Nov 11, 2021, 9-noon
“Sarasota Audubon is very much at the forefront of climate change and we are pleased to be hosting the first Sustainability Day at the Celery Fields for our community and visitors. Along with other organizations participating in the Sustainable Communities Workshop, we’ll be sharing what we are doing as our commitment to protecting our birds, wildlife, people and planet for future generations.
On this Veterans Day, an important segment of our 4-part tour will be the Florida Veterans for Common Sense who will talk about the Micro-Forest they planted with START – Solutions To Avoid Red Tide.
Jeanne Dubi, president of Sarasota Audubon Society
Who/What: Sarasota Audubon Society will be hosting Celery Fields Sustainability Day, a featured event of the Sustainable Communities Workshop.
When: Thursday, Nov. 11. 9am – noon
Where: Sarasota Audubon Nature Center at the Celery Fields
Parking will be available at the Celery Fields Visitor Parking Entrance at 6893 Palmer Blvd.
and the Sarasota Audubon entrance at 999 Center Road.
Why: Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystems, and preserves natural resources for future generations. Attendees will be able to meet with and learn from the organizations working at the forefront of climate change and sustainable solutions.
How much: Free. Registration highly suggested for tours, space is limited.
Feature 1: Four-part tour (FREE, Registration recommended, link to register below) includes:
1. Certified LEED GOLD Nature Center – with Sarasota Audubon and Brilliant Harvest Solar.
The LEED Gold certified Nature Center achieved net zero energy from Day 1.
Learn about solar power, water/energy efficiencies, eco-friendly building design
Special note: The Nature Center has undergone a Covid retrofit to minimize the spread
of viruses and other airborne pathogens. HEPA filters, air ionizers, quality AC filters and other
measures have been installed for the safety of docents and visitors.
2. Native Gardens at the Nature Center – with Selby Eco Flora, a citizen science project.
Florida native plants bring beauty and life to the landscape with birds and pollinators
3. The Micro-Forest at the Celery Fields -with START/Florida Veterans for Common Sense
Learn how carbon sequestration impacts climate change.
(START – Solutions To Avoid Red Tide)
4. The Palmer Blvd. boardwalk -with Audubon Bird Naturalists
247 species of birds have been recorded at the Celery Fields. Visitors are likely to find egrets, blue herons, roseate spoonbills, limpkins, osprey, kingfishers, and more in November.
Tours will be held in four 20-minute segments and will last over a period of 1 hour and 20 minutes. Registration highly suggested. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celery-fields-sustainability-day-tickets-177231763977
Feature 2:
Visitors will also be able to stop by information tables from organizations that are bringing Sarasota County to the forefront of sustainability. Most will be found in the picnic area.
· Brilliant Harvest Solar. Speak with the team under the tent about all topics related to solar and storage/renewable energy.
Conserve Bobby Jones Golf Course. Learn about local wetlands restoration focused on the eventual conservation of almost 300 acres with the goal of transforming the former golf course into a birding and recreation destination.
· Gismo Power: New College student 22-year-old Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt will be demonstrating her mobile solar-powered EV charging carport. She won the 2021 OZY Genius Award – out of thousands – for her invention. Look for Antonia (Toni) in the parking lot – a mobile carport with solar panels.
· Sarasota-Manatee Eco-Flora Project. Eco-Flora is a citizen science project, pioneered by the New York Botanical Garden in 2016. In 2019, New York Botanical Gardens selected Marie Selby Botanical Gardens as one of four gardens to participate. Find out how the Sarasota-Manatee Eco Flora Project is engaging citizens to help preserve the state’s native plant species and to assemble new, original observations and data on the state’s flora to better inform policy decisions about management and conservation of the state’s natural resources.
· Sarasota County UF/IFAS Sustainability. Learn about water and energy conservation, participate in trivia games, and win prizes.
· Sarasota Vegan Society. Will share information on how diet impacts the environment.
· Stocking Savvy Environmental Consulting. Will share their techniques for restoring Florida using ecological principles. This can be done in your own backyard or on a large scale. Native plants will be available for purchase.
· Sunshine Community Compost. Find out how to compost, the dos and don’ts of composting, vermicomposting, befriending the creatures of the compost – and a scavenger hunt!
· Transition Sarasota. Learn about gleaning, a local food initiative that harvests unwanted produce for local food banks.