Eucheeland
Environmentalists Speak Out

We played baseball with the other boys in our neighborhood on a vacant lot. Sometimes our parents would take a carload of us to Lake Gertie, Molly, Winnemissett, or Crystal Lake for an afternoon swim. We often went to DeLeon Springs or Blue Spring on a Sunday afternoon. I don't remember seeing any manatees there, instead I remember thousands of catfish in the Blue Springs run; manatees could be seen occasionally in the St. Johns. Saturday afternoon at the Drekka Theater was the highlight of every week. A double feature, two westerns and one chapter of a serial, all for nine cents. Then the whole family would go downtown on Saturday evening; everyone had his own parking place on the street and folks visited from car to car. Most stores were open until 9 p.m. and grocery stores until 10 pm.

I had a wonderful childhood growing up in DeLand.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH: HISTORY'S BEST KEPT SECRET

Gary Luther, Local historian and publisher:
Copyright © 1992 All rights reserved

Its inlet was charted by every explorer beginning with Ponce de Leon in 1513. Pirates enjoyed safe harbor here. But despite a legacy of historic firsts, you won't find New Smyrna Beach mentioned in any school textbook.

Indians thrived, fishing and hunting the area for thousands of years before Florida's "discovery." More than 20 ancient Indian shell and sand mounds dotted the rivers here. Unfortunately, most were used as handy sources of roadbed fill in the early 1900s. Turtle Mound, located in the Canaveral National Seashore park, is one of the few survivors and one of the largest in the state. For over 200 years the Spanish treasure fleets used Turtle Mound as a navigational landmark.

Like their mounds, the Indians didn't fare well. When two isolated cultures meet, the consequences aren't always gentle. Europeans brought measles, malaria and smallpox to the New World. The Indians gave the explorers the "Great Pox"- syphilis - in this pathogenic exchange. Florida's original Indians couldn't win this battle. None survived.

As huge Spanish plantations were established, orange trees were introduced to Florida. Not. surprisingly, the first sweet oranges were found in Turnbull Hammock, a few miles southwest of New Smyrna. This strain is the source for all of our famous Indian River oranges.

Florida was ceded to the British in 1763 to recover the captured Spanish port of Havana. During this period, New Smyrna became the site of the largest British attempt at colonization in the New World - nearly three times larger than Jamestown, Virginia.

While the Spanish had dreamed of Florida's imaginary gold, silver and Fountain of Youth, the British were more practical. The land was rich and the British Crown offered bounties for producing cotton, hemp, indigo, cochineal dye and silk.

Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish physician; Sir William Duncan; and Sir Richard Temple, Commander of the Navy, secured royal grants of 20,000 acres each in 1767. Subsequent grants and partnerships increased their holdings to 101,400 acres at New Smyrna and environs.

Turnbull had traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean. He married Gracia Dura Bin, daughter of a wealthy merchant in Smyrna, Asia Minor (today called Izmir in Turkey). In a tribute to their love, New Smyrna was named in honor of her birthplace.

It seemed obvious to Turnbull the climates of the Mediterranean and Florida were similar. Who better to work his plantations? In 1767 he sailed to Greece and recruited 200 mountain tribesmen. At Corsica he found 110 Italian colonists. On the island of Minorca, just east of Spain, a famine had continued for three years. His description of New World riches was met with 1,190 Minorcans eager to accept his terms. Each colonist agreed to serve seven or eight years' labor at New Smyrna in return for 50 acres to each head of family, five acres for each child, plus promises of good provisions and clothing. In some beginnings the end is foretold. Provisions at New Smyrna had been made for only 500 settlers. Of the 1,403 who had set sail, only 1,255 arrived in New Smyrna by the summer of 1768. Because of mosquito-spread disease, hard work and shortages in food another 450 would be dead by the year's end. Everything except hardship was in short supply. This wasn't the promised Garden of Eden. Success of the colony hinged on agriculture. Turnbull had been impressed with the Egyptian method of drainage and irrigation. New Smyrna became the first New World colony to employ this technique. Canal Street, the main business district, is named after one of the larger canals. Today it has been filled in and covered by the north sidewalk. Portions of this extensive canal network can still be seen in the south and west of the city, attesting to the Turnbull colonists' intensive labors.

