2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant Bok Tower Gardens

2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Polk County — Exit Survey
Please enter your 7 character Project Code: JOA0725
PROJECT MANAGER CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Address: Email: Phone Number: Cell Phone Number: Joan Thomas
1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, FL 33853
jthomas@boktower.org
863-734-1213
701-557-5609
ATTENDANCE
Please report the number of Florida residents who visited your garden or facility.
June–December 2012: 58,366
Jan–December 2013: 112,684
Please report the number of Non-Florida residents who visited your garden or facility.
June–December 2012: 6,566
Jan–December 2013: 20,066
Please report the number of Florida residents who visited the native wildflower demonstration area.
June–December 2012: 58,366
Jan–December 2013: 112,684
Please report the number of Non-Florida residents who visited the native wildflower demonstration area.
June–December 2012: 6,566
Jan–December 2013: 20,066
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
In the space provided below, please report any educational PROGRAMS offered that incorporate the native
wildflower demonstration garden. Please include an estimate of the attendance for each program.
•
BTG held a Grand Opening of The Preserve Trail at the site of the wildflower planting on March 1, 2013. Eight-three
people attended. Vince Lamb, Florida Wildflower Foundation vice chairman, was present and said a few words to
mark the occasion. Following the ribbon-cutting, Greg Kramer, Director of Horticulture, took approximately 20 people
on a walking tour of the Preserve and planted area.
•
On June 19, 2013, we hosted a “Wandering Wildflowers” Discovery Day from 9 am to noon for 11youth ages 5-10 and
their parents. The objective was to learn how to identify various native Florida wildflowers and gain an understanding
of their importance to the ecosystem in which they live. Special speakers/guests included Jenny Welch and Sandy
Webb, active members of the Pine Lily Chapter, Florida Native Plant Society.
•
Students took a nature walk along the new Preserve Trail at Bok Tower Gardens with Welch and Webb. They learned
the basic parts of a plant, the difference between native and non-native plants, and the importance of wildflowers to
their ecosystems. They photographed wildflowers to be used in their scrapbooks, collected four wildflowers to press
onto their wildflower cards which were placed in their scrapbooks, and made wildflower seed balls which were planted
when they went home.
•
We were able to connect this to several age-appropriate books on wildflowers: Look Once, Look Again: Among the
Flowers by David M. Schwartz; How Flowers Grow by Emma Helbrough; and various plant/wildflower identification
guides.
•
The next educational program took place on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 as part of Take a Child Outside Week
which had 88 participants. Our Director of Horticulture Greg Kramer conducted a Nature Walk on the Preserve Trail
for 10 people in which he talked about the wildflowers and pointed out the interpretive signs that described these
plantings in more detail.
•
We then held a day-long public service day on National Public Lands Day on September 29, 2013. Sixty volunteers
helped maintain the Preserve plantings by weeding and replacing plants that had not survived the summer.
JOA0725 Page 1
•
Finally, in the fall of 2013 we incorporated a Native Florida Wildflower Illustration challenge as part of our Fairchild
Challenge middle-school education program. This program is currently underway by participating schools (Bok
Academy and McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy in Lake Wales, and Southwest Middle School in
Lakeland) and will be completed in March 2014. Students are encouraged to study live plants and illustrations before
undertaking their own drawing.
•
Also, on March 14 we will be hosting a spring Wildflower Walk on the Preserve as part of the Pygmy Fringe Tree
Wildflower Festival: Celebrating Native Wildflowers of the Lake Wales Ridge which takes place March 13-15, 2014.
Our partners in this Festival are South Florida State College (SFSC), Archbold Biological Station and Tiger Creek
Preserve. Each partner will be conducting wildflower walks. Greg Kramer our Director of Horticulture will be leading
our wildflower walk at 10 am on March 14th. This event is free to those who enter via general gardens admission or
who are a Member.
•
Elsewhere on our campus we sell Florida Wildflower Honey which is harvested on the land parcels managed by Bok
Tower Gardens along the entrance road, which include those which were planted with FL Wildflower Foundation
funding.
Were any educational or informational SIGNS installed that explain the wildflower demonstration garden and its
environmental, historical and/or cultural significance?
YES
Were any educational or informational BROCHURES or PAMPHLETS created to explain the wildflower
demonstration garden and its environmental, historical and/or cultural significance?
