Chairman’s MessageBy Barb Hoffman

If it looks like we are doing more internalfundraising lately, we are… The main reason isthat our general liability insurance has tripledin the past couple of years to its present rateof $3,000 per year. For many years, we hadan annual rate of $1,000 and that fit our bud-get rather easily. Our present situation has beenmandated by our newly required need to carrymore insurance. The County covers their ownstaff and volunteers with their insurancepolicy, but we are outside that blanket so wemust cover the Friends for the events and ac-tivities that we sponsor. One way we couldavoid the extra insurance is to not hold eventslike the Fall Wildflower Festival and WildlifeSafari, but your Board feels that these aretoo important to cancel. So, we will pay theseincreased fees and find creative ways to in-crease the money in our coffer to cover it.

July - August 2013

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Newsletter of the

Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve

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Barb

Chairman's Messageby Barbara Hoffman . . . . .

Wine Making Workshop . . . . . . .Music in the Woods . . . . . . . . . . .Sneaky Screech Owl . . . . . . . . . .Sunset Cruise to North Bar . . . . .Summer, Lightning and Florida

by Craig Huegel . . . . . . . .Wildflower Garden News

& Tip by Pam Brown . . . . .Volunteer News by Lara Miller. .Redesigned Website . . . . . . . . . .Thanks to Ric Hoover . . . . . . . . .Nature Store News

by Kathleen Nichter . . . . .Brooker Book Club News

by Laurie Angyn . . . . . . . . .Upcoming Programs & Events . . . .Mission Statements/Contacts . . .

So that’s what’s up with all the fundraisers.Proceeds from our fundraisers will allow us topay the insurance which will allow us to do ourreal job – helping to preserve and protectBrooker Creek Preserve. You can help pay ourinsurance bill by enjoying our many fundraisers:Summer Solstice Boat Cruise (June 21, alreadyhappened, what a blast!), Concert in the Woods(Sept. 8), Wine Making & Tasting Class (August31), purchasing wildflowers at our FallWildflower Festival (Oct. 26), utilizing ourNature Store & Native Plant Nursery, or simplymake a donation. Anything and everything helps.

Save the Date!

August 31 Wine Making WorkshopSeptember 22 Fall Equinox Music in theWoods at Brooker Creek PreserveOctober 19? Family Campout at FourLakes HammockOctober 26 Fall Wildflower FestivalNovember 2 Annual Friends Meetingand Volunteer AppreciationDecember 7 Making Holiday Décor withNatural Materials

Fall Equinox Musicin the Woods!

Sunday, September 22, 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Live music – probably bluegrass - on stagein the outdoor pavilion. Bring chairs,blankets, whatever you want to sit on.Pot luck dinner – bring your favorite dishto share!

Donations accepted, $20 per personsuggested. More information to come!

The cavity that was excavated over many,many hours and days by an illustriousPileated Woodpecker was usurped by thissneaky Screech Owl. What next? Willthe woodpecker re-establish hisresidence? Will the Screech Owl layeggs? What drama! See for yourselfby staying tuned to this dead maplecavity just a few feet off the main hikingtrail at Brooker Creek Preserve!

New Members: Andy Boeckl, Jeffreyand Jane Myers, Christina Plumhoff,John Spiegel, Susan and John Stoll,Dan Wilson, Sr.

Friends ofBrooker Creek Preserve

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Wine Making WorkshopSaturday, August 31, 2013Workshop: 1:00 – 5:00 pmTasting: 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Please join Dr. Craig Huegel and SteenSigmundsen as they teach us how to makewine. Craig will demonstrate how tomake wine using natural fruits whileSteen shows us winemaking with fruitjuices. The workshop will take placeduring the day in the auditorium kitchenat the Preserve. The tasting will takeplace after the workshop at BarbHoffman’s home only three miles fromthe Preserve.

RSVP to fobcp@tampabay.rr.com.$25 per person

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We were lucky to have with us Dr. Tonya Clayton, a coastalgeologist who wrote the book, How to Read a Florida GulfCoast Beach. A Guide to Shadow Dunes, Ghost Forests, andOther Telltale Clues from an Ever-Changing Coast. Tonya gave us a delightful impromtu five-minutelecture on Pinellas County barrier islands. It was her first time at North Bar!Photos by Frank Brandt.

Getting on and off the boat. Note the calm water!

Summer solstice sunset.

