Nature Festival in Punta Gorda

What a great day to meet and enjoy the company of fellow citizens concerned with the environment and future of Florida.  Held in Punta Gorda in Laisley Park on November 17, 2018, there were lots of exhibitors including Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Audubon, Rookery Bay Research Reserve, Lemon Bay Conservancy, Lee County Parks & Rec, the UF Florida Master Naturalist Program, People for Protecting Peace River, and many others.

It was a great chance to increase your knowledge of the great things Florida has to offer and the myriad ways these great things are under attack by man and nature.

For example, did you know there is a program that uses chickens to detect disease. Chickens are placed strategically around areas that have mosquito issues (like Florida) and their blood is sampled periodically to see if they have been bitten by a disease carrying mosquito.  The chicken is not harmed by the disease or the procedure, but the information provided helps identify areas that need immediate help.  Sentinel Chickens.

Here are a few photos of the event: