Friends President's Message

Text and Photos Courtesy Katasha Cornwell

Recovery and Resilience

In Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder, she says “There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.” And I would add that these repeated refrains include resilience after recovery.

In the last two months, the greater St. Marks region has endured two hurricanes and our fellow Floridians have had to withstand a third. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered loss during this time. Nerves are frayed for many and everyone is looking forward to getting back to calmer times and a sense of normalcy. The Refuge is one place that can help us all unwind.

Fortunately, we were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief once we knew the Refuge and Lighthouse felt only minimal effects from these events. The Refuge was able to resume normal operations for the Visitor Center, Nature Store, and Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters at the beginning of the month. While some trails and levees might still require a little TLC and clean up, Lighthouse Road and Bottoms Road are open for those that need some easy access for mental health recovery time.

As we all know, Mother Nature is resilient, and she continues to send her migrating birds and butterflies our way. The morning after Helene, having evacuated from my home in Wakulla to Tallahassee, a northern cardinal landed outside the window we were looking out of while surveying the “damage”, or lack thereof…just one big branch down in the parking lot. That bird, although looking a little frazzled, brighten my spirits and made me feel like everything would be okay.

The weekend after Helene I was fortunate to have some time to spend at the Refuge even though it was slightly inclement weather. But as usual the Refuge had a nice surprise for me, a recently arrived belted kingfisher that sat still long enough with its catch that I could snap a photo. I don’t know about everyone else, but I rarely see these superb fisher birds with an actual fish.

The yellow warblers are here amongst the golden rods which are just about in peek bloom. You can hear the gray catbirds meowing in the cedars. Avocets, plovers, and many other shore birds have begun making their way to the St. Marks pools. And while the salt bush may have taken a hit at the Lighthouse, there are plenty of other wildflowers still in bloom throughout the Refuge just waiting for the monarch butterflies to arrive.

October at the Refuge offers not only these sensational wildlife encounters, but many events to help you, your family, and our Friends recover. Come out and witness Mother Nature’s as well as human nature’s amazing resiliency for yourself. And don’t forget to invite your friends to become our Friends. 

Monarch Butterfly Festival - Saturday, October 26th

Text and Photos Courtesy Katasha Cornwell

Mark your calendars as you won't want to miss this year's Monarch Butterfly Festival scheduled for Saturday, October 26th from 10 am to 2 pm at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Come out and learn about the amazing monarch butterfly migration that happens each fall and spring. Meet folks from other organizations around the community working to support monarchs. There will be tons of activities for the kids.

Witness monarch tagging, explore the Lighthouse Keepers Quarters, grab a seed bomb to spread wildflowers, and don't forget stopping by the Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge table to get your one of a kind monarch butterfly tattoo.

There is a $5 entry fee per vehicle, or your annual pass will also get you in the door. Food will be available on site for sale. And certainly don't pass up a visit to our world famous Nature Store with unique products from local artists, as well as thoughtfully sourced items from abroad.

For more information visit the Refuge website here: https://www.fws.gov/event/monarch-butterfly-festival

Refuge Report

Environmental Education Highlights

Text and Photos Courtesy Lori Nicholson

The Environmental Education program has started ramping up with the beginning of the new school year. We have an American Conservation Experience (ACE) intern that started at the end of August. Her name is Taymar (pronounced Tamer like a lion tamer) who is from Williamsburg VA and is a recent graduate from the University of Mary Washington with a degree in American Studies. She is doing an amazing job so far.

The preschool program has started for the year and is growing and getting great reviews. On September 11th the team was at Oak Ridge Elementary and the program got such great reviews and comments from the teachers. “Thank you and your team so much for this experience! It’s exactly what these kids need, and more than I could’ve hoped for! It was Fantastic!” See photos of the program in action. For privacy, there are no faces in the photos, but they were happy excited faces I can assure you.

The fall is busy with lots of activities and programs. The team continues to educate themselves by attending workshops through Project Learning Tree and League of Environmental Educators to ensure they are bringing the latest activities and information to the children they instruct. This includes hosting a Project Learning Tree statewide conference in November in Nature’s Classroom.

On October 5th they hosted the Preschool family day at the Refuge where all participating preschool families were invited to come to the Refuge and enjoy hands on activities like their children get to participate in at their schools. And, as part of the National Wildlife Refuges Week, the Hike with a Ranger program will be with intern Taymar to celebrate the re-opening of Plum Orchard Pond trail, Oct. 16.