In lieu of a tri-fold brochure we decided to produce permanent interpretive signs for the Preserve installed November
2012 which included several for the wildflower project. This was done to minimize environmental impact. For other
programs associated with this project we produced: a) a Florida Wildflower handout and UF guide available which
was made at the Information Desk; b) Florida Wildflower coloring book and word game – distributed via discovery
backpacks at the Information Desk; and c) Summer Flyer listing Wandering Wildflowers from summer 2013 Discovery
Days. Lesson plans and other collateral are included in the photo documentation as part of this final report.
We also promoted this project in our Garden Path newsletter and on our Facebook page. Photos from the planting
appeared on Flickr from volunteers who worked the site.
WILDFLOWER DISPLAY
List all species by scientific name that were part of the native wildflower demonstration garden. Note those that
were purchased with funds from this grant.
* Purchased with FWF funds
*Andropgon virginicus var. decipiens
*Andropogon ternarius
Aristida stricta
*Balduinia angustifolia
*Carphephorus corymbosus
*Chamaecrista fasciculata
*Dyschoriste oblongifolia
Eragrostis elliottii
Eragrostis spectabilis
*Garberia heterophylla
Liatris laevigata
Palafoxia integrifolia
Penstemon multiflorus
Pityopsis graminifolia
Polygonella polygama
Solidago odora var. chapmanii
Sorghastrum secundum
Trichostema dichotomum
Broomsedge bluestem
Splitbeard bluestem
wiregrass
Honeycombhead
Florida paintbrush
partridge pea
Twinflower
Elliott’s lovegrass
Purple lovegrass
Garberia
Liatris
Coastalplain palafox
Manyflowered beardtongue
Silkgrass
Octoberflower
Chapman’s goldenrod
Lopsided indiangrass
Blue curls
Total number of native species planted
13,426
250
250
6364
200
700
300
345
250
250
100
125
455
630
400
100
300
2307
100
JOA0725 Page 2
In 2013, the native wildflower demonstration garden planting is best described as:
Extremely successful
In 2013, the wildflower display is best described as:
Moderately showy
Optional: Please provide any additional comments about the showiness of the wildflower display.
We had good bloom in the fall and spring seasons with this variety of wildflowers. Fall 2013 bloom on this planted site
was very satisfactory. We promoted this well to our visitors and documented it in the photos attached to this annual
report.
We balanced the planting of wildflowers with native grasses which made for a fuller planting area but not necessarily
“showy.” This was in keeping with the native landscape surrounding the planted area.
If your planting was not successful, please explain why it failed (e.g. succumbed to weed pressure, accidental
mowing, flooding, etc.), what you are doing to help re-establish it, and how you are educating the public about
the failed planting.
Overall we have had success with this planting despite two minor setbacks. In October of 2012, it was discovered that
plugs of Sorghastrum nutans (yellow indiangrass) instead of lopsided indiangrass had been planted in August by the
contractor. Although yellow indiangrass is a native to Florida, it is not a native sandhill species in this area and was
eliminated using herbicide as found. The contractor replanted the proper species of indiangrass in summer 2013. This
planting area was provided supplemental water and maintained with herbicide through December 2013.
In March of 2013 one of our visitors experienced a car fire along the entrance road. He pulled off the road and onto
part of the planted preserve under a live oak, which caught fire. The plantings in that area had to be re-planted but
were re-established over the summer. We have included two photos in our final report to document this event.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Was a story published in a newspaper or newsletter that described the wildflower demonstration garden
and included information about the environmental, historical and/or cultural significance of Florida’s native
wildflowers?
YES
If YES, please provide the following information:
newspaper/newsletter name
The Ledger
date of publication
March 26, 2013
reporter’s name
Greg Parlier
hyperlink to article*
(PDF included)
approximate circulation of newspaper/newsletter 60,000
newspaper/newsletter name
The News Chief
date of publication
Feb 24, 2013
reporter’s name
hyperlink to article*
(PDF included)
approximate circulation of newspaper/newsletter 40,000
newspaper/newsletter name
The Orlando Sentinel
date of publication
Feb 21, 2013
reporter’s name
Jim Abbot
hyperlink to article*
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/travel
postcardsfromflorida/2013/02/21/bok-tower-gardens-to-dedicate-new-preserve-trail-on-march-1/
(PDF included)
approximate circulation of newspaper/newsletter Was a story done by a local TV station that described the wildflower demonstration garden and included
information about the environmental, historical and/or cultural significance of Florida’s native wildflowers?
