eVIP Volunteers at the 2022 National Public Lands Day Project |
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Lend a Hand to make a difference in your Orange County environment and community.
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Save the Date!
2023 Invasive Species Blitz
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Help the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) curb the growth of invasive plant species. This annual event will be held the morning of Saturday, January 21, 2023. Location to be announced shortly. Please save the date and RSVP to [email protected] for you or your group. A variety of invasive plant species will be removed from the site. Registered volunteers will receive full project details including time and project meeting location. This is a family friendly event open to all ages and groups. We hope to see you there! |
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In Her Own Words
Chloe Blackhurst, Volunteer Intern
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My internship with the Orange County Environmental Protection Division's (EPD) Environmental Permitting and Compliance (EP&C) program began the summer of 2022. Since I am currently attending school in Arizona, I am a remote intern throughout portions of the academic year. During my time this summer in Florida, I was able to shadow staff on compliance site visits. This field work included inspections for lakeshore protection, boat ramp, wetland and seawall permits. In addition, I created spreadsheets for the EP&C team to track the lifespan of cases, the number of open and closed cases, and penalty collections. I also enjoyed being able to shadow a variety of staff at EPD to see what their jobs entail. As a remote intern, I upload documents to the EPD Application and LDMS database, update various spreadsheets and draft notification letters. This internship has expanded my knowledge in so many areas, but I have especially learned a great deal about the workings of county and state government. Being an intern for EPD has been incredibly rewarding and has been an awesome experience! |
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Fall Intern Meet & Greet
November 7, 2022
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The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will host a virtual Meet & Greet on Monday, November 7, at 12:30 p.m. This networking event is for those interested in volunteering as interns for the spring semester. At the Meet & Greet, EPD staff will conduct brief interviews with candidates and describe various internship opportunities. Current internship application and enrollment in school is required. Candidates must RSVP to participate.
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Eyes on Autumn
Lake-friendly Lawn Care
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Autumn is here! In Central Florida, that means less rain – from an average of nearly eight inches in August to just over three inches in October. That big difference opens up lots of opportunities for fall fun. If you’re a lawn and garden enthusiast, it’s a great time to make sure your grass and plants have the nutrients they need to finish the growing season.
If your fall lawn care regimen includes nitrogen fertilizer, make sure it stays in the ground where it’s needed, and doesn’t get washed away into storm drains where it can pollute our local lakes, rivers and springs. Orange County’s Fertilizer Management Ordinance tells us to do the following:
- Read the bag label – use 65% slow release nitrogen (N) and zero phosphorus (P).
- Check the weather – don’t use fertilizer 24 hours before a storm or heavy rain.
- Protect stormwater inlets – only rain in the drain, no leaves or grass clippings.
The County’s Environmental Protection Division has created some useful online tools and videos on its Fertilize Responsibly webpage. Use these resources to learn more about the connection between lawn products and water quality, and what steps you can take to maintain beautiful landscapes that are in harmony with nature.
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Sign Up!
Receive More News From EPD
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Orange County Water-Quality Monitoring
Orange County partners with the UF/IFAS LAKEWATCH program to provide training and equipment for water-quality testing. 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.
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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.
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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.
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Thank you for your interest! |
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If you would like more information on any of the opportunities listed above,
please contact the Orange County Environmental Protection Division Volunteer Coordinator
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Orange County Environmental Protection Division
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 © 2022. All Rights Reserved.
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