With five different languages spoken in the colony, the Tower of Babel story was about to be retold. Financial reversals, political intrigues, and the termination of indentures led to the fall of New Smyrna. In May 1777, ninety men appeared in St. Augustine, requesting Governor Tonyn to release them from their indentures. Court was held; accusations of cruelty, ill treatment by overseers, and murder were made against Turnbull. The colonists prevailed; many of their descendants live in St. Augustine today.

During the Second Spanish Period (1783-1819) another attempt at colonization was made by a Connecticut minister, Dr. Ambrose Hull, who received a 2,600-acre grant in 1801. The ruins in Old Fort Park are the remains of his spacious two-story house. The "Patriot's" War of 1812 left New Smyrna deserted, the sugar and cotton plantations destroyed.

Spain ceded Florida to the United States in 1819 for $5,000,000. Subsequent plantations as well as the new Sugar Mill west of town were burned on Christmas Day 1835, marking the beginning of the Second Seminole War - our country's longest war until Vietnam.
Bombs once fell here, too. Because of its fine natural inlet, New Smyrna was one of the busiest blockade-running ports in the Confederacy during the Civil War. A skirmish occurred at the Old Stone Wharf in 1862. Seven Union troops were killed. In retaliation, New Smyrna was subjected to a 280-round naval shelling and burning in 1863.

Afterwards, New Smyrna joined the fate of Florida's development, following its boom-and-bust economic history. Tourism grew; Flagler's railroad system pushed farther South. AS many old timers will tell you, their sudden prosperity on paper was often followed by periods of "fish and grits" on the dinner plate.

At first glance, New Smyrna Beach might appear to be just another prosperous Florida coastal community, somewhat overdeveloped and under planned. True, the lure of real estate remains. But look more closely: the whisper of extraordinary historic wealth lies beneath its surface.

VOICES: RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT

The following people were given the opportunity to express their feelings and concerns about the environment in Volusia County through personal letters and interviews. They offer a broader insight into our local surroundings.

Jesse Beall, Environmentalist and historian:

"I love this county. Volusia is my county -my roots are here," says Jesse Beall, a historian in DeBary. For 45 years he has lived in this county, and is still loving every minute of it.

Jesse has acquired most of his knowledge of Volusia County through listening and living. He says, "When I went to school I didn't think much of history, but now I love it because I live it." In fact, his attitude toward history has changed so much that he wishes he had been born in the 1800's. He says Ms. Viola Padget, a former owner of Gemini Springs, taught him much of what he passes on to others. She would sit for hours talking to Jesse about her family and the stories of generations preceding hers. "Viola's a lovely young lady," says Jesse.
Along with researching the history of Volusia County, Jesse finds time to hunt for bottles, and participates actively as an honorary member of the Deltona High School Science Club. "You might think it's funny," says Jesse, "but I go traveling on old trails hundreds of years old and sit there and wonder who lived there, or pick up a bottle and just imagine where it came from." One of the first bottle collectors in Volusia County, he loves to take the high school kids bottle hunting in and around the county. "Life is real short, and if we don't teach the younger generations about our history in Volusia County, then we lose touch," Mr. Beall says.
Jesse knows the name of every town in Volusia County, and all the original names of each as well. He often mentions Celery City, Maytown, and Enterprise. He says Enterprise is his favorite area. He describes the days when it was the county seat of Mosquito County, which can be best described as Seminole, Orange, and Volusia counties combined.

What disturbs Jesse Beall the most about the present day in Volusia County is the population. He is bothered by the continuous modernization of the county. "I'd like to see it how it was 45 years ago," Jesse says, "but I go with the flow only because I love this county so much."

Steve Beeman, Marine Biologist:

Years ago, people viewed marshes, swamps, and wetlands as mosquito breeding nuisances. They filled them in to make high ground for houses, roads, and condominiums. Today we know that wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. They are breeding grounds for fish, shrimp, and crabs. They are feeding areas for birds, mammals, and larger fish.

I have had the privilege for the past fifteen years to build and plant hundreds of acres of new wetlands. I didn't do it alone. I had a lot of help from friends, co-workers, and school kids. We've watched the plants we put into the ground spread; adapt to water levels, soils, and tides; and mature into functioning ecosystems, complete with their own set of critters. We don't really build wetlands, nature does. We provide new ground at proper elevations, plant vegetation in the right places, sit back and watch God turn it into a swamp or marsh. It is very satisfying to know that these wetlands will be here long after we are gone, producing energy, filtering water and providing a home for a variety of aquatic creatures.

