April Volunteer Bulletin

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Tree Canopy at Lake Lucie Conservation Area

Lend a Hand to make a difference in your Orange County environment and community.

2024 Earth Day Project

Please make plans to join us to celebrate Earth Day! Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings and the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will host a volunteer project the morning of Thursday, April 25, at the Johns Lake Conservation Area. Volunteers will help with a variety of land management projects to benefit this beautiful Green PLACE property located in Winter Garden, Florida. Email to RSVP or request more information. Hope to see you there!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Orange County Earth Month

April 2024

Orange County Government is celebrating our planet all month long! Join us for exciting events designed to inspire action, foster education and promote environmentally friendly practices. From eco-scavenger hunts and Florida-Friendly landscaping to water conservation workshops, there’s something for everyone to enjoy while making a positive impact on our environment.

Events and activities will be both in-person and virtual. This collaborative celebration is presented in partnership among various Orange County departments and divisions including the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, Environmental Protection, Utilities, Parks and Recreation, Orange County Convention Center and UF/IFAS Extension.

Visit www.ocfl.net/EarthMonth to learn more.

Fix It! Don't Pitch It

April 13, 2024

Pollution Prevention (P2) starts with you! Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) encourages you to Fix It! Don't Pitch It by attending our upcoming community workshop. This event gives residents the opportunity to have broken items repaired by handy volunteers for free. Save money and the environment by fixing items around your home instead of sending them to the landfill. If you are interested in volunteering as a fixer at the event, we'd love to hear from you! EPD is especially in need of jewelry and sewing fixers.

Orange County Fix It! Don't Pitch It

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Marks Street Senior Recreation Complex

99 E. Marks St.

Orlando, FL 32803

Event hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Orange County Jr. Naturalist Program

Burrow Buddies!

Join the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to celebrate Gopher Tortoise day with a habitat hike on Saturday, April 20. EPD staff will search for active burrows and other signs of gopher tortoises as well as highlight some of the wildlife that inhabit the burrows. This Jr. Naturalist hike will be held on the Greeneyes Wildlife Preserve in Apopka. Register today! Send an email for more information and to receive future class announcements.

Receive More News From EPD

Would you like to learn more about the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD)? EPD is excited to share a variety of information about events, sustainability, the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, regulatory updates, lake management, water quality and more! If you would like to be included on the email list, please fill out this brief sign-up form.

ONGOING ACTIVITIES

Storm Drain Labeling

Spearhead a storm drain labeling project in your community. Orange County eVIP provides all the supplies, a one-hour training session and the support to create an enjoyable and meaningful service project for your group. Please help us keep our surface water clean and our storm drains functioning properly. This is a great project for scout groups!

Girls identifying natural specimen with phone app

The Explore Nature Project

The Explore Nature Project provides an opportunity to help clean up natural lands in Orange County and learn about the countless species in these diverse ecosystems. To view recent observations captured by Explore Nature volunteers, visit eVIP's iNaturalist Project page. Then click join to upload and share your finds! Volunteer hours will be verified upon request.

Internship Program

To learn more about the program, send an email stating your interest. Internships are competitive and applications are accepted year-round. Students can earn service hours, college credit and meaningful work experience. Interns who complete a three-month unpaid internship are eligible to apply for paid internships as available.

Orange County Water-Quality Monitoring

Orange County partners with the UF/IFAS LAKEWATCH program to provide volunteers with training and equipment for water-quality testing on local lakes. Volunteers need lake access, a few hours each month to collect samples, transportation to deliver samples, a canoe or watercraft and a one-year-plus commitment to sampling.

EnviroScape Training and Presentations

Learn how to use the EnviroScape Model to provide fun, hands-on watershed education presentations. Are you an educator? Once trained, classroom teachers and youth group leaders can also "check out" our education materials. Alternately, request EnviroScape presentations for your students. Presentations are scheduled year-round as schedule permits.

Group Community

Cleanup Kit

Is your group looking for an environmental project? eVIP has a new kit that helps individuals lead a cleanup and assist in keeping Orange County free of pollution. eVIP provides the supplies, training and support. The project is a good fit for volunteers of all ages and groups of all sizes. Educational materials will be provided as requested.

Thank you for your interest!

If you would like more information on any of the opportunities listed above,

please contact the Orange County Environmental Protection Division Volunteer Coordinator

Carrie Mohanna at [email protected] or 321-689-8232.

Visit our website

Orange County Environmental Protection Division

www.ocepd.org

407-836-1430 | 321-689-8232 (C) | 407-836-1499 (F)

3165 McCrory Place, Suite 200, Orlando, FL 32803

Serving our community by conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment for current and future generations.