Kanapaha Botantical Gardens Visit

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better,” stated Albert Einstein. I feel like as if that quote described my visit to this beautiful and enchanting botanical garden. This semester I was able to visit the Kanapaha Botantical Gardens in Gainesville, Florida. As I was driving there I began to think it might be like other botanical gardens I had visited when I was younger and to be honest I wasn’t sure if I was looking forward to the visit as much I wanted to be, but everything changed as we made a right turn and followed the signs that began to lead us to the entrance of the garden. The first thought that came to my mind was that everything looked so fresh and green…in the parking lot, and I couldn’t imagine how it would look like inside. Curiosity began to spark as my dad and I made our way to the walkway and our mini adventure through Kanapaha Botantical Gardens began.

American Energy Innovation Council

As I was researching more about innovative energy I came to this website from the American Energy Innovation Council.

These are top men in America that are supporting the innovation of energy in this country. This would be a good website to check out and continue reading about what some of our leaders are doing to help support this movement.

Check it out at: http://americanenergyinnovation.org/

My Visited to Silver River State Park

For one of my labs I had to visit the Silver River State Park, it was quite an enjoyable time and here is a mini interview I had with myself for part of my lab.

1. What park did you visit?

My dad and I were able to visit Silver River State Park.

2. What recreation activities are found at that park?

There is biking, full/primitive camping, cabin rentals, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, interpretive exhibit, and trail riding.

3. How large is the park?

It is a 5,000 acre wooded park that includes the Silver River.

4. Is the park near or contain surface water? If so, what type of system?

Is has the Silver River that literally runs right through the park and also the Ocklawaha River.

5. List the major natural communities found within the park.

There are 10 distinct natural communities found in the park. They are swimming birds, long-legged waders, smaller waders, fowl like birds, birds of prey, land birds, perching birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.

6. What are the identifying characteristics of each of the ecosystems?

The Silver River State Park has seven different communities: scrub, flatwood, sandhill, xeric hammock, mesic hammock, river swamp forest, and river (aquatic).

Hammocks: In North Florida, hammocks that are a mix of mostly evergreen and deciduous trees contain more

tree and shrub species in a given area than any other community in the continental United States. At the Silver River State Park, the hammock is between the sandhill and the river swamp.

Sandhill: The sandy, well-drained soils of the sandhill community provide the perfect habitat for a number

of plants and animals.

Swamp Forest: The river swamp is the type of wetland found along the floodplain of the Silver River. The ground in the river swamp is moist. During parts of the year the area is covered with standing water.

River and Spring: The Silver River is fed from one major spring and ten to twelve minor ones. Together these springs gush approximately 530 million gallons of groundwater into the river daily. The combined flow of all the springs is greater than any other group of springs in the world. The Silver River and springs form a community that is rich in shelter and nutrients. Plants and animals that live in this habitat are well equipped to deal with their watery surrounhttp://www.marion.k12.fl.us/district/srm/docs/EcologicalCommunitiesofSilverRiverStatePark.pdfdings. The Silver River is connected to a number of other river communities.

(Information used in question 6 can be found in an  article called: Ecological Communities of the Silver River State Park found at http://www.marion.k12.fl.us/district/srm/docs/EcologicalCommunitiesofSilverRiverStatePark.pdf )

7. What animals did you see on your visit?

On my visit I was personally able to see a few different species: mourning dove, blue jay, grey squirrel and a fox squirrel.

8. What is the cost to visit the park?

$6.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.

$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.

$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.

$2.00 per person. Entrance to the Silver River Museum and Environmental Center, which is open weekends and major holidays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Children under six are free.

9. What did you learn while you were at the park?

I learned a couple things about the history of the park itself. I learned that the whole area of the park was home to Paleo-Indians about 12,000 years ago. There was a group called Timucua that lived there, and it wasn’t until the the 1700s that more Indians joined with the Timucua. Then in the 1800s the springs became a tourist attraction and then after the in the late 1800s Phillip Morrell was able to conduct the bottom glass tours which is still very popular today.

10. How long did you spend at the park?

We spent about 2 hours in the park after we helped out with the Tree project in the state park.

11. Would you visit this park again? Explain.

I am definitely revisiting the Silver River State Park again with my family, since now we know that there are so many different activities that we can be part of we want to come back and enjoying some hiking and canoeing in these next coming months.