Lee Bidgood, Jr., Environmentalist:

Why do people become environmental activists and what are their goals?  I think it begins with concern and caring about fellow humans, as individuals and collectively. Outdoor experience and curiosity about other living things aid in the development process. Caring about people extends to concern for other creatures. Eventually it becomes clear that we humans are but one component of a marvelously complex system of interdependent living organisms. Each species depends for its existence on a myriad of others, in ways that we are only just beginning to comprehend.

Awareness of the mutual dependency of life forms generates concern about each kind, even if its function isn't clear. Decline or loss of any species often warns of environmental changes that threaten us. Changes in Florida mirror events worldwide.

Human activities everywhere are altering the biosphere in ways unfavorable to life. We are rapidly consuming finite resources, especially fossil fuels. Even renewable resources such as forests are being depleted in many areas faster than they can regrow. Our wastes and by-products are polluting or degrading water, air and earth, and exterminating species at a frightening rate. But the pace of biospheric destruction accelerates as human numbers grow exponentially, and technology and consumption expand even more rapidly than population.
Commenting on the United States wasteful use of energy and resultant pollution, the Secretary of the Environment in Brazil, Jose Lutzenberger, remarked last fall: "If we tried to extend this orgy of wasted materials and energy to the rest of the planet, if the last person behind the last mountain somewhere in China or Central Africa had as many cars as you have, we would all be dead."
Yet we know that much of the Third World covets U.S. opulence.

Environmental activists strive locally to conserve natural resources, curb pollution and waste, and preserve vital ecosystems by regulation or purchase. Globally, the task is to describe and promote sustainable technology and lifestyles that will enable our species to thrive in harmony with nature. It will be difficult to educate and convince people to do this. But otherwise, humans will continue to act as an out-of-control swarm of parasites, consuming or fouling their host, the earth. And our descendants will have no future.

M. Lee Britton, Area Assistant Superintendent Volusia County Schools:

I enjoyed our recent visit and taking some time to reflect on the earlier origins and difficulties associated with the development of the Bicentennial Youth Park.
It was during my tenure as science supervisor in 1976 that the instructional staff at the Educational Development Center began to discuss the idea of developing a lasting memorial to the bicentennial year which would benefit the students of Volusia County Schools. With a great amount of participation from friends and supporters of education, particularly the News-Journal Corporation and Mrs. Josephine Davidson, the idea of establishing a youth park on state-owned sixteenth-section land, which was controlled by the School Board of Volusia County, began to take shape. It should be remembered that individual schools in Volusia County raised the necessary funds to begin the initial development of the Bicentennial Youth Park.

Our first park director, Mr. Paul Bishop, was hired and found that his office at the Bicentennial Youth Park was nothing more than approximately 200 acres of pine woods and swamp. Through his artistic leadership and the vision of the Volusia County School Board, the current facility which now stands eventually evolved.

I can remember many days of developmental work at the park when such individuals as Dr. Keith Hansen and others at Stetson University assisted me in doing site preparation by going out and wading through canals and swamps, and walking the pine flatwoods to lay out the ideas for the eventual development of the park. I'm not so sure how those walks through alligator and snake infested canals would be viewed by liability specialists in this day and time!

In looking at the assets that the School Board now has invested in the park, it makes one smile to think about the used Gravely tractor that was the first piece of mechanical equipment bought in the park and the excitement that was felt when we finally had a way to mow pathways for students to walk and see the area.

It is my sincere hope that this valuable resource to the youth of Volusia County will continue to grow and prosper as it has over the past decade. Hopefully, knowledge will be taken from our park which will somehow translate into educated individuals slowing the destruction of Planet Earth and making it a place where generations to come can enjoy the beauty that we have seen in our developmental years.

Terry Farrell, Assistant Professor of Biology Stetson University:

I am a marine biologist. My research involves determining how organisms interact with each other and with physical aspects of their environment. I have chosen to work on species in the intertidal zone (the area of the shore covered and uncovered by the tide each day) specifically on hard surfaces such as pilings, artificial reefs and jetties. These structures are colonized by a diverse assortment of organisms, including bivalves (oysters and mussels), snails, barnacles, crabs, cnidarians (sea anemones and hydroids), and representatives of many other phyla. Hard-bottom communities are found in estuaries, lagoons, and on the open coast in Volusia County.

