April 17, 2023

Friends of Cuscowilla and the Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center are hosting an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center (210 S.E. 134 Avenue, Micanopy). The morning event includes planting and nature-related activities for the entire family. All activities are free and open to the public.

Activities include birding walks, archery, arts and crafts, catch and release fishing, disc golf, music, tours, tabling by environmental groups, and a food truck. Archery, disc golf, and fishing equipment will be provided. This is the second Earth Day Celebration hosted at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center. 

Camp Manager Jamie Bass said, "This is a great way for people to come out and enjoy the park and see what all Cuscowilla has to offer." 

"Last year, we established the butterfly garden and planted trees in the new parking lot islands," said Friends of Cuscowilla Vice President E. Jane Luzar. "This year, we will continue our tradition of planting trees, shrubs, and flowers. We have added child-focused activities to celebrate nature and showcase the many improvements made to Cuscowilla during its renovation. Our many partners have designed a variety of activities to create a fun learning environment at the celebration."

Friends of Cuscowilla is hosting a Teacher Training program that morning. K-12 teachers will explore pond and upland ecosystems using the 'Project Wild: Aquatic Wild' curriculum. Stipends and instructional materials will be provided to all pre-registered participants who complete the course. 

Alachua County invites parents to register their children ages 7 to 12 for “A Summer of Discovery” at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center (210 S.E. 134th Ave, Micanopy). Alachua County offers Camp scholarships through the Alachua County Children's Trust. Campers who qualify are eligible for eight weeks of day camp programming. Scholarships are available for those with an IEP or 504 Plan, families who receive SNAP benefits or fall below 200% of the poverty line, or if the child is in foster care, voluntary formal kinship care, or under case management supervision. 

Day camps are offered for eight weeks, from June 5 through July 28. The Camps are Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Children can participate for one week or the whole summer. Weekly day camps cost $100. Campers receive breakfast, lunch, and a snack. Bus transportation is included to and from Lincoln Middle School (1001 S.E. 12th St, Gainesville). Campers can also be dropped off and picked up from the Camp.

Read more about camp details and the available scholarships.

The theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.” To celebrate Earth Day 2023, Alachua County, The City of Gainesville, UF, Santa Fe College, and other organizations have planned a wide variety of events for citizens to enjoy. Alachua County will have another press release next week, including events starting after April 21. Here is a list of some of the activities taking place between April 13 and April 20:

Alachua County Events

Spring Clean Out - Community Reuse and Recycle Day - April 15, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Santa Fe College N.W. Campus (3000 N.W. 83 St, Gainesville), Construction Institute Parking Lot 9 on North Road. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo and the Alachua County Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Department invite residents to take advantage of this free spring-cleaning donation and Hazardous Waste recycling event. A variety of non-profit organizations will be there to receive clothing in wearable condition, non-perishable food, usable housewares, school/office/art supplies, and household hazardous waste such as paint, chemicals, old electronics, etc., for recycling or proper disposal. In honor of Earth Day and in conjunction with the zoo’s Party for the Planet Weekend, donors will receive a discount voucher for zoo admission.

Santa Fe College Event

Party for the Planet - April 15 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo (3000 N.W. 83 St Building Z, Gainesville). Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children three and under. This family-friendly event will allow participants to explore the zoo and participate in games, crafts, training demonstrations, keeper talks, animal encounters, and more. Attendees learn to build like a beach mouse, save a sea turtle, make a backyard habitat, and spring into action to save species. Explore the kids’ sensory play space, join a special presentation, listen to live music, or grab some grub from a food truck.  

Miscellaneous Events

Gardening and Crafts to celebrate our planet - Alachua County Library District, Headquarters Library (401 E. University Ave, Gainesville), April 13 and April 20, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants make crafts and plant seeds to celebrate Earth Day and National Gardening Month. They will paint garden stones and make bird feeders on April 13. They will make Earth keepsakes to celebrate Earth Day on April 20. No registration is required, but supplies are limited. This activity is for kids ages 5 to 11 years old.

The State of Water Juried Art Exhibit - April 13 through April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention (811 S. Main St, Gainesville). Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 5 to 17. Admission is free for children four and under. Admission is free for those participating in the Water State Festival at Depot Park on April 15. The art show benefits local environmental non-profits and showcases works of art by local artists. This exhibition explores our intrinsic ties to water in its various states. It celebrates the water surrounding us in the Florida landscape, flowing under our feet in the aquifer, as well as the water which nourishes, connects, and inspires us.

The Water State Festival - April 15, from noon to 6 p.m. at Depot Park (874 S.E. 4th Street, Gainesville). The Water State Festival is a celebration of Florida waters. The festival is part of a campaign to raise public awareness of the state’s natural resources. Participants enjoy a day of water-themed science, crafts, art vendors, environmental non-profits, live mermaids, adventure outfitters, and entertainment. Cade Museum admission is free during this festival. Proceeds of the festival and art show benefit the Florida Springs Institute and Current Problems, Inc.

For more information, contact Erika Capin with the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department at 352-264-6800.

Alachua County has joined numerous governments, utilities, and agencies across Florida to declare April Water Conservation Month. 

To kick off Water Conservation Month, a special Water Conservation Edition of The Wader, the EPD Water Resources newsletter, was published containing articles on indoor and outdoor water conservation practices. In addition, staff has been publishing daily water conservation tips and facts on the County’s MyYardOurWater Facebook page. 

While there is always room to save water indoors, yards can account for nearly 60% of residential water use, so they are a great place to focus water conservation efforts and reduce utility bills. Those with automatic irrigation systems are encouraged to turn it off, watch the weather, and wait to water. Established plants typically need less water, and they may be able to turn off entire zones or reduce run times, saving water and money. Every drop saved means more water is available for our springs and the future. 

“We depend on the aquifer for our drinking water, as do our springs, rivers, and lakes,” said Alachua County Water Resources Senior Planner Eliana Bardi. “Residents often ask us how they can reduce their water consumption and save on their utility bill, so this year, we decided to flood the airways (pun intended) with water conservation messages during the month of April.”

Learn more at the Alachua County Water Resources website.

Alachua County Public Works employee Dwight Thomas recently won top honors in a regional heavy equipment rodeo hosted by the City of Gainesville. Thomas won four out of the six heavy equipment operator events making him the grand champion of the rodeo. 

The events are timed games designed to test the operator’s ability to do unusual and often tedious tasks with large, heavy equipment. For example, contestants had to pick up three basketballs with the boom of a Vac Truck and then place each ball through an ordinary basketball net in the allotted time. Contestants were disqualified if they dropped a ball, missed the net, or ran out of time (Vac trucks are like big vacuum cleaners used by most Public Works Departments to clean the sand and trash out of manholes and pipes.). In another event, contestants had to move checker pieces from one board to another with a Grapple Truck in the allotted time (Grapple trucks are used daily by staff to remove trees and debris from the roads.).

Find out more about the Equipment Rodeo.

Periodically, the Department of Homeland Security provides funding to FEMA to reissue the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) and execute new detailed studies in selected areas. The FIRM is used by insurance brokers and housing lenders to determine the risk of flooding and to set the premium for flood insurance. New FIRM maps are being developed for Alachua County and surrounding communities. The Santa Fe Watershed Flood Risk Project covering most of the North and Northwestern portion of the County is available for public review. FEMA has started a public comment and appeals period that ends on April 30, 2023. 

Three information meetings are being held on April 18, April 24, and April 25, 2023, at Alachua County Public Works Ready Room (5620 N.W. 120th Lane, Gainesville) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those wishing to appeal or comment about the FIRM maps can obtain information on how to do so at this meeting.

Read more about the meetings.