Hard to believe, but our Florida Legislative Session is already starting!
Many of our members have attended, or are planning to attend, local Legislative Delegation sessions. They would love to have you join them. The last local meeting is Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, The ElsCenter of Excellence,18370 Limestone Creek Rd, Jupiter , Jupiter, FL 33458. Anyone interested in addressing the Legislative Delegation at this meeting should call the Delegation Office at 561-355-2406 or email VNowlan@pbc.gov or KIngram1@pbc.gov. You should get 3 to 2 minutes to speak.
But what to speak on? What do you say? Sierra Club has 4 suggestions, feel free to add your own!
Last year’s State Parks Preservation Act: Our membership and all Floridians thank you for your votes ensuring that the State Parks Preservation Act passed the legislature last session unanimously and ensured lasting protection for all our State Parks for generations to come.
SB 180: Emergencies: This bill from the 2025 session effectively freezes Florida’s land-use planning system; jeopardizes community safety, resilience, and affordability; and shifts power away from elected local officials to developers and outside challengers. The legal and financial risk to local governments is very concerning. It has been described as “one of the most dangerous and ill-conceived pieces of planning-related legislation in modern Florida history.” A repeal or major legislative fix is urgently needed.
Auxiliary Containers: We support legislation to protect current restrictions by local municipalities on single use plastics and other auxiliary containers. We also support the right of local government entities to implement new restrictions and to incorporate DEP recommendations on auxiliary containers. Finally, we support legislation that protects the current restrictions on single use plastics in our State Parks.
Reforms for the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC): Recent attention has focused on the Public Service Commission in regard to the proposed increases in energy cost to the public. As for the Fish & Wildlife Commission, the largely unpopular Bear Hunt has drawn attention to their inclinations and actions. We support any legislation that will bring much needed reforms to both commissions.
If you can’t attend a local meeting, consider emailing and calling your local representative local representative. The official Legislative session runs from Jan 13, through March 13, 2026. If you wait to start voicing your concerns until then you are starting behind everyone else.
Do you want information on some of Sierra Club’s many campaigns? Find information on how to TAKE ACTION - it takes just a click to learn, sign petitions, share on social media, make phone calls and donate. https://www.sierraclub.org/florida/takeaction.
Thank you everyone for your continued advocacy!
If you are having trouble reading your Turtle Tracks in your email, try clicking on “View as a Webpage.”
Linda Smithe, Executive Committee Chair (561) 676-0277
November General Meeting:
LOXAHATCHEE SLOUGH JOURNEY
When: Saturday, November 15. Light Breakfast @ 9:30 am. Program from 10:15 —11:30 am.
Where: Green Cay Nature Center at Green Cay Wetlands. 12800 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach 33437
Program: Follow along on a journey of the Northern Everglades. Images of birds capture the tale of our restoration efforts in the Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area — how they are working and providing a hopeful example of the resilience of this one-of-a-kind landscape.
Speaker: Benji Studt - scientist, conservation photographer, nature communicator, and explorer! His goal is to inspire real connections between residents and visitors of the Palm Beaches and the incredible public lands system that makes this area so special. Benji’s advocacy for Wild Florida and his efforts to protect state parks through legislation have made him a key voice in the conservation community.
Optional: After the event, enjoy a walk along1.5 miles of elevated boardwalk through the 100 acres of wetland.
Fall marks the beginning of the two best seasons in Florida for enjoying the natural environment that the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group works to protect. And traditionally, fall has always been when our volunteers and friends have gathered for our annual fundraising Gala to raise the money necessary for our work.
This year, instead of the traditional Gala, we are hosting several smaller “fun” fundraising events that celebrate and are inspired by nature, while building community. In our efforts to raise funds, we have joined with other groups so that we can use their expertise and expand our capabilities. Our collaborations will increase our membership, educate the public, and enhance our collective mental and physical health.