I do not study hard-bottom communities simply because they contain many interesting species and some economically important species (oysters, for example). The same is true of almost any habitat in Florida. I have chosen to work on these communities because they are ideal for ecological investigations. The organisms are easy to observe because they are slow-moving or attached to a substrate (for example, if a barnacle has left its place on a rock we know it is dead). The intertidal zone is the most accessible marine habitat since it can be visited without getting wet at low tide and is in shallow water at high tide. Species in hard-bottom communities, unlike most species in mud flats and forests, are visible when they interact instead of being hidden in the sediment or soil. I can census the organisms in an area without greatly disturbing them. Most of the species in these intertidal communities have rapid growth rates and relatively short life spans. Changes in population often occur weeks or months after an experiment is started instead of waiting years or decades as would be needed in a study of longer-lived organisms. Hard-bottom communities are wonderful places to investigate the critical ecological processes.

Earl A. Green, Environmentalist:

When I enter the gates of the Bicentennial Youth Park in DeLand, Florida, I enter another world, a safe environment for plants, animals, insects, and all living things. I was instrumental in building the existing aviary to house an owl and hawk for a learning environment for the students of the area. A second aviary is almost completed for an eagle which is being donated by the Audubon Society. In 1987 and 1988 the students from DeLand Middle School, along with their instructor assisted me with the building of a picnic area for visitors to use and enjoy. The group also constructed benches on the trails throughout the park.
In the short time I have been at the BYP, I have observed an ever increasing awareness from the students, as a result of their educators.

As for the future of this wonderful park, I want to see it continually grow to meet the ever changing needs of our children and community.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR

Bob Haviland, Environmentalist:

Instead of being tied nicely into bundles, the real world objects can have extensions and interactions that have short and long term importance, locally and in other areas.

For example, take the term "wetlands." The term conveys the concept of land, but with water present. There are further, special terms which allow closer description, such as wetlands belonging to a river, or a swamp. But none of the available descriptive methods attempt to answer the question, "Why is a wetland?" Is it a pure accident of geography? Or is it a response to a law of nature, perhaps such a simple one as "water runs downhill." Making decisions about wetlands without knowing why they are there leads to wrong choices.

To compound the problems, the lawyers have invented a term, "isolated wetland". The concept seems to be that there is no connection by surface water, so there is no connection to another wetland. This concept is purely a legal fiction. All wetlands are highly connected by sub-surface water, at times by sheet flow across the surface, by bird and animal movement, and by airborne spores and seeds. The high connectivity is shown by the fact that all wetlands of a given type in an area have the same vegetation, and very much the same life.

This is just an example when dealing with natural things and phenomena. Always ask, "Why did nature do that?" Always remember that "In nature, everything is connected to everything else."

Reid Hughes, Environmental Education Foundation President:

I am the president of the Environmental Education Foundation, a nonprofit, self-sustaining, support corporation established as a joint effort between Florida's business and environmental communities to help advance the goals of Florida's 1989 Environmental Education Act. The original membership of the Board of Directors was appointed by the governor. The governor and the lieutenant governor are now members of the foundation's board.
The Foundation's official mission is to provide support for Florida's environmental education programs. The foundation directors are endeavoring to include a strong message in all environmental education programs about the necessity for Floridians to balance their environ-mental and economic needs. The innovative approach by business and environmental leaders is the ingredient that will make the foundation's effort truly different and important. These programs are designed to reach every person in Florida whether a visitor or resident, a student or working professional. They are programs that focus on what the people, not just government, can do to protect, conserve and restore our state's environmental quality.
We are looking forward to assisting the school system and all residents and tourists in Volusia County with the promotion and activatim of our vital mission.

Meg Johnson, Environmental Volunteer:

In the mid 1970's Margarett Johnson began attending Volusia County Zoning Board Meetings because an issue affected her property. Soon after attending that meeting, Meg was appointed to the V olusia County Environmental Control Advisory Board. Meg is also a member of the Volusia County Land Acquisition Selection Committee, Vice President of Volusia-Flagler Environmental Council, and environmental chairman for the DeLand branch of the American Association of University Women. Meg's involvement is full-time volunteer work. Her foremost priority is to preserve our wetlands so future generations can enjoy Florida's environment as much as she does.

