Thank You to All Those Who Participated

Dear Editor,

The organizing committee for the Nature Coast Wildlife Experience would like to thank the many people who participated in making this first-ever event such a great success. We drew from an incredible pool of talented people for trip leaders and speakers, including the staffs of the Lower Suwannee/Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges, the Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve and the FWC's Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab. Dr. Harvey Lillywhite from the University of Florida, Libby Zimmerman, Ranger with the Goethe State Forest, USGS botanist Colette Jacono, Levy County Extension Agent Albert Fuller and Brenda Heberling, photographer Sean Dowie, scrub jay expert Dr, Karl Miller, John Hintermeister, Brian Mattice, Bill Leeming of Southern Cross Sea Farms ( who also donated clams for our socials, as did Mike Hodges and Mike Smith) and Linda White of Audubon's Eagle Watch Program all led trips or gave talks. Committee members Doug Maple and Brack Barker also led trips. Our three keynote speakers, John Moran, Lovett Williams and Ron Louque, gave fascinating talks each evening after attendees had partaken of delicious snacks at the Lions Club. A special thanks goes out to our volunteers: Barbara Maple, who organized the food for the socials in the evenings, Billie Carlton, who also designed our blue heron logo, Cherie Kelly, Janet Blackwell, Roberta Wilson, Denise Bierworth (oh, that clam chowder!), who also prepared and served the breakfast on Friday morning, Suzanne Murph, Melissa Jackson, Meg Hall and Jacob Nemeth and his reptile collection.

Last, but not least we especially want to thank Doug Maple, who had the vision of creating this event in the first place, and who led us through the bumps and pitfalls over the months as we felt our way toward the realization of our plans. We could not have done it without him.

Sincerely,

The Nature Coast Wildlife Experience Organizational Committee