough, guests were guided out to the beach by permitted staff to observe a nesting loggerhead sea turtle. The Department also conducted six public hatch success evaluations in August and early September. A critical component of sea turtle nesting information includes an inventory and evaluation of recently hatched sea turtle nests. This means digging up a hatched sea turtle nest and noting the number of hatched and unhatched eggs. Loggerhead and green sea turtle nests were evaluated for these events. Permitted Department staff educated more than 100 people during the hatch evaluations, which were also done under a permit with FWC. Want to learn more about Palm Beach County’s nesting sea turtles? Visit https://discover.pbcgov.org/erm/Pages/Sea-Turtle.aspx. By Teal Kawana
All sea turtle activities conducted by Palm Beach County staff done under FWC permit #MTP-017
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Winter 2022
Reef Darts Deployed By Katelyn Armstrong
Economic Importance of Palm Beach County’s Coral Reefs The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program released two studies highlighting the importance of our coral reefs to Southeast Florida’s economy. One study revealed that reef-based diving and snorkeling activities generate more economic output and support more jobs in Palm Beach County than in any other county in the region. This equates to about $202 million in economic output and 2,015 jobs per year. For the South Florida region as a whole, which includes Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe County, reef-related diving and snorkeling activities support 8,668 jobs and generate about $902 million in total economic output per year. A second study revealed that recreational fishing trips in Palm Beach County generate roughly $80 million in output and 803 jobs per year, which is second only to Monroe County. When considering the region as a whole, reef-related recreational fishing in Southeast Florida supports approximately 3,787 jobs and generates an economic output of $384 million. These studies provide important information that local communities can use to assist in decision-making and public education. The full reports can be found on the NOAA Coral Reef Information System website at https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/ florida_economics/welcome.html.
In August 2021, Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management deployed artificial reef structures in partnership with the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. The structures, also known as “reef darts”, are made from repurposed concrete utility poles that are altered to stand vertically on the seafloor. This is the fifth reef dart deployment offshore of Palm Beach County. The reef darts were placed in approximately 500 feet of water four miles offshore of the Lake Worth Inlet. With high vertical profiles (some reach up to 55 feet tall) and placement in areas that resemble an underwater desert, reef darts provide attractive habitat for small organisms and large predators alike.
Learn more about the Department’s artificial reef program, and view an interactive map of artificial and natural reefs along the Palm Beach County coastline, at www.pbcreefs.com.
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Environmental Times
Frights in the Forest Haunted Hike
There were scares galore at the Frights in the Forest Haunted Hike held on October 29, 2021 at North Jupiter Flatwoods Natural Area in Jupiter. More than 200 people walked the trails and encountered creepy creatures including witches, ghouls, scarecrows, clowns and zombies. As visitors walked to the start of the Haunted Hike they learned about some of the creatures living at North Jupiter Flatwoods Natural Area like owls, snakes and gopher tortoises. Thank you, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, for bringing these animals to our event. The Department is already planning for our next Haunted Hike in 2022.
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LagoonFest 2021 Welcomes Largest Crowd Ever!
On November 6, 2021, approximately 8,000 people attended the 7th annual LagoonFest held along the downtown West Palm Beach waterfront. This festival celebrates the 20-mile-long Lake Worth Lagoon, the county’s largest estuary. Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) staff joined with Discover the Palm Beaches and other Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative partners to present this free, family-friendly festival. The event is held each year to raise awareness of the lagoon’s environmental, recreational and economic importance. Attendees could find their connection with the lagoon by exploring more than 80 hands-on exhibits that showcased the wonders of this urban estuary. Those who embarked on the kayak cleanups and boat tours got an even more up-close experience with the waterway. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary released a rehabilitated white ibis and families enjoyed a Kids Zone full of activities like mural painting, exploring a gopher tortoise burrow and learning how to cast. Make sure you mark your calendars to attend the 8th annual LagoonFest on November 5, 2022.
Winter 2022
Volunteers removed 350 pounds of trash and invasive non-native plants from High Ridge Scrub Natural Area on December 15, 2021.
KEEPING IT CLEAN AND GREEN
VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION Here are the numbers for 2021 Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management volunteers donated 1,525 labor hours to help preserve the county’s precious environment. More than 540 volunteers worked on 60 projects in county-owned natural areas and restoration projects. They removed 19,430 pounds of trash and planted 1,937 grasses and wildflowers. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish in 2022!
Volunteers removed 300 pounds of trash from Juno Dunes Natural Area in Juno Beach on December 8, 2021.
Volunteers removed 600 pounds of trash from the Currie Park Living Shoreline mangrove planters in West Palm Beach on December 29, 2021.
By Ann Mathews
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Volunteers removed 200 pounds of trash from Yamato Scrub Natural Area in Boca Raton on December 11, 2021.
Volunteers removed 400 pounds of trash from Winding Waters Natural Area in West Palm Beach on December 31, 2021.
Volunteers removed 250 pounds of trash from Limestone Creek Natural Area in Jupiter on December 18, 2021.
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Largest Prescribed Fire to Date Burns 1,600 Acres with the Help of a Helicopter Prescribed fire is an essential tool used by land managers to restore and maintain pine forest, prairie grassland and scrub habitats in Palm Beach County natural areas. The Department’s largest prescribed fire to date was completed in March of 2021 at Pine Glades Natural Area. We created a detailed overview of this burn available as a “Tales from the Trail” installment on our website.
Environmental Times Volume 27 Issue 1 Published quarterly by the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management 2300 N. Jog Road - Fourth Floor West Palm Beach, FL 33411-2743 561-233-2400 www.pbcerm.com www.facebook.com/pbcerm Deborah Drum..........Department Director Michael Stahl...................Deputy Director Ann Mathews...................Editor/Graphics
Through pictures and words you can learn how staff from Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management and South Florida Water Management District successfully burned 1,600 acres in one day to restore the fire-interval on a section of forest and grasslands inside Pine Glades Natural Area. You will also learn about the wildlife that benefits from prescribed fire. It is a fascinating story of how land managers use what seems like a destructive force as a tool to create a healthier landscape.
Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners
To learn more about the Department's Prescribed Fire Program, check out "Tales from the Trail" on our website - www.pbcerm.com
Verdenia C. Baker, County Administrator
Robert S. Weinroth, Mayor Gregg K. Weiss, Vice Mayor Maria G. Marino Dave Kerner Maria Sachs Melissa McKinlay Mack Bernard