Meg works hard to convince the state to buy endangered land to prevent it from being paved over and developed. The most recent land acquisition was 18,000 acres on Lake George, purchased in cooperation with the St. John's Water Management District. Also, 25,000 acres of environmentally endangered lands have been preserved due to the Land Acquisition Committee's recommendations to the Volusia County Council. Meg says her biggest battle was to convince the state to purchase the DeLeon Springs State Park, north of DeLand. In the early 1980's she was chairperson of the SOS (Save Our Springs) committee. The Springs, famous for its 19 million gallons of potable water daily, was on the market. Approximately 13,000 signatures were obtained for petitions, hundreds of letters were written, and the group lobbied in Tallahassee. Finally the county and state jointly purchased the 54 acres for $1 million. Since then, two more parcels have been added, creating a 600 acre state park.

Dr. James Knapp, Stetson University:

Florida has but two natural resources - water and land. These must be guarded almost religiously to protect and preserve them, not only for today's citizen, but especially for those of tomorrow. Tremendous pressures are being placed upon both resources as demands increase daily. The insight of then-governor Askew established the water management districts in the 1970's. These were formed not along political divisions, but rather around the naturally occurring watersheds. As an original member of the St. John's River Water Management District, I have witnessed it emerging from essentially a vision to a highly effective agency in developing the water resources within the district.

Today, the various political units are struggling to meet state mandated land management plans. Conflicting interests have slowed progress in some instances, but hopefully the differences will be resolved to create an effective utilization of shrinking land areas without further endangering critically important wetlands and estuarine components. Environmentally, Florida has yet a distance to go, but if today's youth consider the environment of prime importance, then perhaps Florida can achieve the opportunities that still exist. If not, the result may constitute a tragic story.

Peter G. May, Department of Biology Stetson University:

Likes and dislikes are largely a matter of perspective. What makes Central Florida unpleasant to many makes it attractive to an entomologist-namely, the abundance and diversity of 6 and 8-legged critters of various sorts. Volusia County is home to insects and other arthropods which to most represent a major nuisance; for example, we have cockroaches nearly the size of a compact car, euphemistically termed "palmetto bugs," mosquitoes, termites, fire ants, and hordes of other pest species that support a thriving industry of nozzleheads, those whose lives are devoted to killing bugs of all sorts. But what is considered a curse to those who employ the services of these insect assassins is a blessing to aberrant sorts like me - Volusia County is a bug-hunter's paradise.
One of the reasons this area is so interesting to a biologist interested in arthropods is the fascinating mixture of temperate and subtropical insects. A prime example of the latter is the zebra long wing butterfly, Heliconius charitonius, which is often abundant here, and is the sole temperate representative of a huge genus of beautiful and intriguing tropical insects. Other members of the insect fauna are equally striking-lubber grasshoppers teem in many habitats, and as adults, seem to be large enough to carry off' a small child. If one can rise above initial repugnance towards these beasts, he or she is likely to find them amazing creatures with complex and mostly unstudied life histories. Hence, to a biologist, these and other insects represent an immensely valuable resource; insects and their kin are incredibly useful as study systems with which one can approach innumerable biological questions.

Abundance, short generation times, and cathcability all make insects far easier to study than most other animals, and the diversity of species and ecological attributes of Volusia County's insect fauna are such that one could easily spend a lifetime studying virtually any aspect of insect biology and still only scratch the surface.
This diversity of species and natural histories also makes insects fascinating to amateur biologists and naturalists who are not particularly interested in them as study systems for answering theoretical or academic questions. There are simply so many different sorts of insects here that one can collect or observe them for decades and still find new species. Compare the situation of a bird watcher in Florida with that of an insect watcher, for example; the bird watcher, if extremely dedicated and skillful, might hope to see over the course of a lifetime of observation perhaps 300-400 species in Florida. The insect watcher could easily see that many species in a month or two. And whereas the biology of most bird (and other vertebrate) species is fairly well known, for many insects it is still mostly a mystery, so interested amateurs can make valuable contributions to our understanding of these creatures.

But probably what makes insects and other arthropods so interesting to me, in addition to all of the reasons above, is that they are just so darn neat.

