Volunteers Wanted!

Interested in volunteering your time to help with local environmental efforts?

We’ve got some options for you!

1. Florida Springs Institute SpringsWatch:

BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST AND HELP MONITOR OUR SPRINGS!

SpringsWatch is a citizen science program that provides volunteers with hands-on training in the field. That “field” is Florida’s beautiful springs! Volunteers learn all aspects of water quality monitoring and get to know the wildlife and plants that depend on springs systems. This fun and educational day on the water also contributes to our springs knowledge database as well as that of other environmental agencies across the state.

Currently, the Florida Springs Institute has 11 active SpringsWatch groups across Florida, including Wekiwa Springs. During SpringsWatch sessions, volunteers collect data on water temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, vertical light attenuation, aquatic vegetation, wildlife, and human uses.

SpringsWatch is a great way to get out to the springs, learn, and help generate data that supports them.

**The Wekiva Springswatch sampling is scheduled the third Thursday of each month.**

Email michelle@friendsofwekiva.org if you’re interested!

Information provided by The Florida Springs Institute , https://floridaspringsinstitute.org

2. Dragonfly Mercury Project:

Every year Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System along with the help of volunteers surveys four sites around the Wekiva River System for juvenile dragonfly called nymphs or larvae. This year they sampled Wekiwa Springs Run (6/20/23), Lake Norris (6/29/23), Camp Joy (7/19/23), and Wekiva Falls (7/25/23).

The Dragonfly Mercury Project engages citizen scientists such as students, teachers and community volunteers in the collection of juvenile dragonflies, also known as dragonfly larvae, from national parks for mercury analysis. Check out this video on how to ID dragonfly nymphs to family, the DMP webpage, or download the DMP sampling guide here.

See this video for more details!

This year’s DMP samples are over but were a great success and we’re looking forward to next year’s already! If you’d like to join next year please reach out to Ashley at riverambassador@friendsofwekiva.org

3. Turtle Survey:

Volunteer with the Turtle Survival Alliance/North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group!

The Turtle Survival Alliance/North American Freshwater Turtle Research Group just wrapped up its July 2023 survey at Wekiwa Springs State Park and it was a great several days! But volunteers are always needed for future surveys at Wekiwa and other locations in Florida. Volunteers are needed primarily for canoeing to monitor swimmers and to help bring turtles to shore. Other volunteer opportunities may arise as needed. Performed for over 20 years, this group has acquired reliable data, produced scientific papers, inspired additional research and numerous students to continue their education in the natural sciences. All this on a shoe-string budget with a lot of volunteer assistance. Please contact Barbara Howell for more information if you’d like to join the next one! Barbara.Howell@floridadep.gov