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Hello From the New President
By Jason Frederick, SCAS President
Let me first start by saying, seeing my name with president along side of it just looks strange. Who would think that I would ever be an officer or even President of the Space Coast Audubon Society? It is a great honor to represent this chapter as president and I may joke about it, but I take it very seriously. No matter what we do, when we represent the chapter and all of our members, we reflect on how others view our chapter. If we tarnish the name, we destroy any chances of completing our mission statement; Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
I took office June 1st and already I have represented our chapter against a potential threat to the wildlife in and around the Ulumay Sanctuary in Merritt Island. As some of you may have seen in the papers, a gentleman purchased several acres to the east of Ulumay. It was zoned Private Conservation, meaning only 1 house per 10 acres was allowed. In a nut shell, he wanted to get it rezoned to Residential 1, which means 1 house per acre. The area to be developed contains some wetlands and also has a western border that consists of mangroves. The chapter’s board members were contacted over a year ago and I volunteered to look into the situation. I examined the environmental reports and found several flaws in them and spoke on them. Along with the local residents, Marine Resource Council, Maureen Rupe (the chapter’s newest Conservation Chairperson), and myself, were able to defeat him. It was truly a great victory, but the battle is not over yet. With a little luck and lots of work, we hope the property changes hands to the EEL’s department.
We have a new look as far as board members go this year; here is a quick run down:
- President: Jason Frederick, hey that’s me
- Co-Vice President: Jim Meyer
- Co-Vice President: Kathy Frederick, hey that’s my wife
- Treasurer: Sarah Linney
- Secretary: Madeline Klinko
- Directors: Andy Bankert (if he is still able, he is starting college!), Eileen Riccio, Susan Bird (Publicity), Jim Stahl, Matt Heyden, Lora Losi and Vicki Hamilton (Education, etc.), Maureen Rupe (Conservation), and Tom Dunkerton.
Space Coast and Orange Audubon Society’s are again hosting the Audubon Assembly in Cocoa Beach. This year it will be held at the Hilton Hotel. There will be several great programs and speakers as well as field trips going on. Audubon Assembly heads back to the beach! Join Audubon November 1-3 for the annual Assembly to be held at the Hilton Hotel Cocoa Beach. Don't miss the information-packed learning sessions and exciting awards presentation when Florida's conservation-minded citizens gather to set this year's Conservation Action agenda. Visit Audubon of Florida's website for details on how to Register: http://www.audubonofflorida.org/conservation_assembly.html.
The Viewing Platform at Canaveral Locks Project is coming along great and should be completed by year’s end. Co-Vice President Jim Meyer has been doing a great job on this project, even while in Squamish, British Columbia. More details on the projects progress from him to come.
We have some new projects and plans coming up this year, so keep checking your Limpkin for all the news and info.
As always, if you have questions or comments, please contact me or any other board member. Contact information is in the inside cover of the Limpkin, so let us know how we can help you.
Hope to see you at the General Meeting and Potluck Dinner! |