Brynn Newton, Environmentalist:

Just as we are indebted to those people who in the past fought and sacrificed for the rights we enjoy today, we owe to future generations the responsibility of preserving our natural heritage. It is everyone's job to oppose shortsighted actions and decisions that waste our resources. Conservation organizations are an effective force in the political process, but the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society are not government agencies that we can passively rely on to protect our interests - they are simply groups of individuals who have enlisted in the fight for the environment, whose voluntary dues contributions often must be used to fight institutions whose financial support comes from the public's interests. Being an environmentalist does not mean just wearing an Earth Day T-shirt or recycling grocery bags. For those who are willing to ferret out and face the facts, it can be an ugly, unpleasant and unpopular battle - as is often the case in matters of life and death.

Dr. Walter S. Boardman, who more than any other individual founded the environmental movement in Volusia County, set the standard for self-sacrificing volunteerism for the public good. Ile stated most clearly why environmentalists should keep up the fight to save a marsh or a wildlife habitat-even when odds are overwhelming: You may not win. You may not even have a chance of winning. But the stakes are too high to let the issue go by default.

A BOTANIST IN VOLUSIA COUNTY

Eliane M. Norman, Professor of Biology Stetson University:

Scientists are always interested in unique and unusual phenomena. When I moved to Florida about twenty years ago and started teaching at Stetson University, one area that intrigued me particularly was Turtle Mound. This shell mound was built over several centuries by the Timucuan Indians. Not only is its history intriguing (after all, garbage can reveal more about its owner), but to a botanist, its vegetation is even more so. I was challenged by the large variety of plants growing there, especially the tropical species, many of which had their northern limit at Turtle Mound. In 1973, I did an ecological study of the plants and their environment on the mound. Since then, the vegetation has changed. Some of the tropical species have vanished, perhaps only temporarily, perhaps forever, due to the several frosts that we have had in the last few years. It will be interesting to monitor this mound periodically to see how weather patterns and competition can affect communities. Fortunately, Turtle Mound will be preserved because it is part of the Canaveral National Seashore.
Many areas of the county are rapidly changing because of population pressure. I wonder how this will affect the very rare and endangered yellow squirrel banana (Deeringothamnus rugelii), a small flowering plant that is found only growing in Volusia County. This plant was discovered near New Smyrna Beach in 1848 by Ferdinand Rugel and rediscovered 80 years later. All kinds of questions come to mind. Why is this species so rare? How does it reproduce? It is a relict or a novelty derived from the Pawpaws? How can we keep this plant from becoming extinct? These questions will keep me busy for a while.

These few personal examples show that Volusia County has much to fascinate the biologist, the historian, or anyone who cares about living things. It is our task to preserve this rich heritage.

Clete Oakley, Environmentalist Help For The Halifax:

Daytona Beach lies at the heart of the Halifax area, a region of unparalleled natural beauty which takes its name from the Halifax River. Like most coastal rivers, the Halifax has served a variety of community needs over the years, often at the expense of the natural environment. In recent years, people of the Halifax community have expressed an interest in restoring the river to its historic position as the healthy heart of the thriving waterfront community.
To tackle the long range challenge of cleaning up the river, the Volusia County Council has established a Halifax River Task Force. The force is made up of representatives from the county, cities and various state agencies, as well as individuals from environmental groups, marine industries, private consultants, the education community and interested citizens. The interest generated with the formation of the Task Force has led to unprecedented community support. In April 1991, the Third Annual River Cleanup saw more than 500 people turn out to remove the 40 tons of trash from the river.

The following goal is hoped to be achieved by the year 2001: "The Halifax River, the Tomoka River and Spruce Creek are no longer polluted; The water is clear and safe for swimming and water sports, and fish and other marine life are abundant; We stand out in Florida for our success in preserving our waterways."

To address the complex issues involved in accomplishing the goal, the Task Force has formed seven subcommittees including: water quality, river flow and shoreline restoration, environmental education, awareness and special events, estuarine ecology, government regulation, and river adoption.

The Task Force and people of the Halifax Community want a clean, healthy river. We can have it if we all work together to "HELP THE HALIFAX."

VOLUSIA'S ESTUARIES
THE CHALLENGE OF THE HALIFAX

Farley Palmer, Environmentalist:

Estuarine ecosystems are among the most diverse and fragile habitats on our planet. They represent the interface between the land and the ocean; the point at which fresh water runoff' from the land mixes with the rich brine from the sea. This unique brackish environment provides a plentiful supply of food and shelter for juvenile fish and invertebrates. It is now known that as many as 70 percent of commercially caught fish and crustaceans live, breed, or spend at least a portion of their lives in the estuary. This rich diversity makes these inland lagoons a haven for all types of marine and terrestrial wildlife. Biologists are still finding and naming new species of marine organisms that reside in this bountiful habitat.