YES
JOA0725 Page 3
If YES, please provide the following information:
TV station, city
Bay News 9, Tampa, FL
air date/time
March 7, 2013
reporter’s name
Sondra Weathers
hyperlink to video, if available
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.
html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/3/6/new_trail_added_to_p.html
approximate viewership when story aired
Online story, no known viewership stats
approximate number of views if story aired online Online story, no known viewership stats
Was a story published on a website that described the wildflower demonstration garden and included information
about the environmental, historical and/or cultural significance of Florida’s native wildflowers?
YES
If YES, please provide the following information:
website address (URL)
date posted
approximate number of views www.flickr.com
August 6, 2012
81 views
(PDF included)
Was a story posted on a YouTube or other online video site that described the wildflower demonstration garden
and included information about the environmental, historical and/or cultural significance of Florida’s native
wildflowers?
NO
Optional: If other outreach methods were used, please describe the results.
We posted the opening of this Preserve and the planted area on our Facebook page, and ran two Garden Path
newsletter stories. Copies of these items are included.
IMPACT
The impact of your native wildflower demonstration garden is very important to the Foundation. The following
questions evaluate how much and what type of information people learned from visiting the native wildflower
demonstration planting and/or attending a native wildflower educational program at your garden.
As a result of visiting your demonstration garden and/or attending related educational programming...
How much information did they learn about landscape uses for native wildflowers and plants?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
0-25% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
How much did they learn about the availability of native wildflowers and plants?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
0-25% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
Environmental significance of native wildflowers and plants?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
JOA0725 Page 4
0-25% of non-Florida resident visitors
26-50% of non-Florida resident visitors
51-75% of non-Florida resident visitors
76-100% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
Learned something new
Learned something new
Learned something new
Historical significance of native wildflowers and plants?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
0-25% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
Cultural significance of native wildflowers and plants?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
0-25% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned a great deal of new information
26-50% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
51-75% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
76-100% of non-Florida resident visitors
Learned something new
The following questions evaluate how likely visitors are to start planting native wildflowers in their landscape
OR include more native wildflowers in their landscape as a result of visiting the native wildflower demonstration
planting and/or attending a native wildflower educational program.
How many homeowners are you aware of that
established a new native wildflower garden, landscape bed, or meadow?
more than 10 visitors
are planning to establish a new native wildflower garden, landscape bed, or meadow?
more than 10
are strongly considering establishing a new native wildflower garden, landscape bed, or meadow?10+
are considering establishing a new native wildflower garden, landscape bed, or meadow? more than 10
How likely were visitors or attendees BETWEEN JUNE 2012 and DECEMBER 2012 to plant native wildflowers
in their garden or landscape?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
How likely were visitors or attendees BETWEEN JANUARY 2013 and JUNE 2013 to plant native wildflowers in
their garden or landscape?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Very likely
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
How likely were visitors or attendees BETWEEN JULY 2013 and DECEMBER 2013 to plant native wildflowers in
their garden or landscape?
0-25% of Florida resident visitors
Very likely
26-50% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
51-75% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
76-100% of Florida resident visitors
Moderately likely
JOA0725 Page 5
2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Polk County — Installation Photos
Ready to plant! Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than 4,500 potted native plants and put down pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Newly planted wildflowers, August 2012
JOA0725 Page 6
Interpretive sign at planting site
Dedication signage at trail entrance within planting
PRESERVE TRAIL
rECrEATIoNAL TrAIL
ProjECT fUNDING SUPPorT
CSX Corporation; Florida Communities Trust; Green Horizon Land Trust;
Kline Family Foundation; Mosaic Corporation; Polk County Board of County
Commissioners; State of Florida, Florida Wildflower Advisory Council and the
Florida Wildflower Foundation; and the Vaughn-Jordan Foundation
Informational sign at trail entrance
Planting site, one week after March 2013 car fire
Car fire site, less than one year later
JOA0725 Page 7
July 2013
July 2013
September 2013
September 2013
September 2013
September 2013
JOA0725 Page 8
2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Polk County — Educational Components
Wandering Wildflowers Program, June 19, 2013
Wandering Wildflowers Program, June 19, 2013
Interactive board for Wandering Wildflowers Program, June 19, 2013
Interactive board for Wandering Wildflowers Program, June 19, 2013
6.
