Friends of the Environment E-Newsletter
Established in 1988 February  2016
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February was an incredibly busy month at FRIENDS with two reef balls, school presentations and field trips, the second phase of BAM and the introduction of the new Sea Beans after school program.  We are so grateful for the amount of support we received from the community for this year's reef balls, our work would not be possible  without  your  support! Thank You! 

Kristin Williams
Executive Director  
The Kenyon Centre 

February was a busy month for the Kenyon Centre with 6 different organizations utilizing the Centre. Pictured above is the Coastal Ecology class from College of the Bahamas who spent three nights at the Kenyon Centre while conducting coastal health assessments. 

Reef Balls!!! 


 A big thank you to everyone who made the Reef Balls such a success!!! We are so grateful for your support! 

THANK YOU: 
Abacays, Abaco Inn, Abaco Lodge, Abaco Neem, Abaco T-Shirt and Design, Albury's Ferry, Albury's Sail Shop, April Higgs, Bair's Lodge, Belle Albury, Bill & Katie Verity, Bill Johnston, Blackfly Lodge, Bliss Coffee House, BMMRO, Bob Gascoine & Jane Minty, Brianna Higgs, Bristol Cellars, Burns House, Bradley Petersen, Cap'n Jacks, Carrie Pitman, Celia Rogers, Charlie and Marcie DeBardeleben, Chelsea's Choice, Cherokee Air, Bond Organic Coffee, Clint Adderley, Costa Del Mar, Cracker P's, Cruise Abaco, Damianos Realty, David Rees, Debbie Curry, Delphi Lodge, Driftwood Farms, Elbow Cay Cart Rentals, Evince Joseph, Firefly Sunset Resort & Boutique, Froggies, Gabrielle Manni, Ginny Warner, Green Turtle Club, HG Christie, Hope Town Canvas, Hope Town Harbour Lodge, Hope Town Inn and Marina, HT Cart Rentals, Iggy Biggy, Island Cart Rentals, Island Marine, Jody Albury, Kaitlynd Zimmer, Kathy Kline, Kim Roberts, Kim Rody, Laura Bishop, Lona Harris, Louanne Judge, Marjolein Scott, Marcus Davis, Mark & Patti Gonsalves, Marsh Harbour Exporters & Importers, Mary Balzac, Melissa Philpot, Meredith Sherrill, Michael Albury, Multi Hull Charters, Nippers, Ocean Tally, Om Grown Greens, Patricia French, Patti Love, Pete's Pub, Pinewood's Nursery, Pure Water, Quality Star, Rachael Aberle, Rick Block, Ron Engle, Sally Makin, Sandpiper Inn, Sands Beer, Sasha Lickle, Sean McNamara, Seahorse Boat Rentals, Seaspray Resort & Marina, Sena Fuqua, Stella Maris Resort, Suds and Cuts, T & N Cart Rentals, Tara Claridge, The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, The Jib Room, Tom Hazel, Travis Kelly, Turtle Hill & On Da Beach, Wally's Restaurant

February Fun: Education Update
The first three weeks of the new Sea Beans Club have been a great success! We have a total of eight Sea Beans and each week the biggest challenge is facing the tears when it is time to go home. So far they learned about plants, animals, habitats and birds. 


  Discovery Clubbers spent the month of February working on their astronomy badge where they did arts and crafts, built a solar system model and presented individually on planets. 


FRIENDS was happy to partner with the Khaled Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation on the second phase of the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (BAM!) project. Students were introduced to the animals that live in the mangrove ecosystems and the food web. For many students this was the first introduction to many of the animals that were presented, which included sea cucumbers, puffer fish, sea urchins, crabs, snapper, sea stars, cassiopeia jellyfish and different kinds of algae. The third and final phase of the project will take place in April where the students will plant the mangroves they have been growing as part of a restoration. 


Island Investigators  worked with scientists, Todd Pover and Stephanie Egger from Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey and conducted a coastal health assessment where they took core samples from Crossing Beach. The students were looking at the abundance of invertebrates in the samples to determine whether the beach is a good habitat for shore birds. 



Join us March 18-20 for another year of family fun and fitness. Whether you swim, bike, run or walk there is something for everyone over the course of the weekend. Check out the website for more details and registration information. 

 
Abaco's Environment in Photos : 
Conchservation


On a recent trip to Cherokee Sound, FRIENDS project coordinator Olivia Patterson, snapped these photos of Cherokee Creek. Directly under the bridge at the mouth of the creek were approximately three dozen juvenile conch. These creek systems are part of the East Abaco Creeks National Park that was declared in August 2015.