JOIN US FOR OUR NOVEMBER FUN FUNDRAISING EVENT
Come learn how to make a lovely floral arrangement to take home and enjoy. This event is in cooperation with the Oleander Garden Club of the Palm Beaches and the Flower Guild of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
You'll also learn about new, eco-friendly options for floral design materials that do not contribute microplastics to our environment.
Make new friends who share your interest in preserving our beautiful planet for future generations, all while helping us raise funds to protect wildlife and wild places and ensure clean water and clean air for all!
Create Your Fall Floral Centerpiece (Your $50 donation covers all materials)
When: Saturday, November 22, 2025 Doors Open at 9:30 AM. Program Starts at 10:00 AM
Where: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Hall 211 Trinity Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
While volunteers are the power behind our organization, funds are essential for us to carry out our mission. Please visit https://www.sierraclub.org/florida/loxahatchee to learn more about our ongoing projects.
Pine Jog Elementary students Anthony Zanuga and Jacobo Ardila Gutierrez Jacobo (at the podium) also received this scholarship in 2024
Lanell Francois with an excerpt from his diary of camping highlights.
This past summer, the Loxahatchee Group sponsored a small but mighty group of three campers.
With the help of Afterschool/Summer Day Camp Director at the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, Wendy Bautista, two campers attended a weeklong session. Anthony and Jacobo are pictured attending a field trip to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Our third mighty camper, Lanell, attended the Everglades Youth Conservation Camp, a weeklong residential camp in West Palm Beach. Lanell was super excited to attend this year as he had missed attending the summer before. Lanell wrote an amazing diary of his camping highlights.
We are so proud to sponsor children such as these every summer! Witnessing the thrill of their adventures in the great outdoors is the best feeling. If you would like to join the committee that seeks out these environmental summer camps and locates these eco-enthusiastic students, please contact Mary Cassell.
Stop FPL’s Unaffordable Rate Hike!
Floridians pay some of the highest energy bills in the country. Since 2021, the average FPL customer has seen costs climb by hundreds of dollars. Thousands of families have even lost service because they couldn’t keep up with rising energy costs.
Now FPL is asking for billions more in rate hikes — one of the largest rate hike requests ever. If approved, it would mean even higher bills for customers while FPL collects massive profits.
But there’s a better option. One that puts Florida families ahead of corporate profits.
The Office of Public Counsel (OPC) has put forward a plan that lowers costs for families and small businesses while keeping power reliable. Regulators need to hear from YOU and others affected by high energy costs about why this solution is needed.
Florida is set to hold its first statewide black bear hunt in nearly a decade this December – but Governor DeSantis has the power to stop it. That’s why we’re mobilizing.
When: Monday, November 17, 11:00-1:00. But how to get to Tallahassee in time and for free????
How: Ride the Bear Bus! There are three FREE round-trip charter buses to rally for our bears on November 17 at the Capitol – and we need you there with us!
Bus and Travel Details: All buses are round-trip, free of charge, and equipped with restrooms, Wi-Fi, outlets, and complimentary snacks and refreshments. All bus riders must be active Sierra Club members. Not a member?
Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group members and supporters were at it again last month.
Please contact Linda Smithe if you or a Sierra Club member you know does something to further our Mission: To explore and enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth. To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources. To educate and enlist humanity to protect and to restore the quality of the natural and human environment. And to use all lawful means to carry out those objectives.
We want to highlight your efforts!
On Saturday, 9/20/2025 Gail Ladd joined 250 people at Ocean Cay Park to participate in International Cleanup Day hosted by Friends of Jupiter Beach and Keep PBC Beautiful. She walked with the North County Democratic Club. She took her picture after the event, because she was too busy to take pictures during.
On September 20, member Brian Ducharme, grandson Preston on the left, Preston's friend Ryder and other volunteers helped the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) remove 450 pounds of trash and recyclables from this 52-acre natural area located in Jupiter. That included 550 beverage cans, 132 plastic beverage bottles, 90 glass bottles, 40 food containers and lots of miscellaneous items.