5.
Bring your cell phone or camera, take
your best picture at the Gardens and
enter the Kids Photography Contest on
the Bok Tower Gardens website.
Enter online at
boktower.org/contest
4.
After a morning
garden adventure,
grab a healthy
lunch in the Blue
Palmetto Café and
use our new Kids
Menu with great
new combo meals
and activities.
10.
Get a Garden Adventure
Guide at the Information
Desk and complete all
the activities.
Spend the afternoon exploring some of the
natural areas on the Preserve Trail and Pine
Ridge Nature Trail as you hunt down all six of the
geocaches at Bok Tower Gardens!
3.
Kids groups (day care, church
groups etc...) are invited to
make reservations for our
Splash Days each Friday, June
21 through August 16. Kids
ages 3-6 will watch a 30-minute
film from the “Growing Up Wild”
series follow by a splash party
with wading pools, sprinklers
and other water toys in our
family picnic area. Bring your
own bagged lunch and we’ll
serve the popsicle treats. $5 per
person with one free adult for
every five children.
2.
Learn about baby animals
during the Summer Film Series
featuring National Geographic’s
“Growing Up Wild” in the
Visitor Center Theater. Free
with admission. Mondays &
Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
1.
Pick up a Summer Family Fun
Pass for anytime admission from
Memorial Day to Labor Day!
BENEFITS
• Valid for two people and children or
grandchildren under 18.
• Ten percent discount in the Blue
Palmetto Café and Gift Shop.
• Discounts on programs and events.
• Discounted admission to many
Florida museums, gardens, and
cultural institutions through our
Reciprocal Admission Program.
Purchase yours for $45
by phone at 863.734.1233.
Summer
FUN for
EVERYONE!
Here’s our top 10
things to do at the
Gardens this summer.
For program tickets and
reservations contact us at
863.734.1222 or email
programs@boktower.org.
9.
Bring a blanket, check out a
Discovery Backpack from the
Information Desk and have family
reading time in the Gardens.
8.
Pack a healthy lunch and enjoy a
picnic in the Gardens – anywhere
you’d like!
7.
Discover nature’s joy in a whole
new way with a new adventure
in the Gardens each week this
summer during Discovery Days!
Classes are from 9 a.m. - noon
• June 19 - Wandering
Wildflowers
• June 26 - Powerful
Pollinators
• July 10 - Bountiful Birds
• July 17 - Triumphant Trees
• July 24 - Whimsical Wildlife
• July 31 - Harmonious
Habitats
• August 7 - Gateway to
Gardening
• August 14 - Bok’s Best:
Master Creators
www.boktowergardens.org
$75 for all classes or $10 per class.
One free adult per child registration.
Wildflower word garme
Summer flyer, 2013
JOA0725 Page 9
Challenge 4
NATIVE FLORIDA WILDFLOWER ILLUSTRATION
For individuals; maximum points: 150 (50/entry; 3 entries per school) Concept: Native wildflowers are a vital part of Florida’s varying ecosystems. The Florida Wildflower Foundation defines “Florida native wildflower” as any flowering herbaceous species, or woody species with ornamental flowers, which grew wild within the state’s natural ecosystems in the 1560s when Florida’s first botanical records were created. Wildflowers are considered ephemeral plants. They have short life cycles and develop distinct growth strategies in order to survive. For example, spring ephemerals are perennial plants that grow, bloom, make and store food, then wither all before the leaves on the deciduous trees are fully open and shading the forest floor. This often also coincides with spring rains. Together this can be thought of as ephemeral plants adapting to take advantage of these ‘windows of opportunity’. Bok Tower Gardens would like to emphasize the importance of native wildflowers by having the students research them, examine them closely, and learn the features that help them survive intense sunlight, high winds, periodic drought and occasional frost. Students can go to Florida.plantatlas.usf.edu to find lists and pictures of native Florida wildflowers. Objective: 1. Capture the details of a native Florida wildflower species by creating an original drawing. 2. Detail is critical for accurate portrayal in botanical illustration. 