Summer Solstice Cruise to NorthBar – what a blast!

Thirty-three enthusiastic Friends bravedthe impending summer storms andthoroughly enjoyed the cruise to North Bar,the northernmost barrier island on the westcoast of Florida until the panhandle. Thestorm drama actually stayed well awayallowing us to be awestruck by thebeautiful dark clouds in relative safety.We enjoyed a delicious dinner ofbarbequed chicken, portabello veggieburgers, island slaw, and potato saladprepared by the captain and his first mate.We finished with Barb’s famous brownies.Frank Brandt brought his spotting scopeso we could view the hundreds of birds atclose range. Some people walked the wholeisland while others simply relaxed in theirbeach chairs. We all watched the sun seton the longest day of the year, and cheeredwhen it dipped below the horizon. It wasa fun way to celebrate the solstice whilealso supporting the Preserve!

Many Least Tern nestswere discovered and westayed well away.

Storm drama and rainbowto the east - beautiful!

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Summer, Lightning, and FloridaBy: Craig N. Huegel

It takes a nearly perfect set of conditions tomake a “lightning capitol” and Florida has themeach summer. During the winter and spring,the Bermuda High hovers off the state andgenerally prevents the development of largethunderstorms, it hinders cloud formation overthe state, and often steers fronts from passingover us. This large high pressure system is alsoresponsible for keeping much of the truly coldweather from reaching us too; we oftenexperience some drought but at least we don’toften freeze.

Each summer, the Bermuda High weakens andthis clears the way for convective storms todominate. Higher air temperatures allow forhigher humidity, and all of this allows for cloudformation over the land. As we move from Mayinto June, we see all the conditions necessaryfor the development of intense convectivestorms, and these generate significant energyand this energy is released as lightning.

No place in the world generates more lightningthan Florida. Because of our latitude and ourshape as a peninsula, surrounded by warm water,intense storms form eachafternoon. The land heatsup, the air is extremelyhumid, there is standingwater everywhere, and thiscombination sends thewater up -- only to be sentback down as rain. Stormsmostly occur in theafternoon, because thiscycle is needed. These arenot fronts like we see atother times of year, theyare formed and reformedeach day because of theenergy/water cycle that isunique to our area. BecausePinellas is also a peninsula,our county is actually the

lightning capitol of the lightning capitol. Weget more lightning strikes than anywhere inFlorida right here – and Brooker Creek Preserveis an epicenter given its undeveloped character.Urban sprawl has definitely disrupted some ofthe natural thunderstorm cycles we once saw.Concrete doesn’t generate water vapor likeforest lands do…

The appearance each year of afternoonthunderstorms is a bit variable owing to a widevariety of climatic variables, but it eventuallyoccurs and it is predictable. Predictableenvironmental conditions produce adaptationsin the ecology of a region and Florida has mostdefinitely evolved to cope with lightning andthe fires it so often creates. Most of ournatural systems are not only fire adapted, theyare fire dependent. Without predictable fire,most systems become degraded and lose theircharacter. In fact, many plants are actuallypyrogenic; they have evolved to catch fire. Thepresence of aromatic oils, like we see in sawpalmetto and pine, as well as the dominance ofgrasses that burn easily even when green,ensures that fire will seek them out and causethem to burn up.

Fire is the most important “disturbance” inFlorida’s ecology. Disturbances are natural and

Summer storm over Pine Island.Photos by Craig Huegel.

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predictable events that are an integral part ofthe overall community. They are not“destructive” as the media often portrays, butnecessary. Fire resets the clock. It preventscertain plants from becoming established andit maintains an openness in the system that allowsothers to remain. Without fire, many woodyspecies invade and shade the understory. Whenthis happens, others, like grass pink orchids andpine lilies get shaded, decline, and eventuallyperish. Systems maintained under natural fireregimes are far more diverse than ones thatare not.

Fire needs tooccur in thesummer. Fires atother times dovery little toassist the ecologyof Florida’s fire-

prone systems. Manyplants, for example,only bloom whenburned during thesummer. Wiregrassis one; wiregrass is the keystone species formany of our most diverse plant and wildlifecommunities. Fire has always occurred in thesummer with the advent of our lightning season.Those are the fires our natural systems areadapted to. Winter fires are naturally rareand ecological processes do not adapt to thingsthat rarely have to be factored in.

