Beach Recycling
One hundred yellow recycling bins are now on the beach in New Smyrna.  The bins, placed next to trash cans, are just the start of the Parks, Recreation and Culture Division’s beach recycling initiative. Volusia County beaches are now some of the few beaches in Florida with a recycling program. Once the entire beach initiative is up and running early next year Volusia County will be the only county with such an extensive recycling program. The goal of the beach recycling program is to promote the sustainable use of county resources and educate the public about the benefits of recycling.  Next time you are on the beach and you put a plastic bottle into one of the yellow bins just think, you saved that plastic bottle from sitting in a landfill for around 450 years.

Trails
Parks, Recreation and Culture Division has created many of the trails throughout the county. The Division also maintains the trails. You can find a trail to meet your needs. Trails include multi-use trails, bicycle, pedestrian, kayaking/canoe trails and equestrian trails. Walking along these trails you will get to see some of the amazing wildlife and diverse habitats Volusia County has to offer. You may see gopher tortoises, raccoons, osprey, and you may even be lucky enough to see a bald eagle or a manatee. 

The Volusia Trails Plan was originally completed in November 1999. Funding for the trails program comes from one million dollars per year set aside from the County’s ECHO Program as well as grants from the Florida Department of Transportation and other agencies.  Can you believe that there are hundreds of miles of trails in Volusia County for you to enjoy?  Get out your pedometer and start walking while keeping track of your mileage.  http://volusia.org/trails/default.htm

Ball fields
You can use one of the ball fields in the county by contacting the Parks, Recreation and Culture Division. Some of the ball fields can be used at night. The lighting on these fields has been changed to a computer operated system; coin operated systems are no longer used.  Staff in the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Division set the lights to turn on and off as needed.  In the past the lights used a lot of energy when they powered down between uses as the coins ran out.  The new system saves a lot of energy and is more environmentally friendly. The division is currently seeking a grant to replace lighting in one of its parks to increase energy savings even more. http://volusia.org/parks/links.htm

Landscaping in Parks
Look around to see how parks have changed what plants they use. Water wise plants and Bahia grass are being used to minimize the need for watering.  Future plantings will continue to utilize waterwise landscaping principles.  Green Spring Park is an example of one of the latest parks in the County system.  Native plants and trees including cypress and southern magnolia were used in the landscaping.

                              
Green Spring in the 1880's
From a stereoview by M.M. and W.H. Gardner
Courtesy of the Florida Photographic Collection/State Archives.

Green buildings
The Lyonia Environmental Center will be operated by the Parks, Recreation, and Culture Division.  The Center, a part of the Deltona Regional Library expansion, will be certified as a green building.  Environmental displays utilizing the green aspects of the facility and the exhibits will be on display. Environmental education programs will be run on site and the Center will promote information on other environmental activities in the County. www.lyoniapreserve.com

Environmental Education
Parks, Recreation and Culture Division works closely in partnership with the Volusia County Schools District Environmental Service Learn and Serve Legacy Project.  This project involves 14 full schools participating in outdoor environmental education activities at three county managed sites that have very different ecosystems.  Students learn about estuaries at Rose Bay, Scrub habitat at Lyonia Preserve, and wetlands at Bicentennial Youth Park.  The project is under the direction of the Volusia County Schools Environmental Teacher on Assignment, Louise Chapman.

Purchasing
Parks, Recreation and Culture Division staff are encouraged to buy green products whenever possible.  These products include environmentally friendly office supplies and janitorial supplies.

Historic Preservation
In 1990 Volusia County enacted an ordinance establishing the Historic Preservation Board to advise the County Council on all issues related to historic preservation. These issues include use, management and maintenance of the county owned historic resources. The board designates historic resources such as structures, archaeological sites and historic districts. They also make decisions about whether properties can be demolished, altered, or relocated. The nine member citizen’s board actively supports conservation efforts and smart-growth policy for environmentally sensitive properties in the County. The County’s Historic Preservation Officer, a member of the County’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Division, serves as primary staff liaison to this board. http://volusiahistory.com