3. Examine pictures-­‐-­‐and real plants, if possible—to capture all the intricate details such as leaf shape, number and color of petals, and the pistils and stamens inside the flower. Requirements: • Illustration must be of one species of native Florida wildflower • Maximum illustration size: 16” x 20”. Do not frame. • Can choose from 1 or more of the following media: watercolor, oil pastels, acrylic paint, oil paint, colored pencils, charcoal, pens, and markers. • All artwork must have the student’s name, grade, and school printed on the back of the illustration. • The scientific and common name for the native Florida wildflower must also be printed on the back of the illustration. • Each entry should be brought to the entrance gate at Bok Tower Gardens. Additional Information: For extra support and instruction on this challenge, attend our Art Inspiration Workshop being held at Bok Tower Gardens on Saturday, February 15, 2014. Due Date: 5 p.m., Friday, March 14, 2014 at Bok Tower Gardens See Appendix for State Academic Standards Bok Tower Gardens presents The Fairchild Challenge 2014 | 11 JOA0725 Page 10
2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Polk County — Publicity
The Ledger
Wednesday, March 26, 2013
The News Chief
February 24, 2013
JOA0725 Page 11
CONTACT: Brian Ososky,
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
863-734-1210; bososky@boktower.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2013
New Preserve Trail Opens at Bok Tower Gardens;
Community Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Mar. 1
LAKE WALES, Fla. – Bok Tower Gardens is hosting a community ribbon-cutting ceremony together with the
Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the opening of its new 1.5-mile Preserve Trail on Friday,
March 1 at 9 a.m. The event takes place just inside the Gardens’ main gate at one of two new picnic shelters
constructed as part of the project. Admission to the Gardens is free until 10 a.m. for anyone wishing to attend.
David Price, president of Bok Tower Gardens, will host the morning’s presentation. Special guests confirmed
for the event include: Vince Lamb from the Florida Wildflower Foundation; Rachelle Selser with Green
Horizon Land Trust; Callie Neslund and Karla Guzman-Mins with Mosaic Corporation; and Jeff Spence and
Rosalind Smith with Polk County Parks & Natural Resources, all of whom helped fund the project.
Additional financial support was provided by CSX Corporation, Vaughn-Jordan Foundation, and the State
of Florida, Florida Wildflower Advisory Council.
“The open agriculture and pine lands around Bok Tower Gardens are important to preserving the historic
design and beauty of the garden laid out by Fredrick Law Olmsted, Jr.,” said David Price, president of Bok
Tower Gardens. “We are happy to have so many partners in the preservation of this land.”
In 2005, the Florida Community Trust (FCT) awarded a $2.5 million grant to Bok Tower Gardens’ partner,
the Green Horizon Land Trust (GHLT), to preserve 260 acres of open lands surrounding the Gardens as
vistas critically important to the historic design of the Gardens.
Through the partnership with GHLT, Bok Tower Gardens is responsible for managing these open lands, now
known as the Bok Tower Gardens Preserve. Approximately 156 of these acres are being restored to Longleaf
Pine forest, others will remain in citrus production, and the rest are in their native natural state and are being
enhanced. These lands can be seen along the scenic entrance drive to the Gardens.
“The Green Horizon Land Trust has been invaluable in helping us preserve this land along with over 5,000
acres throughout Polk, Highlands, and Osceola counties,” Price said.
As part of the land management agreement, Bok Tower Gardens committed to developing the following
public-use amenities to increase access to and education about the Bok Tower Gardens Preserve:
•
•
•
•
A 1.5-mile hiking trail from the Gardens entrance gate that connects to the existing Pine Ridge Trail;
Interpretive signage placed along the new trail;
Two picnic shelters, one along the Gardens’ entrance road and one on the west side of the Preserve
next to the Lake Wales High School, which can be used as an outdoor classroom;
Restoration plantings of native grasses and wildflowers of the Longleaf Pine habitat along the trail at
interpretive locations.
-more-
New Preserve Trail Opens at Bok Tower Gardens… Page 2 of 3
Education about the natural landscape of Bok Tower Gardens is a core component of the Gardens’ mission.
The new Preserve Trail engages and inspires learners of all ages about one of Florida’s most endangered
ecosystems and the ongoing efforts to restore and protect it.