So, as we enter the peak of afternoon storms,witness some amazing shows of lightning, andgive some thought to staying out of the woods,

Pine lily and grass pinkorchid (Calopogon sp.).Photos by Craig Huegel.

recognize that the Preserve has been waitingall year for this time and waits in anticipationfor the life-giving energy that such fires release.There can be no Preserve without summer fire.So, because we can no longer allow naturalwildfires to occur because of their risk toproperty owners adjacent to the Preserve, weneed to do the burning ourselves, underprescription, and during the summer season.

Pam’s Gardening TipI posted this information a couple ofyears ago, but I feel like it needs to berepeated since we are now in the summermonths. If you are an avid gardener andspend time digging in the soil, it is veryimportant that you wear gardening gloves.Our soil here in Florida contains thebacterium (Clostridium tetani) that is thecausative organism of Tetanus. Thesebacteria can infect wounds that you mighthave on your hands or wounds that yousuffer while gardening. Puncture woundsare the most dangerous. According to theCenters for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) in Atlanta, we should allhave a Tetanus booster vaccination everyten years to keep us protected from thisdisease.

News from the Wildflower GardenBy Pam Brown

With the rains that we have been having,the wildflower garden is putting on a show.It has taken a couple of years to get it tothis point and I am very pleased with theresults. The Wildflower Garden Clubvolunteers worked hard removing someinvasive and aggressive plants from thewetland area beside the Ed. Center inJune. Consider coming out to help us onthe last Saturday of each month from8:00 to 10:00 a.m. We will provide somebreakfast snacks. Please bring gloves andhand tools. We always have a good time.

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Volunteer News and More!By Lara MillerNatural Resource AgentPinellas County ExtensionUniversity of Florida/IFAS

Exhibit Hall: Work is still being completedon the object theater, but it should be back upand running in a few weeks! A few of the otherinoperable exhibits will be worked on thissummer with the end goal of having the wholeexhibit hall back up and fully functioning bythe start of fall.

Friday Hikes: A variety of Friday hikeshave been added to the schedule of events andhave proved successful thus far! We havephotography, botany, forestry and wildlifehikes. Be sure to check out what programs andevents are coming up and share with yourfriends.

Traveling Tree Walk: Have you noticedthe large price tags on random trees through-out the Preserve? If so, you were participat-ing in the Traveling Tree Walk, an educationaltool developed to educate the public about theecosystem services trees provide. If you haven’tseen them yet, I encourage you to visit the Pre-serve or you can reserve the signs for yourcommunity online: http://travelingtreewalk-eorg.eventbrite.com/. Don’t forget to pick upthe brochure off the boardwalk or inside theeducation center to learn more! Inside the bro-chure, you will find more information about eco-system services and a link to an online survey.

Wildlife Happenings: The staff and vol-unteers have seen a lot of wildlife activity re-cently and are excited to share! Before sum-mer rains kicked in, the “gator pit” was seenwith as many as six gators basking in the sun orfloating in the water, including larger gatorsfrom about 4-8 ft. down to some juvenilesaround 1 ft long. We witnessed a pileated wood-pecker excavate a nest which was later takenover by a screech owl. The gopher tortoiseshave been abundant along the roadside duringthe afternoons with as many as 15 spotted juston the drive out. Butterflies have been flut-tering from one plant to the next, otters havebeen wrestling in the fresh summer rain water,and diamondback rattlesnakes are being spot-ting just about every week! Be sure to sharewith us on facebook, awesome flora or fauna

you have seenat the Pre-serve.

Don’t forget to like the BCPEnvironmental Education Center onfacebook – Brooker Creek PreserveEnvironmental Education Center

Have a question, but can’t find theanswer? Visit www.AskExtension.org orstop by the Education Center and dropyour question into the “Ask an Agent” box.

buckeye, abovevariegated fritillary,right

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Another cool new feature can be foundby navigating to “Plan Your Visit” andthen “Calendar/Classes/Programs”. Onthis page you will see a calendar high-lighted with upcoming events:

Volunteer News, page 2Community Partners: Staff of Nielsen,the TV rating company, located on the borderof the Preserve decided to pitch in to help outtheir neighbor. A team of co-workers dividedand conquered in an effort to remove invasiveexotic plants around the education center build-ings including cogon grass and Caesar weed. Ad-ditional efforts were made in trash pick-up,picnic table sanding, and grape-vine control. Abig shout-out and special thanks to their out-standing efforts! And a special decree of ap-preciation for our very own volunteer, RicHoover for coordinating the group. THANKYOU!

