Rocky Brushy Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan (2007) -- Part 2

EXISTING NATURAL SYSTEMS CONDITIONSFlorida Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program - The Florida WildlifeFederation, together with the National Wildlife Federation, offers all Florida residents anopportunity to take part in the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. The program’s goal is to promoteand expand gardening for wildlife in Florida. This program promotes the use of native plants,wildlife habitat creation, water conservation, and the use of fewer fertilizers and pesticides to resultin less water pollution. As a result, the homeowner trades time-consuming lawn care for hoursspent watching birds, butterflies, and small mammals.Tampa Audubon Society Audubon Resource CenterThe Tampa Audubon Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Florida'sresources and unique habitats. It is one of 45 chapters in Florida that assist members and othercommunity leaders in taking on the challenges of local environmental conservation, education, andadvocacy. The Tampa Audubon Society offers conservation education and outreach programs tostudents, providing solid, science-based curricula and site-based programs in subjects as farreaching as aquifer function and wetland conservation. Outdoor and experience-basedconservation education is the heart of Audubon's work in Tampa. By giving children, families, andadults the opportunity to experience Florida's natural resources and identify wildlife and habitattypes, the Audubon helps to create and nurture a culture of conservation.Within the Tampa Bay area, factors such as the elimination of wetlands development, decreasedwater quality, and an increase in population make it essential for residents to understand theTampa Bay ecosystem so that growth and development can proceed in harmony with nature.Being intimately involved with these issues, the Audubon Society has developed a uniquepartnership with the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department. Through thispartnership, an Audubon Resource Center (ARC) was established in April 1998 at Lettuce LakePark. The purpose of the ARC is to help foster a "culture of conservation" and an environmentalethic in the Tampa Bay region that will encourage community involvement as part of the Audubonmission. The Hillsborough River borders the 240-acre urban park and visited by 650,000 peopleeach year, including school classes, clubs, inner-city youth, minorities, and families.The ARC at the Lettuce Lake Park is designed to enhance Audubon's education and communityinvolvement goals and helps citizens develop an appreciation, awareness, and understanding ofthe natural world and the interplay of forces that affect living things. The ARC is a multi-faceted hubfor conservation and utilizes guided tours, educational brochures and materials, and hands-onactivities like nest box building and habitat enhancement to reach its goals. The Center includes anatural history exhibit, nature store, and resource center full of books and informational materials.The exhibit shows wildlife of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River in their natural setting, givingstudents, young and old, a close look at the interrelationship of the ecosystem.8-56Rocky/Brushy Creek Watershed Management Plan