At the adjacent Lake Wales High School, a second public-use picnic shelter has been constructed on Preserve
lands for visitors to enjoy long-range, sweeping views of Bok Tower with citrus groves in the foreground.
Additionally, LWHS faculty and students can use the shelter as an “outdoor classroom” for a one-of-a-kind
learning environment.
This project is also designed to help restore native Florida habitat of Longleaf Pine forest and rare plants on
the Bok Tower Preserve. It opens up these protected lands to visitors in an environmentally-responsible way
that promotes physical exploration, family sharing and creative learning.
As part of a Florida Wildflower Foundation/Viva 500 project in August 2012, a team of 71 volunteers spent
six days and 370 hours planting more than 13,000 wildflowers and native grasses on a one-acre area
surrounding the Preserve’s new picnic shelter and parking area, where the March 1 event is taking place.
Some of the species include liatris (Liatris laevigata), wiregrass (Aristida stricta), and Chapman’s goldenrod
(Solidago odora var. chapmanii). Temporary irrigation was installed and more than 460 bales of pine straw
were spread as mulch. Those who helped included individuals, families, Boy Scout troops, and the Ridge
Rangers—a group of volunteers who focus on helping restore and support the Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem.
“Without the support of these dedicated volunteers, it would have been difficult to complete such a large
task,” said Katrina Noland, land steward at Bok Tower Gardens. “Not only were these volunteers able to
make a lasting impact on the environment, they also received a firsthand education and experienced the
nature of this threatened ecosystem.”
Along the new Preserve Trail, visitors take a journey through the Preserve from the Gardens’ main entrance
gate to the visitor center. It has been paved with pebble rock from phosphate mines, rich in fossils from
Central Florida’s “Bone Valley,” which lends an additional regional interest. Ten interpretive signs along the
trail tell about the flora, fauna and wildlife of this habitat, the ecological role of fire, and the natural history of
the Lake Wales Ridge.
Immediately following the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bok Tower Gardens’ Director of
Horticulture Greg Kramer will host a narrated, 45-minute trail walk for those who want to be among the first
to explore and learn more about the Preserve habitat.
###
About Bok Tower Gardens:
Voted Florida’s best garden, Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located 10 miles from LEGOLAND
Florida, 55 miles southwest of Orlando and 60 miles east of Tampa near Lake Wales in Central Florida’s rolling hills of
citrus. Open every day of the year from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Visitor Center, Café and Gift Shop are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is $12 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. LEGOLAND ticket
holders will receive free admission for children under 12. For more information, contact Bok Tower Gardens, 1151
Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales FL 33853; 863-676-1408 or visit www.BokTowerGardens.org.
-more-
JOA0725 Page 12
JOA0725 Page 13
8/15/12
Sandhill Restoration Planting 2012 - a set on Flick r
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Sandhill Restoration Planting 2012
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Bok Tower Gardens partnered with Green
Horizon Land Trust to restore a total of 156
acres of fallow citrus lands back to the
longleaf pine/turkey oak (aka sandhill) habitat
that it was historically. The properties were
acquired in 2007 with funds from the Florida
Communities Trust and the restoration began
immediately with exotic species removal and
the planting of longleaf pines and wiregrass.
Additional grant funding was received from the
Florida Wildflower Foundation to plant a more
diverse variety of native ground cover
vegetation on a portion of a 34 acre parcel.
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted plants and put down pine straw
mulch in early August 2012.
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Sandhill Restoration Planting 2012
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Ready to Plant!
Volunteers at Work
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Digging Holes, Prepping the
Ground
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
www.flick r.com/photos/bok towergardens/sets/72157630933260736/with/7726414690/
1/2
Ready to Plant!
Ready to Plant!
Newly Planted
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Newly Planted
Young Plants
Newly Planted
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
www.flickr.com/photos/boktowergardens/sets/72157630933260736/detail/
Ready for Planting
Newly Planted
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
Volunteers helped to hand-plant more than
4,500 potted native plants and put down
pine straw mulch in early August 2012.
