Thursday, February 19, 2009

Animal Antics at the West Palm Beach Library



For the past two years, Eric Gehring--the Marshall Foundation's Education Director--has been offering a series of natural history programs at the Library. The 4-part series entitled Animal Antics allows school-age children to explore the natural world through games, stories and hands-on activities.
The program was mentioned on the Library's kids blog: http://wpbkids.wordpress.com/

Click over to learn more and enjoy the photos as well.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Student Photo Project



The Everglades Photographic Society made mention of our student photography project: Everglades Through the Eyes of Children, on their blog.

See it here: http://evergladesphoto.blogspot.com/2008/10/eps-assists-arthur-r-marshall.html

photos taken at the Refuge by our Photo Project students

My recent editorial


This was published by the Palm Beach Daily News on February 7, 2009...

Restoring Everglades ecosystem best way to quench thirst

By JOHN ARTHUR MARSHALL, Special to the Daily News
Saturday, February 07, 2009
At the Town of Palm Beach political debates Jan. 26, a major topic was the need to address economic matters. What was demonstrated was the need for more environmental awareness and identification with the oft-cited fact that in Florida the environment is the economy.
Regarding improving the town water supply, it is very clear that restoring the Everglades ecosystem, and its historic cleansing marshes and swamps, is the most cost-effective approach to good, cheap drinking water. This also refreshes the aquifer from which much water is pumped, and will get clean fresh water to the West Palm Beach water plant, hence to the town, when done properly.
Anyone from New York where the Hudson River watershed was restored, an option chosen over high-tech approaches such as reverse osmosis to provide a big city drinking water, ought to recognize the natural systems approach as the citizen's choice. There are many spin-off benefits here as well.
Reverse osmosis, desalination plants and big pumps generate big energy requirements and big costs. They ought to be last resorts, when more economical approaches are available, and energy use and carbon emissions can be reduced by natural means, which also provides carbon sequestration.
Senior scientists have also concluded that restoration of the Everglades and its primary characteristic — sheet flow — is also a potential antidote to sea level rise and salt water intrusion. Both hold significant threats to the island, long-term. Here one needs to exercise the precautionary principle.
Beach renourishment by shoveling sand against the tide is geologically futile. The next storm washes the sand away before the cost is paid for. What is needed is a more aggressive approach using groins and breakwaters perpendicular to the shore. Such approaches would be much less intrusive on the reefs and turtle nesting, and have a much better effect on preventing beach erosion.
The Arthur R. Marshall Foundation has attempted to educate the candidates and incumbents. Two got a good perspective on a bus trip to the Everglades. Others would do well to make time to do the same. Clearly more big-picture understanding is needed about how the present approach may be an economic and ecologic disaster waiting to happen, and a great liability on future generations.
Gov. Charlie Crist has taken the natural approach as he noted in (a recent) speech to the Forum Club: Restore the missing link to revitalize the River of Grass and get multiple benefits far exceeding costs. Former Mayor Lesly Smith understands the implications here as well as anyone on the council, past or present. Both have exercised leadership by doing what's best for all.
Can the candidates and incumbents please give due consideration to a sustainable restoration and conservation approach by supporting Everglades restoration in a manner that will benefit all?
Mr. Marshall is chairman of the board for the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute


photo courtesy of Cindy Bartosek

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Trail Spruce Up at the Refuge

The Foundation held its annual Trail Spruce-Up at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, in Boynton Beach on January 31. Our job is to help prepare the Refuge for the upcoming Everglades Day Festival. Volunteers removed non-native plants, picked up litter, added meleleuca mulch to a few spots and cleaned up several public spaces. The weather was wonderful and our volunteers were enthusiastic! Special thanks to our roving naturalist--Dr. Tom Poulson and to Chris Lockhart of Habitat Specialists, Inc for providing team leadership and a boardwalk-talk!. Thanks to all of you who joined us--we will see you on Everglades Day--February 7, 2009!

One of our young volunteers made a video about the Spruce-Up. Click here to view:

photos soon!