Remembering

Dr. Dave LaHart -

A Refuge Friend and Environmental Education Hero

Text Courtesy Robin Will, Photo Courtesy Val LaHart

I spent the morning recently with Dave’s lovely wife, Valerie, talking about his amazing life.

Dave LaHart grew up in Saranac Lake, NY as the “smart son” between brothers John (the serious one) and Tom (the funny one). After high school, he went on to become a Catholic cemetery sexton, a job he said was the best job he ever had “because he had 1,000 people under him that never gave him any problems.” A bit of a prankster with attendance problems, Dave managed to graduate high school, receive a NY State Reagents scholarship and receive an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, where he worked in the biological warfare labs.

Excelling as a student, Dave attended Cornell University (B.S. in Wildlife Science); University of Florida (MS in Wildlife Ecology); and Florida State University (Ph.D. in Science Education). Once he “migrated” to Florida, he began working at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission directing their conservation education program and later at the Florida Dept. of Education as the coordinator for the State’s Youth Conservation Corps. He met St. Marks NWR’s Wildlife Biologist “Red” Gidden during this time and a lifetime friendship began. Dave surveyed alligators on the back levees with Red and could identify frogs from their calls and ducks from their silhouettes. His passion for Florida’s wild things and places combined with his teaching skills led to educator workshops across the state where teachers literally waded into Florida’s ecosystems to seine net aquatic critters, survey wildlife and plants and collect information on local habitats. He impressed teacher Valerie Badina at one such workshop and she began assisting Dave in his trainings. Soon together in work and life, Dave and Val “immersed” hundreds of teachers in Florida environments providing them with take-home equipment such as solar ovens, thermometers, different types of light bulbs, and lesson plans. These teacher would go on to reach thousands of students in their careers. Everything Dave did, Val states, he did 100%!

Both were enthralled by the stately beauty of the St. Marks lighthouse and were married in the shade of the large live oak tree in front of the keeper’s quarters. They wrote their own wedding vows and Val remembers Dave saying that like the majestic live oak tree, their love would endure forever. Connected to the rhythms of wildlife, Dave would wake Val up in the dark to go witness nesting sea turtles heaving onto the beach and later, the scurrying of many hatchlings headed back to the sea. Together they would watch their special bald eagle and osprey soar over their home on Ochlockonee Bay. Val says they continue their watchful flights over her now.

The LaHart’s love of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and the St. Marks Lighthouse led to their involvement with the refuge intern programs (college youth helping in wildlife biology and educational programs) and the restoration of the 193-year-old lighthouse, which opened to the public in 2019. Listening to Val speak, it was evident that Dave’s spirit, like the lighthouse, shines brightly today. Although discouraged by Florida’s current environmental challenges, Dave remained optimistic that the people of Florida will care and protect its future. His conservation legacy lives on in all the educators and students he taught who care about the natural Florida and its future. His life prompts us all to consider how we too can make a positive impact for St. Marks NWR and other Florida wild places. 

Text Courtesy Tom Baird, Photo Courtesy Val LaHart

Dr. David LaHart was one part insightful zoologist and one part creative science educator. During his career, he was well known and a major player in science education in the state. I had the privilege of knowing and working with him for many years.

In retirement, he and his wife Valerie were major supporters of the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge. It began with a major donation to the St. Marks Lighthouse restoration effort. Dave and Val were married at the lighthouse and it always held a special place for them. Their support of the Friends grew over the years with significant support for the environmental intern program. Dave took a real interest in their studies and the field work they were conducting. He took a keen interest in their careers and their future plans.

As the lighthouse restoration effort drew to a close, the last thing that needed to be done was relight the historic beacon. The historic lens had been removed and put on display in the Visitor Center. To “bring the past to light” once again, we needed a replica lens installed in the restored lantern room – a very expensive proposition! Once again, Dave and Val stepped forward and offered to pay for the construction and installation of a replica lens. On October 31, 2019, the historic beacon, which had been dark since 2000, once again shown out over the Gulf.

Now, each night, as the St. Marks lighthouse beams out its signature flash, each flare is a tribute and memorial to Dave LaHart.

Welcome Allen Van Brunt to the Board of Directors

Text and Photo Courtesy Allen Van Brunt

Allen is a fourth generation Tallahassee native. He comes by his love of the Gulf Coast, naturally, having spent summers at family homes in St Teresa and Alligator Point, Florida. His family has a long history of “going to the beach” at Saint Teresa going as far back as the 1870s when his relatives sailed on schooners from St Marks to St Teresa where they camped during the summers. They passed the St Marks Lighthouse each time they went “to the beach.”