Photo by Heidi Mandelin
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2012
0 comments
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JOA0725 Page 14
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Bok Tower Gardens to dedicate new Preserve Trail on March 1 Attractions — posted by jimabbott on February, 21 2013 5:00 PM Discuss This: Comments(0) | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/travel-­‐postcardsfromflorida/2013/02/21/bok-­‐tower-­‐gardens-­‐to-­‐
dedicate-­‐new-­‐preserve-­‐trail-­‐on-­‐march-­‐1/ On March 1, Bok Tower Gardens is hosting a ribbon-­‐cutting ceremony with the Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the opening of its new 1.5-­‐mile Preserve Trail. The ceremony will take place just inside the Gardens’ main gate. Gardens’ admission is free until 10 a.m. for anyone wishing to attend. After the dedication ceremony, Bok Tower Gardens’ Director of Horticulture Greg Kramer will host a narrated, 45-­‐minute trail walk for those who want to explore and learn more about the Preserve habitat. In 2005, the Florida Community Trust awarded a $2.5 million grant to Bok Tower Gardens’ partner, the Green Horizon Land Trust, to preserve 260 acres of open lands surrounding the Gardens as vistas critically important to the historic design of the Gardens. Through the partnership with Green Horizon Land Trust, Bok Tower Gardens is responsible for managing these open lands, now known as the Bok Tower Gardens Preserve. Approximately 156 of these acres are being restored to Longleaf Pine forest, others will remain in citrus production, and the rest are in their native natural state and are being enhanced. These lands can be seen along the scenic entrance drive to the Gardens. As part of a Florida Wildflower Foundation/Viva Florida 500 project in August 2012, a team of 71 volunteers spent six days and 370 hours planting more than 13,000 wildflowers and native grasses on a one-­‐acre area surrounding the Preserve’s new picnic shelter and parking area. JOA0725 Page 15
2011–2012 Quincentennial “Viva Florida” Grant
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Polk County — Final Report
Florida Wildflower Foundation Final Report – Bok Tower Gardens
Final design plan, construction methods and maintenance schedule:
Preparation for wildflowers and grasses along the new Preserve Trail began in spring 2012.
During first week of August 2012 an area approximately one acre in size surrounding the
parking area and shelter was interplanted with more than 13,000 native sandhill species. A map
of this is included in the photos section of this final report.
To prep the site, it was first weed-eated and pin flags were placed marking all existing pines
and wiregrass. Spot spraying with backpack sprayer was done several times with glyphosate at
2%, taking care not to spray the already present pines and wiregrass. BTG staff installed
temporary irrigation which covered the majority of the planting area. A contractor was hired to
install Sorghastrum secundum (lopsided indiangrass) and wiregrass plugs. A total of 71 people
(volunteers and BTG staff) spent 370 hours over the course of a six day period planting
containerized material and spreading 460 bales of pine straw.
In October of 2012, it was discovered that plugs of Sorghastrum nutans (yellow indiangrass)
instead of lopsided indiangrass had been planted in August by the contractor. Although yellow
indiangrass is a native to Florida, it is not a native sandhill species in this area and is being
eliminated using herbicide as found. The contractor is scheduled to plant the proper species of
indiangrass in summer 2013. This planting area will be provided supplemental water and
maintained with herbicide until at least December 2013.
In March of 2013 one of our visitors experienced a car fire along the entrance road. He pulled off
the road and onto part of the planted preserve under a live oak, which caught fire. The
plantings in that area had to be re-planted but were re-established over the summer. We have
included two photos in our final report to document this event.
In July 2013 we organized a volunteer weeding day on the planted Preserve and another on
September 29 for National Public Lands Day.
Fall bloom on this planted site was very satisfactory. We promoted this well to our visitors and
documented it in the photos attached to this annual report.
Final Plant List:
Scientific name
Andropgon virginicus var. decipiens
Andropogon ternarius
Aristida stricta
Balduinia angustifolia
Carphephorus corymbosus
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Dyschoriste oblongifolia
Eragrostis elliottii
Eragrostis spectabilis
Garberia heterophylla
Liatris laevigata
Palafoxia integrifolia
Common name
Broomsedge bluestem
Splitbeard bluestem
wiregrass
Honeycombhead
Florida paintbrush
partridge pea
Twinflower
Elliott’s lovegrass
Purple lovegrass
Garberia
Liatris
Coastalplain palafox
#
250
250
6364
200
700
300
345
250
250
100
125
455
Penstemon multiflorus
Manyflowered beardtongue 630
Pityopsis graminifolia
Silkgrass
400
Polygonella polygama
Octoberflower
100
Solidago odora var. chapmanii
Chapman’s goldenrod
300
Sorghastrum secundum
Lopsided indiangrass
2307
Trichostema dichotomum
Blue curls
100
Total number of native species planted
13,426
Educational Programming:
BTG held a Grand Opening of The Preserve Trail at the site of the wildflower planting on
March 1, 2013. Eight-three people attended. Vince Lamb, Florida Wildflower Foundation vice
chairman, was present and said a few words to mark the occasion. Following the ribboncutting, Greg Kramer, Director of Horticulture, took approximately 20 people on a walking tour
of the Preserve and planted area.
On June 19, 2013, we hosted a “Wandering Wildflowers” Discovery Day from 9 am to noon for
11youth ages 5-10 and their parents. The objective was to learn how to identify various native
Florida wildflowers and gain an understanding of their importance to the ecosystem in which
they live. Special speakers/guests included Jenny Welch and Sandy Webb, active members of
the Pine Lily Chapter, Florida Native Plant Society.
Students took a nature walk along the new Preserve Trail at Bok Tower Gardens with Welch
and Webb. They learned the basic parts of a plant, the difference between native and non-native
plants, and the importance of wildflowers to their ecosystems. They photographed wildflowers
to be used in their scrapbooks, collected four wildflowers to press onto their wildflower cards
which were placed in their scrapbooks, and made wildflower seed balls which were planted
when they went home.
We were able to connect this to several age-appropriate books on wildflowers: Look Once, Look
Again: Among the Flowers by David M. Schwartz; How Flowers Grow by Emma Helbrough;
and various plant/wildflower identification guides.
The next educational program took place on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 as part of Take a
Child Outside Week which had 88 participants. Our Director of Horticulture Greg Kramer
conducted a Nature Walk on the Preserve Trail for 10 people in which he talked about the
wildflowers and pointed out the interpretive signs that described these plantings in more detail.
We then held a day-long public service day on National Public Lands Day on September 29,
2013. Sixty volunteers helped maintain the Preserve plantings by weeding and replacing plants
that had not survived the summer.
Finally, in the fall of 2013 we incorporated a Native Florida Wildflower Illustration challenge as
part of our Fairchild Challenge middle-school education program. This program is currently
underway by participating schools (Bok Academy and McLaughlin Middle School and Fine
Arts Academy in Lake Wales, and Southwest Middle School in Lakeland) and will be
completed in March 2014. Students are encouraged to study live plants and illustrations before
undertaking their own drawing.
Page 2 of 4
Florida Wildflower Foundation Final Report – Bok Tower Gardens
Page 3 of 4
Florida Wildflower Foundation Final Report – Bok Tower Gardens
Also, on March 14 we will be hosting a spring Wildflower Walk on the Preserve as part of the
Pygmy Fringe Tree Wildflower Festival: Celebrating Native Wildflowers of the Lake Wales Ridge which
takes place March 13-15, 2014. Our partners in this Festival are South Florida State College
(SFSC), Archbold Biological Station and Tiger Creek Preserve. Each partner will be
conducting wildflower walks. Greg Kramer our Director of Horticulture will be leading our
wildflower walk at 10 am on March 14 . This event is free to those who enter via general
gardens admission or who are a Member.
th
Elsewhere on our campus we sell Florida Wildflower Honey which is harvested on the land
parcels managed by Bok Tower Gardens along the entrance road, which include those which
were planted with FL Wildflower Foundation funding.
Educational Collateral Produced:
In lieu of a tri-fold brochure we decided to produce permanent interpretive signs for the
Preserve installed November 2012 which included several for the wildflower project. This was
done to minimize environmental impact. For other programs associated with this project we
produced: a) a Florida Wildflower handout and UF guide available which was made at the
Information Desk; b) Florida Wildflower coloring book and word game – distributed via
discovery backpacks at the Information Desk; and c) Summer Flyer listing Wandering
Wildflowers from summer 2013 Discovery Days. Lesson plans and other collateral are included
in the photo documentation as part of this final report.
We also promoted this project in our Garden Path newsletter and on our Facebook page. Photos
from the planting appeared on Flickr from volunteers who worked the site.
Page 4 of 4
JOA0725 Page 16