Volume 4, Issue 1
Florida’s Living Beaches
January 2009
Blair and Dawn Witherington
RIVER TIDINGS
LOXAHATCHEE RIVER ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Join us on Friday,
January 23rd at 2 p.m. to see
the breath-taking
photographs and hear the
Creature Feature—Yellowbellied Sliders
Grab a canoe and head
down the Loxahatchee River
through the cypress swamps
to Trapper Nelson’s site and
you are bound to run into a
yellowbellied slider turtle,
also known as Trachemys
scripta scripta. These cute
little guys are how the
Loxahatchee River got its
name. The Seminoles
named the river
Loxahatchee, or River of
Turtles because there were
so many turtles on the river.
Today, you will find
You Can Help the River Center
We Need:
• Digital Video Camera
• Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
• Volunteers for Saturdays
• Stackable Washer/Dryer
www.loxahatcheeriver.org
fascinating stories of Florida’s
amazing coasts from Blair and
Dawn Witherington.
Blair and Dawn
Witherington are professional
naturalists. Blair is a research
scientist with the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Research
Institute. He has baccalaureate
and master’s degrees in Blair and Dawn have merged
biology from the University of their art, writing, photography,
Central Florida and a doctorate and design within a number of
in zoology from the University projects. Dawn has provided
of Florida. Dawn is a graphic artwork for several of the
design artist and scientific exhibits at the River Center and
illustrator trained at the Art our poster projects.
Institutes of Colorado and Ft.
Lauderdale. Her art and design
are prominent in natural history
books, posters, and exhibits.
them basking in the sun in to David Hitzig at Busch
pairs or groups on fallen logs. Wildlife Sanctuary. If you
Climbing out of the water, have a suggestion what to
they stretch their front and name these little guys (or
hind legs out as far as possible girls), email us!
to catch as many sun rays as education@loxahatcheeriver.org
possible.
Yellowbellied sliders are
native to our area, but their
cousins, the red-eared sliders
are non-native and are
considered an invasive
species.
Two yellowbellied sliders
recently made the River
Center their new home thanks
Upcoming Events:
• January 14—River Totters (Arts and
Crafts) at 9 a.m.
• January 23—Book Signing with Blair
and Dawn Witherington at 2 p.m.
• February 6—Jamie Monty, Florida Dept.
of Environmental Protection, “Florida’s
Coral Reefs and the Loxahatchee River –
Interconnected Environments ”, 12 p.m.
The Wild Side of the Loxahatchee River
New Art Exhibit Begins at the River Center
Lenore and Doug
Bailey have spent years in
south Florida
photographing wildlife and
naturescapes. Much of
their time has been spent on
the Loxahatchee River.
Please visit this beautiful
35 Years Dedicated to the Loxahatchee River
After 35 years of
service, this January
marks the retirement of
Loxahatchee River
District Executive
Director, Richard C. Dent.
In 1973, Rick Dent
began his career with the
Loxahatchee River
District as Director of
Planning & Resources.
Shortly thereafter, he
new art exhibit at the River
Center, Tuesday—Saturday, 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit will
be on display until March 15.
All artwork is available for
sale and prints and notecards
are available in the gift shop.
became Deputy Director,
followed by the position of
Executive Director in 1986.
Throughout his tenure,
he has contributed to the
level of expertise in
environmental management
which has resulted in
several awards for
excellence in operations,
safety. His leadership has
cultivated a roster of
employees with tenures of
15, 20 and 25 years. He
has upheld the District's
mission to preserve and
protect the river by
establishing the first-ever
catalogue of river data, the
state-certified WildPine
Laboratory, Friends of the
Loxahatchee River, a
volunteer water quality
monitoring network, the
www.loxahatcheeriver.org
relocation and expansion of
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary,
and the concept and creation
of The River Center.
On behalf the District,
Rick Dent has served as a
member of the Loxahatchee
Greenways Project, the
Loxahatchee River
Management Coordinating
Council, the Loxahatchee
River Preservation
Initiative, and as Director of
the Jupiter/Tequesta/Juno
Beach Chamber of
Commerce.
We thank him for his
dedication to our
community and for to
striving to preserve nature
by design, thus sustaining
the river for generations to
come.
Did You Know?
● Jus 1% of the Earth’s
water is available to us
to use. The rest is too
salty or locked in
glaciers.
● A small leak of just 1
drop per second can
waste 2,400 gallons of
water per year.
● An unrestricted shower
head runs 5-10 gallons
per minute. Use a high
pressure shower head
to decrease the gallons
you use.
Sarah Averett
Sarah is a student in
Martin County and is an
avid outdoors person with
a passion for the
environment. She
spends most Saturdays
and school holidays at the
River Center volunteering
as a docent for the touch
tank.
THANK YOU SARAH!