On October 16, 2025, members Sabrina Carle (standing) and Brian Ducharme (in the boat) and other volunteers removed 1,380 pounds of trash during a Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) cleanup event at Hypoluxo Scrub Natural Area in the Town of Hypoluxo. A group of ten volunteers and three Department staff cleaned up several trash ‘hot spots’ within this 97-acre Palm Beach County natural area. The volunteers started in the parking lot, removing trash from under the boardwalk and towers and along the entrance. Next, the group cleaned the restored wetlands. The wetlands receive stormwater runoff from nearby streets during heavy rains. Any trash on the streets is swept away and enters the wetland. Department staff erected fencing around the outflow to trap the trash. This works for the most part – however, trash does get past the fencing. Volunteers grabbed paddles and kayaks to remove trash from interior sections of the wetland. They removed bottles, cans, plastic bags, cardboard, a tire and a large broken piece of beveled glass. Thank you, everyone, for working so hard to protect this Palm Beach County natural treasure. Check out ERM Facebook for this and other information
On Sat. Oct 18, 2026, SC Loxahatchee Group members joined the national No Kings Protest. No Kings estimated over 6,000 folks turned out in Palm Beach Gardens alone. Folks had signs highlighting their passionate objections against our current President. Participants wore costumes, sang, and chanted, all with respect for each other, our democracy and the constitution.
Maria Pizano Balatovis, Gail Ladd, and Linda Smithe (shown in two photos) attended the No Kings March in Palm Beach Gardens. Kay Gates - shown with the dinosaur, Sheila Calderon, Anne MacFadyen, Richard Stowe, and others attended the No Kings March in Lake Worth Beach. Sabrina Carle attended in West Palm Beach.
If you were there or at one of the other three protests in Palm Beach County and have photos, please share.
Notes For The Future
On Sunday Oct. 12, 2025, Bruce Rocheleau had his letter to the editor published in the Palm Beach Post. It was not directly about conservation, so we are not sharing it here, but everyone reads or hears about things that are good or bad and frequently think, “I should write a letter to the editor on that.” We are so happy Bruce had the thought and acted on it. You can too! If you are writing letters that aren’t published, don’t lose heart. The Editor must make hard choices. Your next one just might get in.
We are looking for photos from the Peace Gathering at Alligator Alcatraz on Oct 26. Surely someone went. Send a photo and how you felt about attending to Linda Smithe
National Public Lands Day
By Gail Ladd
In celebration of National Public Lands Day on September 27
I love being out in nature. It is calming and refreshes my soul. Normally I do not need an excuse to enjoy my time outdoors. I spend most mornings in my small, screened room or on my patio watching the critters in my yard enjoy the seeds I put out: doves, cardinals, blue jays, squirrels and yes, rabbits. One such morning, after looking through my emails, I was reminded it was National Public Lands Day. I hadn’t planned it, but decided on the spur of the moment to celebrate the Day with a walk in North Jupiter Flatwoods, one of Palm Beach County’s Natural Areas, only a few miles from my house.
With water, binoculars, and my phone, it only took me a few minutes to get into the car and be on my way. The North Jupiter Flatwoods is tucked beyond many playing fields of Jupiter Community Park and, on that Saturday, many happy youngsters and their families were enjoying volleyball and other sports. As I began my hike, I realized that I needed to walk farther into the woods for the cheering to be muted.
Bushy Wild Coffee plants, Wild Hibiscus (in bloom in photo), American Beautyberry, Saw Palmetto, and many cypress and pine trees were just some natives that greeted me as I walked along sandy paths and then a boardwalk over a marshy area. I was disappointed that I did not see many animals or birds, but perhaps there would be more during the week when there were fewer people in the park. This was not my first time in the Flatwoods, and I know I will return.