The key to the preservation of these habitats is that they be appreciated for their intrinsic value - not exploited for short term economic gain. Sadly, examples of past inequities are apparent all over Florida. The Halifax River is an example of an estuarine lagoon system that has been abused and neglected by man. Although the Halifax is still a viable -estuary, primary productivity is well below normal. Much of the native shoreline and emergent vegetation has been destroyed due to development. The loss of this habitat has caused a significant reduction in available food for animals in the lower food chain. The overall effect is a reduction of resident fish populations. For many years, the cities located along the banks of the Halifax have used it as a dumping ground for treated sewage effluent and stormwater runoff. These two contaminants are the biggest polluters in the Halifax River. A host of undesirable effects are seen from this unchecked flow including bacterial contamination, heavy metal pollution, freshwater pollution, increased turbidity and silting, and increased nutrient levels. Organisms that inhabit estuarine systems such as the Halifax are able to adapt to changes in water quality, but over time these changes have caused a shift in plant and animal populations that have altered the ecology of the system.

The Halifax River can be nursed back to health. Recently, grass roots organizations such as the Halifax River Task Force have begun to actively address the problems in Volusia's estuaries. It has become clear that removal of all sewage effluent and the cleansing or removal of stormwater runoff are two necessary factors in the recovery of the Halifax. Another goal is to accelerate environmental education programs in the public schools, and to provide opportunities for the public to develop an appreciation for Volusia's beautiful estuarine lagoon system.

Currently, Task Force members are initiating programs and soliciting help in order to develop a feeling of pride and a sense of worth concerning the Halifax River. Water monitoring programs are being implemented as local municipalities strive to reduce effluent discharge. Shoreline and bridge adoption programs are working to unite local citizens in the cleanup effort. Plans to involve the schools, such as introducing progressive new environmental curricula, are realistic goals for the Halifax Area in the near future.

Momentum is beginning to build in the cleanup effort. But only when the waters have cleared, and the fish have again become plentiful and when we have learned to appreciate the Halifax River for its value as a unique, natural system, will the real challenge of the Halifax have been met.

Sarah Pappa The Eddy Corporation Public Relations Coordinator:

The Eddy Corporation, franchisee for Volusia County's McDonald's Restaurants, and owner of Riverbend Golf Club is involved in a variety of the community's environmental projects. Evident in their association with environmental artists Paul Baliker and Robert Lyn Nelson, and organizations such as Save the Manatee, the Eddy brothers' strong regard for nature and wildlife plays a significant part of their personal and professional lives and distinguishes them as environmentally aware.
On a national level, McDonald's has long worked to improve the environment. Aside from being the first user to insist upon the elimination of CFC's in the production of polystyrene packaging, McDonald's recently underwent a vast reduction of all packaging throughout the restaurant include: Happy Meal containers, napkins, plastic trays and seating areas. With the help of other renown organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, and the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, McDonald's has developed educational resources to be used in elementary and secondary schools. Materials include "WEcology"; a magazine filled with interesting facts and valuable tips on protecting all aspects of our environment, and "The Environmental Action Pack": an instructional packet for supplementary use for grades 4-6. Other materials and media events available include: bookmarks, posters, video tapes and Ronald McDonald's live performance of "You, Me and Ecology." Locally, the McDonald's of Volusia County benefit a number of environmental programs. As sponsors of the Tomoka Region Science Fair, McDonald's judges exhibits and donates food awards to the elementary division, and monetary awards to the junior and senior division for the best environmental project. McDonald's contributions support many community events such as the Halifax River Task Force Beach Clean Up, and the construction of the Flagler Bicentennial Park. In conjunction with the polystyrene phase-out, McDonald's eliminated solid waste from local landfills by supplying the Volusia County School System with cases of unused foam packaging and happy meal containers for use in the media centers and for art projects. Concern for the environment was foremost in the construction of Riverbend Golf Club, home of a large group of gopher turtles. Developed to aesthetically improve an unused area of land, special care was required to protect its inhabitants during relocation. McDonald's contributed lettuce to sustain the turtles and ensure their preservation during breeding time until they were able to be repositioned without. disturbance. Prudence was taken to ensure that runoff from the course would not contaminate the Tomoka River. For questions concerning available materials and information, or to schedule a school presentation of McDonald's Environmental participation in protecting the environment, please contact the Public Relations Department at 1-888-255-3339.

