| Can you
make a difference? By Nici
Daw
KEC Volunteer
Can one person
make a difference, or is the effort like a drop of water
on a hot stone?
Who is
responsible for taking care of our environment – the big
corporations or the “regular folk” like you and me? While
many people are wasting time arguing about that, we can
just go and “do” – Do what? …whatever makes sense.
Daryl,
a former volunteer with Grassy Waters Nature Preserve in
Palm Beach, was studying up on the Everglades Restoration
Program, which is a 30 year, $8 billion effort. He is not
a scientist. However, one thing did not seem right to him:
the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and the 1994
Everglades Forever Act seemed to mainly concentrate on
water quality and quantity as well as timing and flow. He
felt these plans disregarded the restoration of the
forests. Acres of Melaleuca trees have been deforested in
order to maintain a healthy water level. However, they
have not been replaced by other trees.
Therefore, Daryl came up with the idea of planting Pond
Apple trees, an indigenous tree found in wetlands in
southeast Florida. Last spring, he collected the seeds,
separated them carefully and, with his 3 year old
daughter, planted them. He raised hundreds of these trees
on his front porch in little cups.
Pond
Apples are evergreens and grow very well in wet
conditions. They are an excellent habitat for birds. Their
fruit serves as a food source for animals. They also
naturally remove potentially harmful nutrients, helping to
clean the water without draining it. Another advantage of
Pond Apples is their fast reproduction. Two or three Pond
Apple trees will soon multiply to a little Pond Apple
island.
As
one thing leads to another…, Daryl saw The Kids Ecology
Corps van, wrote down the phone number, and called. Soon
enough, The Kids Ecology Corps had over 300 Pond Apples
trees ready to distribute. Several parks like Tree Tops,
Secret Woods, CB Smith Park, as well as the IGFA were
cordially welcoming these plants, because they were
filling the need for native trees. Two of the places are
even planning to schedule an event, where everybody is
welcome to learn about Pond Apples and help plant them.
But
those baby trees did not only help the environment and add
beauty to our landscape – they served as a lot more.
Tragically, a teenager and his father were recently
killed in a plane accident. At the funeral, the tradition
of planting trees was mentioned in the eulogy. Sixteen of
those trees will be planted by his school in memory and
honor of those two loved ones.
A
small undertaking like Daryl’s can have such an impact.
Those trees will make a permanent difference at 5
different locations, a learning experience for two
separate groups of children, and provide a lasting memory
in honor of a young man and his father. One person’s
action has created a ripple effect touching the lives of
many today and into the future.
There
are many ways to get involved as an individual or as part
of a group. Are you ready to make a difference? Take the
initiative! Become part of the solution!
If
you would like to participate in a Pond Apple tree
planting event at Tree Tops Park on March 20th
or at IGFA on March 21st, please contact The
Kids Ecology Corps in advance at (954) 524-0366. Here in
the United States, we each can plant 9 trees a year to
help keep our environment balanced.
Back
For
further information about the KEC programs or to volunteer,
please contact:
The
Kids Ecology Corps
1350 East Sunrise Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304-2815
(954) 524-0366 FAX (954) 524-0367
E-mail:
kec@kidsecologycorps.org |