Website: The County recentlyredesigned the Brooker Creek Preservewebsite. The new website is now up andrunning! Make sure you check it out andfamiliarize yourself with where newnavigations can be found. The new linkto the EventBrite page where all of ourprograms are listed can be found byscrolling to the bottom of the main pageand clicking on the colorful rectangularbox (see below).

If you would like to join our active volunteergroup at Brooker Creek Preserve, please callus at (727) 453-6800.

Book Club Newsby Laurie Angyn Hello fellow bookies (or is it bookers) and other curious friends! Thank you all so much for theengaging, enlightening and fun conversations over the past 11 months. Who knew a book club couldbe so much fun? At your request, we are continuing the program beyond August, when we arescheduled to review the last book in the Florida-themed series, "Land of Sunshine, State ofDreams: A Social History of Florida" by Gary Mormino. The extension will be for four monthsduring which we will review selections picked from your suggestions and one of mine.

We briefly discussed, on June 1, the possiblity of asking some of you to act as "guest facilita-tors," if you were interested. At this time we have filled those slots for the four eclectic bookselections, thank you guest facilitators!

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Nature Store Newsby Kathleen Nichter

Most tourists and seasonal residentsheaded home a month or so ago, so now is agood time to come to Brooker CreekPreserve, check out the Education Center,and browse in the store. We continue toadd new items, and recently restocked oldfavorites after a very busy season.

The native plants are selling well. The factthat we have a small native plant nurseryis spreading by word of mouth. Mostpeople who come in to buy plants are happyto see a source so close to home. Pleasespread the word to your friends andneighbors.

The new and used book section continuesto be popular with everyone. Considerdonating your used books with themes ofnature or Florida to the store.

If you have any suggestions formerchandise, ideas on anything for thestore, or complaints, please email me atfobcpgiftshop@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued patronage,and patience with us volunteers as we tryto make the Friends of Brooker CreekPreserve Nature Store the type of placepeople love to visit and browse.

Many thanksto Ric Hoover,dedicated volunteer, for recoating and repaintingall the wood signs along the entry/exit loop roadat the Preserve. Ric did some signs on site andothers he had to deconstruct, take to a shadedwork space, then reconstruct and rehang them.This took weeks of Ric’s time and energy, and weare so appreciative and pleased with the outcome– the signs look great! Thank you, Ric!

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The eclectic extension selections for 2013 are:September 7 "A Land Remembered" by Patrick D. SmithOctober 5 "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lachs" by Rebecca SklootNovember 2 "The Control of Nature" by John McPheeDecember 7 "Skunkworks: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed"

by Ben R. Rich

The Book Club will continue to be held on the first Saturday of the month in the conference room ofthe Educational Center at Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs from 9:30am to 10:30ish. You are welcome to bring your own coffee and you must acquire your own book. Ifpressed for time to read, try an audio book. It is a great way to enjoy fiction and excellent if youhave a commute to work.

While the short term selections are unrelated to each other - a couple are suggestive of the theme fornext year: Science with a capital 'S'. Below are the selections for next year.

Selections for 2014:

Book Club News, continued:

Quarter Month Book Type Title Authorand Domain

Q1 January 4 Fiction 2001: A Space Odyssey Arthur C ClarkSpace

February 1 Biography Forever Young: A Life of John W. Young &Adventure in Air and Space James R. Hansen

March 1 Non-fiction Mining The Sky: Untold Riches John S. LewisFrom The Asteroids, Comets, And Planets

Q2 April 5 Fiction Around the World in 80 Days Jules VerneAtmosphere

May 3 Biography To Conquer the Air: the Wright Brothers and the Great Race for Flight James Tobin

June 7 Non-fiction The A-Z of Global Warming: Climate Simon j RosserChange Clarified

Q3 July 5 Fiction 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne

Water August 2 Biography Jacques Cousteau: The Sea King Brad Matsen

September 6 Non-fiction Silent Spring Rachel Carson

Q4 October 4 Fiction Journey to the Center of the Earth Jules Verne

Earth November 1 Biography Surviving Galeras Stanley Williams &Fen Montaigne

December 6 Non-fiction Roadside Geology of Florida Multiple Authors

Brooker Creek PreserveEnvironmental Education Center

Upcoming Events3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs.