Dick Schuler, Environmentalist:

Aeons ago, during the Pleistocene age when ocean waters were much higher (or land masses much lower), a massive body of limestones and dolostones with minor amounts of clay, sand and gravel were deposited in an 82,000 square mile area which now underlies Volusia County. These solidified deposits, reacting with water solutions over the ages, became porous and saturated with ocean water. The formation is now called the Floridan Aquifer and is the source of virtually all our drinking water. The Floridan Aquifer in Volusia County is located about 100 feet under the surface of the ground in the DeLand area (DeLand Ridge) and as little as 10 feet on the east coast and is about 2,400 feet thick. As the seas receded and the land became exposed, rain water fell and started to replace the salty ocean water. Since rain water weighs less than salt water and does not readily mix with ocean water, the fresh water forced the ocean water down and out. According to a relationship expressed by Ghyben-Herzberg, as the ground water rose to be one foot above the ocean, the fresh water/ground water interface would be forty feet below the surface of the ground. You can see this scientific principle at work today. The well water in Central Volusia County stands some 35 feet (potentiometric pressure) above sea level and the depth of potable water is about 1400 feet. As you travel to either side of the county from the center, or travel north or south, the water levels in wells (potentiometric pressure) stand closer and closer to the level of the ocean or the St. John's River. Since "our" fresh water bubble is surrounded by salt water on all sides and we get no water from other locations, our aquifer is called a Sole Source Aquifer. Note the map of Florida that has lines of equal potentiometric pressure. You will notice that the Volusia Sole Source Aquifer is like a small island separated from Florida's main source of drinking water. Volusia's fresh water bubble is about 1400 feet thick while the Winter Haven, Orlando, Lakeland fresh water source is about 2400 feet thick. Just like household finances, the potable water supply in Volusia County can be thought of in terms of a budget (water budget). There are income expenditures and tough choices to make.

Nina Steffee, Russ's Natural History Books Naturalist:

My start in birding came with an attack of measles when I was 13 and confined to the house. To keep me occupied, my mother gave me a pair of old field glasses and a copy of Chapman's "What Bird is That" -this was long before the Peterson Guides! It was spring and the warbler migration was in full swing. From my second floor window I could watch the birds working in the trees and was soon `hooked'. Later, after living in French Guiana and Surinam for a couple of years, my interest in birding led to involvement in the conservation movement just getting started, and, through my work with Florida Audubon, leading tours to most parts of the world. In the 1970's, by agreement with Florida Audubon, my partner Russ Mason, retiring Executive Director of the society, and I took over the tour program and also the sale of foreign field guides and checklists. After Russ's death in 1983,1 decided to give up the tours, but I still continue the book and checklist business and particularly enjoy the research involved in publishing field checklists for many areas of the world. The birds are a never-ending source of joy and interest -even watching the birds at my feeders often leads to new insights and new areas of study. Perhaps if we can develop more young birders they will help reverse the present destruction of so much of our environment.

Stephen Tonjes, Regional Director League of Environmental Educators in Florida (LEEF):

Environmental regulations cost money. Impact fees, permit fees, stormwater treatment, mitigation -the cost keeps going up. But that's the way it should be. The more we build, the less undeveloped land is left, and undeveloped land does many things for free that we otherwise have to pay for after it's gone. Stormwater, Florida's biggest water polluter, is a good example. Before asphalt and rooftops, the ground with its plant cover absorbed most of the rain that fell on it. This water fed the aquifer, moved slowly through swamps, or was transpired through the plants back into the air to fall again to nourish more plants, including crops. When people decided to drain Florida's surface water storage systems (swamps) and carry stormwater away from their houses and their roads, they did such a good job that now the water runs off faster than it can get back through the ground into the aquifer. It runs off so fast that it carries dirt that chokes our rivers and lakes. It also carries poisons and wastes, which might have been filtered out by the swamps we filled in. Where we once had free, clean water for our wells and our recreation, we now have to pay. We have to pipe water from the few aquifers that remain and buy gas to drive to the few waters in which it is safe to swim. Reduced rainfall ruins our crops so we put in expensive irrigation from ever decreasing water supplies. Poisoned waters and lost wetlands have cost thousands of fisherman their livelihoods. What is the neighborhood swimming hole worth? The wood storks? The eagles?