Allen received two college degrees from Florida State University, a BFA in Studio Art and a MS in Instructional Systems Design.

Allen served in the US Army for 22 years and spent another 18 years in the private sector working as an instructional system designer in the Washington DC Metro Area. He retired in 2014 and returned to Tallahassee.

Allen is the current St Marks Lighthouse Keeper. As the Keeper, he manages the Lighthouse, schedules open house dates, organizes volunteer support, and does light maintenance and repairs. Allen has been supporting the Lighthouse since March 2017 as a Lighthouse interpreter and now as the Lighthouse Keeper. He is revising information content and developing new methods to present content to visitors.

St Marks Refuge Lighthouse News

Text Courtesy Allen Van Brunt

We had 556 visitors visit the Lighthouse during the month of September. The total number of visitors for the year so far (January - September) is 9783. We had ten open houses during the month. 27 volunteers provided 139 hours of service during the month. So far, in 2024, we have had 319 volunteers work 1799 service hours during 173 open houses at the Lighthouse.

Two hurricanes, Debby and Helene, made landfall within 70 miles of the St Marks Wildlife Refuge in the last two months. Damage from Debbie was slight. Helene generated a high storm surge along the Refuge coast line. The Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters were not damaged from the surge. The grounds were covered by salt water resulting in loss of vegetation around the house, parking lot, and Lighthouse Pool. Butterfly-friendly vegetation was hard hit as well.

Open houses will be conducted in conjunction with other Refuge events.

● Saturday, October 19th - Plein Air Painting Event

● Saturday, October 26th, during the Monarch Butterfly Festival!

For more event information visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-marks or call (850) 925-6121

The Lighthouse is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Please see the Lighthouse as part of your St Marks National Wildlife Refuge visit.

A Special Treat - Viewing the Night Sky at the Refuge

Text and Photos Courtesy Katasha Cornwell

To kick off National Wildlife Refuges Week, Visitor Services Ranger Leslie Peters organized a night sky viewing event with the Tallahassee Astronomical Society on October 13th. Ranger Peters noted that this was something she had always wanted to do, and what a night she chose to host this once in a life time event. The evening started with a spectacular creamsicle orange sunset with blue herons flying low over Lighthouse pool coming in to roost. The cool breeze and clear skies made for a perfect fall evening.

Astronomical Society volunteers brought a couple of their telescopes along with several other individuals that also brought personal equipment. While the volunteers trained their instruments on the moon before darkness fell, many of the close to 200 attendees stood in anticipation to see the comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. This comet was last thought to have been seen from earth by Neanderthals 80,000 years ago. Rediscovered only last year "at the Purple Mountain Observatory in China and an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in South Africa.”

NASA says, “Comets are frozen leftovers from the formation of the solar system composed of dust, rock, and ices. They range from a few miles to tens of miles wide, but as they orbit closer to the Sun, they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet. This material forms a tail that stretches millions of miles.” You can find more information at https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153444/comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-arrives-from-afar

Also visible during the event were Venus and Saturn. If you missed it, all of these celestial objects can still be viewed, although the comet will be harder and harder to spot over the coming days. Grab your binoculars or telescope and head to the Refuge. Lighthouse Road is open until 9pm until the Daylight Savings Time ends. And Bottoms Road is also open for viewing. 

Friends of St Mark's Wildlife Refuge Supporter Portal

Manage Your Account Here

https://stmarksrefuge.app.neoncrm.com/login

Become a member of the Longleaf Society today by clicking this graphic. Your monthly giving provides a tremendous boost to the Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge to keep providing the programs and services you have come to expect from this award winning organization.

We Encourage our Friends to SHARE!

As almost all of you know, the Friends give 100% of their support to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. An important way for you increase that support is to share our message. Therefore, when you get this newsletter, we encourage you to send it on to a friend. You can share it via email or through various other social media. Here's the link to the Friends Newsletter page. Scroll to the "current" entry and copy the link.

Text Courtesy Phillip Pollock

Bird Reports Assist Visitors

Don Morrow, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge volunteer and expert birder, creates concise bird-sighting reports on a week-to-week basis. Read his current and past reports here.

Photo Courtesy Katasha Cornwell

Have you considered including the Refuge in your will? The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge can provide information and guide you through the process. Just call the Refuge at 850-925-6121, and ask to be contacted by the Friends Board of Directors, or email us.

Reflections newsletter is a benefit of membership for Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge.

It also serves as an important supplement to

the Friends' website.

Both the newsletter and the web site provide members and the public information about volunteer activities and events at the Refuge.

Reflections editor: Katasha Cornwell