Green Heron at Okeeheelee Park (Photo by Ron Haines)
Sunday, November 9, 9:00 a.m. Explore the Wild Heart of Wellington Environmental Preserve . Join us for a relaxed 2-mile stroll along the paved trails and boardwalks of the Wellington Environmental Preserve — a hidden gem where native Florida landscaping meets Everglades restoration. This 365-acre rainwater storage area helps filter excess phosphorus before it reaches the Everglades, creating a haven for wildlife and nature lovers alike. As we walk, we’ll pause to appreciate native plants, spot butterflies fluttering among wildflowers, and scan the freshwater lake for herons, anhingas, and other feathered residents. We’ll linger at the trellis overlook to take in the tranquil beauty — and if luck is on our side, we might glimpse overwintering ruby-throated hummingbirds or the quick flash of a native green anole darting along the boardwalk. Trip Leader: Michelle Dunaway For information and registration
Sunday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m.John Prince Park in Lake Worth paddle. This is a leisurely two-hour paddle in the backwaters of an urban park in central Palm Beach County. Please arrive in time for launch at 10 am. Use the Congress Avenue entrance to John Prince Park, 4759 South Congress Ave, Lake Worth. Trip Leader: Ron Haines For information and reservations
Saturday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.Okeeheelee Park South in West Palm Beach paddle. This is a leisurely, two-hour paddle on the water trail at Okeeheelee Park South. The park is at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd, West Palm Beach. Go south from Forest Hill, NOT NORTH. Allow yourself time to launch at 10 please. Trip Leader: Ron Haines For information and registration
Sunday, November 23, 8:30 a.m. Pondhawk Natural Area: Urban Wildness, Natural Calm. Join us for a relaxed 2-mile hike through Pondhawk Natural Area (1501 Spanish River Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33431), an oasis of scrub and pine flatwoods nestled in the heart of Boca Raton. We’ll explore native plants like saw palmetto and slash pine thriving beside the hum of the city—and if we’re lucky, we may spot a gopher tortoise enjoying the sunshine. Our path includes both paved and sandy trails with some exposed roots, winding past a freshwater lake where we’ll pause to take in the view. Trip Leader: Michelle Dunaway For information and registration
Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.Upper Loxahatchee River paddle. Leisurely 3-4 hour paddle in the backwaters of Riverbend Park in Jupiter. Rentals available. Two portages required. Trip Leader: Ron Haines For information and registration
Leader Spotlight - Equity Inclusion Justice
Erica Hall
Erica Hall has been an active Sierra Club leader since 2008, serving in many roles. Erica is on the national Sierra Club Board of Directors and the executive committees of both the Florida Chapter and the Suncoast Group. She has also served as the Florida Chapter's Vice Chair and the chapter’s equity, inclusion and justice committee (EIJ).
For Erica Hall, protecting people and the planet isn’t just a passion, it’s a way of life. She first got involved with the Sierra Club in New York City, where she joined outings and cleanups, and she’s been leading ever since. Her journey has taken her through Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and now Florida, serving in countless leadership roles along the way.
Her environmental values are deeply rooted in what she calls her “Black & Green” identity, recognizing that environmental justice and racial justice are inseparable. Hands-on experiences like park, beach, and water cleanups showed her the importance of stewardship and justice, fueling a lifelong commitment to grassroots work. From saving Florida’s parks and protecting manatees and black bears, to advancing Ready for 100 Clean Energy and Beyond Coal, Erica has been at the heart of victories that donors make possible.
What sets Sierra Club apart, in her eyes, is the strength of its volunteers. “Our leadership model gives volunteers real responsibility and decision-making roles,” she says. “And our values—guided by the Jemez Principles—make us distinct.”
Erica believes that donors build the infrastructure we need to win. Her advice to new donors is simple, but powerful: “Donate to what you believe in. Put your dollars where your mouth is. Think of the communities you're helping."
