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An eVIP volunteer at the 2020 Invasive Species Blitz event at Eagles Roost removes nuisance plants.

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

June 5, 2020 Volunteer on World Environment Day Due to current events, the Earth Day project scheduled for April 24 has been postponed to Friday, June 5. In recognition of World Environment Day, volunteers will plant trees near the West Orange Trail at Winter Garden Station and participate in a variety of other activities held throughout the morning. If you are interested in learning more, please contact  [email protected] . Full project details will be provided to registered volunteers in advance of the event. Click Here to RSVP

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Internship Highlight In Her Own Words My name is Alexandra Percival. I began my internship with Orange County EPD in January of this year. This is my last semester at the University of Central Florida and I wanted to have this experience so I could learn what opportunities are out there. I am majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies. I’ve always had a passion for our environment. I want to help share knowledge with others about our environment and why we should protect it. During my internship, I worked primarily with Marcia Anderson Clark and the Junior Naturalist program. I have had such fun building and gathering the materials and volunteering to help with the classes. It was rewarding to see the children enjoy learning and having fun with the lessons that we provided. Overall, I had an amazing experience. Thank you to the Water Sciences team and especially to Marcia for this opportunity. This experience was fun and I appreciate everything!

Tentatively Scheduled for May 29, 2020 Intern Meet & Greet Event Orange County EPD has postponed the Meet & Greet scheduled for March 30. The event will tentatively take place at EPD on Friday, May 29. We will host a networking event for those interested in volunteering as interns for the fall semester. At the Meet & Greet, EPD staff will conduct brief interviews with candidates and describe current internship opportunities. Current application and enrollment in school is required. Candidates must  RSVP  to participate.

Youth EnviroScape Presentations Now Scheduling For Summer 2020 Orange County EPD is offering EnviroScape presentations for youth and school groups. The activity is a visual, hands-on way to teach students about our watershed and how they can help to keep surface water free of pollution. Learn more and request a presentation .

Reduce Water Pollution in Orange County Request a Speaker for Your Group Are you wondering if your landscape is environmentally friendly? Nobody wants to pollute our lakes, rivers and springs, but oftentimes the lawn maintenance regime we use is doing just that. Contact Orange County EPD to request a speaker to teach about the County's ordinances on Fertilizer Management and Water Quality Protection. Presentations to homeowners associations, community organizations, property managers, realtors, congregations or any other interested adult groups are available upon request. EPD's goal is to help citizens protect our natural resources. We can help arrange meeting locations, if needed, and are available nights and weekends, too!  Email  now to request more information and to set up your group's presentation.

Sign Up! Receive More News From EPD Would you like to learn more about Orange County 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. Great project for scout groups!

EnviroScape Training Workshop Learn how to use the EnviroScape Model to provide fun, hands-on watershed education presentations to youth in Orange County. Are you an educator? Once trained, classroom teachers and youth group leaders can also "check out" our education materials. One-on-one trainings can be arranged to accommodate your schedule.

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.

In-School, After-School and Summer Camp Presentations Teachers and youth group leaders interested in watershed education can request EnviroScape presentations for their students. Presentations are approximately 25 minutes long and are scheduled throughout the academic year and summer months as schedule permits.

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.

eVIP Needs Your Help!

If you enjoyed being an eVIP volunteer, please help us get the word out through social media. You can also provide your feedback and offer ideas for improvement! Scan the QR code or click on this link to access the short survey.

If you are interested in 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.

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Orange County Environmental Protection Division www.ocepd.org 407-836-1430 | Cell 321-689-8232 | Fax 407-836-1499 3165 McCrory Place, Suite 200, Orlando, FL 32803 Serving our community by conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment for current and future generations. Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved.