KVAS Meetings for 2009-2010
Meetings are held at 6:45 pm at the KUA (Kissimmee Utility
Authority) Building
1701 W. Carroll St. in Kissimmee
The Public is Invited!
Tues., September 22, 2009 -- Stacia Hetrick -- All About Hydrilla
Hydrilla is that home aquarium weed that it seems everybody hates when
it clogs our lakes. But is it really all bad, and why do many biologists want to manage it, but
not kill it all off (if they could)? Come hear from our local expert about the effects of this plant on our
lakes and on wildlife like the Snail Kite, and the efforts to control it .
Stacia Hetrick is Aquatics specialist with the Osceola County Extension Faculty of the
University of Florida/IFAS. If you don't think anybody can make a weed interesting, you haven't met
Stacia!
Tues., October 27, 2009 -- John Canter -- Whooping Cranes, The Endless Vigil
Under constant threat from the actions of both human and natural forces, the Whooping
Crane’s hold on life, while improving of late, remains tenuous. Its habitat shrunk by drainage and development,
its waters drought-stricken and diverted, its migratory routes threatened with power lines, wind farms, and the
occasional uninformed or malevolent hunter, the Crane faces a perilous present and an unknown future. Come see
THE ENDLESS VIGIL, a presentation that traces the Whooping Crane's path through time and evolution from
the Pleistocene to the present, covering the diverse aspects of the Crane’s existence,
including its confrontational, yet dependent relationship with Man. The presentation
provides a comprehensive but non-technical exploration of one of nature’s more remarkable
creatures.
John Canter lives in Southwest Florida and is a lifelong environmentalist and supporter of the Audubon Society,
the Whooping Crane Conservation Association, and the International Crane Foundation.
Tues., November 24, 2009 -- Larry Rosen -- Costa Rica, con mucho gusto!
Come experience a country that has become an international model of environmental sustainability.
Costa Rica has extensive natural preserves, many of which are private and earn a good income for their owners
while safeguarding precious wildlife in both ancient rainforests and restored ones. Where else can you see birds
like Long-tailed Manekins and Golden-browed Chlorophonias in a private forest that used to be a coffee plantation?
Could landowners in our area maybe learn something from this?
Larry Rosen is President of Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society and never puts together a presentation like this without
a deadline.
Tues., January 26, 2010 -- Mike Godwin -- Alligators and Wading Birds: A Natural Symbiosis
Too many Floridians seem to think the only good 'gator is a dead one. Did
you know alligators are crucial to many healthy Florida ecosystems, and that wading birds actually
prefer to nest over swamps crawling with 'gators? This presentation will show you what a successful
rookery full of nests of herons, egrets, storks, and even spoonbills can look like in Central Florida.
Rumor has it Mike might bring one or more critters with him!
Mike Godwin is the grandson of Gatorland's founder and is on the board of Orange Audubon Society.
He has developed what we think is a healthy obsession with creating great photographs of beautiful birds. He keeps telling us, "I'm not a birder,"
but we beg to differ!
Tues., February 23, 2010 -- Rena Borkhataria -- All About Wood Storks
Any question you have ever had about Wood Storks is likely to be answered in this program. What do
they eat and what habitat do they need for foraging? What are "short hydroperiod wetlands" and why are they so important to
this bird? Why have so many Wood Storks come to Central Florida in recent years? How many are there and how can we
help them survive?
Dr. Rena Borkhataria is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Florida. She has an M.S. in
Zoology from North Carolina State University and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from University of
Florida. Her dissertation was on "Modeling population viability and habitat suitability for Wood Storks in the
Southeastern U.S."
Tues., March 23, 2010 -- Katie Sieving -- Forest Songbirds and Habitat Fragmentation
When forest habitats are divided by subdivisions, roads, or logging, what happens to the songbirds that
remain? How does the habitat fragmentation affect the birds' behavior? How can good landscape design make a positive
difference for songbirds?
Dr. Kathryn Sieving works in the Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation at the University of Florida. She
has a Ph.D. in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution from the University of Illinois.
Tues., April 27, 2010 -- Dick Diener -- The Hidden Beauty of Plants
On the average birding walk, you pass by hundreds of plants. Sure, there are usually some
pretty flowers to see, but do you know that you are constantly passing plants that are bizarre and beautiful
under the right magnification? Come see what you are missing!
Dick Diener is KVAS Treasurer and volunteers at Disney Wilderness Preserve. He is a retired engineer
who is one of our most knowledgeable local plant experts. He never met a microscope he didn't like.
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