When she’s not leading, Erica loves Florida’s natural treasures—from Fort DeSoto and Honeymoon Island to Clearwater Beach—and she feels a special responsibility to protect manatees and black bears. Books like Confronting Environmental Racism,The Intersectional Environmentalist, and Black Hibiscus have shaped her belief in the power of justice and storytelling in building movements.
Despite the challenges Florida faces, Erica finds hope in the next generation of environmental leaders, the strength of Sierra Club’s campaigns, and the ongoing dedication of its staff, volunteers and supporters. “That commitment gives me faith we’ll keep moving forward,” she says.
Did you know that you can manage your Club membership online? The web portal My Account enables you to view or update your membership information without the need to contact the Club offices.
When you log in to My Account, you will see your member ID and the last date that your membership is active. The “Manage Your Account” section lets you customize your membership experience as follows:
• Update your contact information (address, phone number).
• Specify your preferences for receiving different types of Club communications (by postal mail, email, and phone).
• See your recent membership renewals and donations and renew your membership.
• Read the digital edition of Sierra magazine and manage how you receive your copy (print, electronic, or not at all) and more.
What if you want to fine-tune the emails you receive?
Here’s how to do that:
Choose Communication Preferences. You can adjust your fundraising, phone call, and sharing preferences here and then hit the Manage Email Preferences box.
Go to Your Current Subscriptions. Choose My Chapter. You can decide on the others. Further down on the same page under More Ways to Stay Up To Date, you can choose which National Sierra Club Newsletters you want.
Now go to Your Current Local Subscriptions to see which Florida (or other) Groups you may already be subscribed to. Then choosing Other Local Subscriptions will allow you to see and subscribe to publications from every Chapter and Group in the country. They are in alphabetical order by Chapter, so to find Florida groups scroll to the F section. You’re looking for things starting FL Chp followed by the group name. Definitely keep yourself subscribed to the Loxahatchee Group!
Don’t forget to hit the red Save Preferences button at the end of all this!
Contact Ron Haines Ron Haines if you have any questions.
Highlights from the Sierra Club Florida Chapter Quarterly Meeting in September
Group Photo
A major announcement at this meeting was that the Florida Chapter has won National Sierra Club’s Chapter Strong Award, recognizing outstanding work to build chapter strength and capacity; and congratulating the Florida Chapter for landmark statewide policy wins, innovative fundraising, and equity-centered grassroots expansion.
There were many great presentations during the meeting. Take your time to explore all the links below. If you have any questions, the presenters’ email addresses are also listed below.
Florida Chapter Quarterly meetings are open to all members! The next is scheduled for Sat. Dec. 13 in South Bay, Palm Beach County! More info to come.
Spring Internship: Enjoy, Explore, and Protect Florida!
Our mission is to enjoy, explore, and protect the natural and threatened places in Florida, to teach others to understand and respect the fragile environment in which we live, and to support equal environmental justice for all.
If you are a college student, consider learning more and applying for a Sierra Club internship.
Or
If someone you know is a college student, consider sharing this information.
In this program, the intern must arrange to acquire course credit from their college or university. Any participating intern must be a minimum of 18 years of age. There is no financial reward, but lots of experience and satisfaction rewards.
Get involved locally to protect and serve our environment!
Getting too many Sierra Club emails? Don’t hit unsubscribe! Use the Manage Preferences option at the bottom of this or any other Sierra Club email to choose what you want and what you don’t want. Please keep on subscribing to My Chapter, the first option, so you continue to receive Turtle Tracks, our local newsletter. The rest of the email options? Decide for yourself. If you have any questions, contact Ron Haines at ronaldhaines@bellsouth.net.
About Turtle Tracks
Turtle Tracks is the monthly newsletter of the Sierra Club Florida Loxahatchee Group. It contains environmental news and activities of interest to Sierra Club members and supporters in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. Contributions from readers are welcomed. Please review our submission guidelines.
NOTE: We encourage you to forward this newsletter to friends, but please remove all the information below this line before doing so to protect your privacy.