12. Describe the highlight of your visit.

The highlight of my visit was being able to go through and take the river trailheads and get to the river. It was a beautiful warm sunny day in Ocala and it was just great for me being able to enjoy looking at the Silver River itself.

Sinkholes, sinkholes, sinkholes!

Sinkholes, sinkholes, sinkholes.....seem to have been in our local news for the past couple years very frequently. Before moving to Central Florida, I have never thought sink holes would be a reality for me or my family until last year we had a big sinkhole open up in our community called Fore Ranch. It has taken months and months of repairs not only with the homes it affected but also the environment. 

*Not my personal Material*

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us 

INFORMATION REGARDING SINKHOLES FROM THE FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

~Facts and information about encountering sinkholes in the state of Florida~

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Geological Survey has compiled the following information to provide a single point source for general knowledge about the nature of sinkholes in the state of Florida and additional information about proper protocol should you ever encounter a sinkhole in an urban area.

Facts about sinkholes in Florida:

-The entire state of Florida sits on top of several thousand feet of limestone. Limestone is a rock that can form with natural void spaces called porosity.  In limestone where the void spaces are connected, the rock is permeable.  Porous and permeable limestone makes great aquifers and provide millions of gallons of fresh drinking water for residents and agriculture. The most significant factor in the development of sinkholes is the dissolution of the limestone underlying Florida by naturally acidic groundwater.

-Sinkholes are a natural and common feature of Florida's landscape. They are only one of many kinds of karst landforms, which include depressions, caves (both air and water filled), disappearing streams, springs and underground aquifer systems, all of which occur in Florida. Thousands of naturally occurring sinkholes can be seen throughout the state of Florida including many that connect underground to springs, rivers and lakes.

-Sinkholes form in karst terrain from the collapse of surface sediments into underground voids. In Florida one may see solution sinkholes, cover-subsidence sinkholes or cover-collapse sinkholes. The first two types will show very little topographical disturbance to the naked eye, while the third is the type which shows a abrupt change in topography and is most associated with the thought of sinkholes.

Questions about sinkholes in urban and suburban environments:

-My yard is settling... Do I have a sinkhole? Maybe. But a number of other factors can cause holes, depressions or subsidence of the ground surface. Expansive clay layers in the earth may shrink upon drying, buried organic material, poorly-compacted soil after excavation work, buried trash or logs and broken pipes all may cause depressions to form at the ground surface. These settling events, when not verified as true sinkholes by professionals, are collectively called "subsidence incidents." If the settling is affecting a dwelling, further testing by a licensed engineer with a licensed geologist on staff or a licensed geology firm may be in order. Property insurance may pay for testing, but in many cases insurance may not cover damage from settling due to causes other than sinkholes.

-A sinkhole opened in my neigborhood... should I be concerned? Although sinkholes in Florida sometimes occur in sets, most are isolated events. The bedrock underlying the state is honeycombed with cavities of varying size, most of which will not collapse in our lifetimes. A quick inspection of your property for any sinking or soft areas might be prudent. Unless the sinkhole is very large, and extends to your property, there’s likely to be little reason for concern. 

Should a sinkhole open in an area near you the hole should be immediately cordoned off and clearly marked to protect traffic. Contact local law enforcement to report the hazard and call your city or county road department to initiate repair work. If the road is private, repair of the hole is usually the responsibility of the landowner or property owners’ association.

-Is there a safe area of Florida where there is no chance of sinkholes?Technically, no. Since the entire state is underlain by carbonate rocks, sinkholes could theoretically form anywhere. However, there are definite regions where sinkhole risk is considerably higher. In general, areas of the state where limestone is close to surface, or areas with deeper limestone but with a conducive configuration of water table elevation, stratigraphy, and aquifer characteristics have increased sinkhole activity.

In an effort to assist the state residents are encouraged to report sinkhole information by filling out a subsidence incident report form on the Department’s website and submit the completed copy to the FGS. This website also contains information on sinkholes and how they form.

To access this form go tohttp://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/forms/Subsidence/SIR-quick-form5.htm or contact FGS at 850-488-9380. More information about sinkholes can be found on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's website:http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/