(727) 453-6800www.brookercreekpreserve.org

We have a great selection of programs comingup this summer! Check out all we have to offerand share these opportunities with a friend.Some highlights include: Exotic Species Day,Celebrate Forests Day, and Advanced Plant ID;these are all new programs we are excited toshare with you, so join us for some fun andlearning!

July 2013 Programs

Thurs., July 11, 18, 25Book Time at Brooker, 10:30 - 11:15Children ages 3 to 5 connect to the wonders ofthe natural world through a story and a craft,game or other hands-on activity. Free; advanceregistration required.

Sat., July 6, 20, 27Brooker Creek Guided Hike, 9:00 - 10:30 amSee how the land has changed over time and theecological footprints left by those changes onthis 0.75-mile walk. Closed-toe shoes, water andhat recommended. Best for ages 6 and older.Free; advance registration required.

Sat., July 6, 9:30 - 10:30 amBrooker Creek Book Club: Hosted by theFriends of Brooker Creek Preserve, the BrookerBook Club meets the first Saturday of eachmonth. Geared toward adults, the book list

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includes works by Florida authors, past andpresent, with archeology, biography, politicsand history storylines. as seating is limited. 9:30to 10:30 a.m. The book selected for discussionin July is Star Island by Carl Hiaasen. 9:30 to10:30 a.m. Free; advance registration isrequired as seating is limited.

Fri., July 12, 9:00 - 11:00 amBotany Hike: Join a Brooker Creek naturalistto explore the fascinating plants found on thepreserve while identifying wildflowers, ferns,epiphytes, trees and more. The ecology ofvarious plant communities will also be examined.Best suited for adults. Come prepared with yourcamera and questions. Free; advanceregistration required.

Sat., July 13, 8:00 - 10:30 amBirds of Brooker Hike: Join this hike toidentify common birds of Brooker CreekPreserve. Meander along the one-mile trail togather information on the birds seen and heard.Binoculars will be helpful. Bring water. Free;advance registration required.

Sat., July 13 and Wed., July 314-H Brooker Creek Explorers Club is a newlyformed club seeking new members ages 5 to18. Meeting are twice a month to learn aboutand explore a new environmental topic fromtrees to bees and everything in between.Members receive an age-specific booklet oftheir choice which enables them to continue theirwork outside of the meeting times. The clubaims to teach them things they may not havelearned in school and will get them outdoors asmuch as possible. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Advanceregistration required.

Fri., July 19, 9:00 - 11:00 amForestry Hike: Join a local natural resourcesagent and hike along two miles of boardwalksand natural trails at Brooker Creek Preserve.Come prepared with binoculars, cameras andquestions. Questions can also be researched inthe resource room upon return to the educationcenter. Free; advance registration required.

Holiday!As an FYI, the Education Center willbe closed on the 4th of July as it isa County holiday. The Preserve willremain open for visitors wishing tohike the trails.

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August 2013 Programs

Thurs., Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29Book Time at Brooker, 10:30 - 11:15 amChildren ages 3 to 5 connect to the wonders ofthe natural world through a story and a craft,game or other hands-on activity. 10:30 to 11:15a.m. Free; advance registration required.

Sat., July 20, 10:30 - noonTree ID: Join your local natural resource agentas she discusses the basics on how to identifytrees in your area. The presentation includes aguided tree identification walk. Free; advanceregistration required.

Mon. - Fri., July 22-26, 9:00 am - 3:30 pmTeacher Training Summer Camp: TheUniversity of Florida’s Institute of Food andAgricultural Sciences and Extension Serviceare teaming up with St. Petersburg College tooffer a fun and informative week-long workshopfor pre-service elementary education studentsand elementary teachers with a focus onenvironmental education. Each day will featuredifferent environmental subjects andprofessional speakers will provide backgroundknowledge to participants. Free; advanceregistration required.

Fri., July 26, 9:00 - 10:30Wildlife Hike: Join an experienced naturalistas you hike along boardwalks and natural trailsat Brooker Creek Preserve. This will be alearning experience for everyone! Comeprepared with your binoculars, cameras, andquestions! Any questions your hike guide cannotanswer will be researched in the resource roomupon return to the Education Center. Free;advance registration required.

Sat., July 27, 8:00 - 10:00Wildflower Garden Club: Join the Friends ofBrooker Creek Preserve to get gardening handsdirty in the preserve’s wildflower garden. Bringgarden gloves and hat. Morning snacks areusually provided. Free; advance registrationrequired.

Sat., Aug., 3, 17, 24, 31Brooker Creek Guided Hike, 9:00 - 10:30 amSee how the land has changed over time and theecological footprints left by those changes onthis 0.75-mile walk. Closed-toe shoes, water andhat recommended. Best for ages 6 and older. 9to 10:30 a.m. Free; advance registrationrequired.

Sat., Aug. 3, 9:30 - 10:30 amBrooker Book Club: Hosted by the Friends ofBrooker Creek Preserve, the Brooker Book Clubmeets the first Saturday of each month. Gearedtoward adults, the book list includes works byFlorida authors, past and present, witharcheology, biography, politics and historystorylines. The book selected for discussion inAugust is Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams:A social History of Modern Florida by GaryR.Morm

Fri., Aug. 9, 9:00 - 11:00Botany Hike: Join a Brooker Creek naturalistto explore the fascinating plants found on thepreserve while identifying wildflowers, ferns,epiphytes, trees and more. The ecology ofvarious plant communities will also be examined.Best suited for adults. Come prepared with yourcamera and questions. Free; advance registrationrequired. .

Sat., Aug. 10, 8:00 - 10:30Birds of Brooker Hike: Join this hike toidentify common birds of Brooker CreekPreserve. Meander along the one-mile trail togather information on the birds seen and heard.Binoculars will be helpful. Bring water. Free;advance registration is required as seating islimited.

Sat., Aug. 31, 8:00 - 10:00Wildflower Garden Club: Join the Friends ofBrooker Creek Preserve to get gardening handsdirty in the preserve’s wildflower garden. Bringgarden gloves and hat. Morning snacks areusually provided. Free; advance registrationrequired.

Friends of Brooker Creek PreserveBoard of Directors:OfficersChair: Barbara HoffmanVice Chair: Cathie FosterVice Chair: Allyn ChildressSecretary: Chuck ParsonsTreasurer: Carson Morrow

DirectorsBusiness Affairs: Robert HostHistorian: Ken RoweLand Use Chair: Dr. Craig HuegelMembership Chair: Dr. Carrie RootNewsletter Editor: Dr. Craig HuegelPast Chairman: Walt HoskinsPublicity Chair: Barbara SchultzWildflower Festival Chair: Laurie AngynWildflower Garden: Pam BrownWildlife Safari Chair: Brad Wilkins

This newsletter is published every othermonth. Please submit articles to News-letter Editor Dr. Craig Huegel (727)422-6583 or email Huegelc55@aol.com

Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve:www.FriendsOfBrookerCreekPreserve.orgEmail: fobcp@tampabay.rr.comVoicemail: (727) 934-2680

Brooker Creek Preserve:Phone: (727) 453-6900Website: www.brookercreekpreserve.org

Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Edu-cation Center is located at 3940 Keystone Road,Tarpon Springs, Florida, 34688.Phone: (727) 453-6800Center Hours: Thurs. – Sat., 9am – 4pm

Friends Nature Store is located in the EducationCenter. Store Hours: Thurs. - Sat., 9am - 4pm

Preserve Hiking Trails open 7 days a week,7:00am to 30 minutes before sunset. Closedthe day after Thanksgiving and Dec. 25.

Horse Trails open 7 days a week, all year, sun-rise to sunset.

Registration Info: FEID #59-3302182 tax-exempt, non-profit corporationA COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OFCONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (1-800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLYENDORSMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. REGISTRATION NUMBER CH. 16077

Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve - MissionStatement: The mission of the Friends of BrookerCreek Preserve is to provide public support forthe Preserve through fund raising, volunteer pro-grams, and education to ensure that the Preserveremains a natural wilderness for future genera-tions.

Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve – Land UsePosition Statement: The Friends of BrookerCreek Preserve support land uses within the bound-aries of Brooker Creek Preserve which have a mainpurpose that furthers the preservation, conserva-tion, restoration or protection of the land and re-sources of the Brooker Creek Preserve.

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Current mission statement of the ParksDepartment – it is at least three years oldand does not reflect the many changes instaffing and resources over that time. Thenewly formed Parks and ConservationResources Department has not yet developedmission/vision statements.

The mission of the Pinellas County ParkDepartment is to provide a continuingprogram of acquisition, development,maintenance, and protection of park areasfor healthful outdoor activities.

Newsletter Publisher: Cathy Vogelsong