Everyone understands that members and new members are our organization’s life blood. But did you know that our Loxahatchee Group has not had a membership chair for a long time?
We do have a group of dedicated individual volunteers sending emails to new members, following up with new faces after our general meetings, following up with snail mail postcards, working local tabling events, conducting outings, and uploading information about meetings and images of our outings and events on social media.
What we don’t have is the orchestra leader for all of these individual activities. Without a designated leader helping to coordinate our membership activities new and old members slip through the cracks. We can’t afford that loss of talent, experience, and enthusiasm.
I know there are one or two friendly, organized individuals reading this willing to work to further our mission through increasing and maintaining our local membership. If that's you, raise your hand!
Thank you for everyone’s continued advocacy.
New Members and Experienced Members Welcome!!!
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Trash is an important topic for South Florida since Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties are considering options for landfill, including incineration and zero waste options. These decisions will affect our waste stream for many generations to come, so it is important that we stay engaged in the decision process.
Sierra Club Zero Waste Policy opposes any form of combustion of waste. The definition of incineration in the policy includes “waste to energy” and “plastic to fuel” mislabeled as “chemical recycling.”
Among the reasons Sierra Club opposes incineration is the fact that the energy saved by recycling and composting waste materials exceeds the amount of energy produced by incineration by three to five times.
This event is sponsored by the Loxahatchee, Miami, and Broward Sierra Club Groups.
Distinguished Moderator:
Louis Aguirre -WPLG Local 10’s Environmental Advocate. His signature campaign, Don’t Trash Our Treasure, has become a cornerstone of environmental awareness in South Florida. Mr. Aguirre has hosted community town halls and moderated expert panels, helping to bridge the gap between science, policy, and the public.
Panel Includes:
· Marcelo Balladares - Advocate and organizer for climate and environmental justice and is the Sierra Club Florida Everglades Organizing Representative. Marcelo helps lead the Don't Incinerate, Innovate! campaign in Miami Dade.
· Richard Ramcharitar - Executive Director of Broward Clean Air. Broward Clean Air was the main local partner and co-host of the Zero Waste Week Global Zero Waste Forum this past spring.
· Dr. Philip Stoddard - Professor of biology at Florida International University 1992-2024 and Mayor of South Miami from 2010-2020.
· Anagha Iyer - High school senior and Chair of Broward Sierra Group-Junior Team.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22. Doors open 9:30AM. Workshop from 10:00-11:30AM.
Where/Host: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Hall, 211 Trinity Place, West Palm Beach, FL. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is graciously providing their beautiful hall to support our Sierra Club Mission.
Event: Create an attractive flower arrangement to celebrate the fall. All materials provided, including ceramic pumpkin cookie jar-vase, ecofriendly/compostable floral foam, greenery, and, of course, flowers.
Members of Oleander Garden Club of the Palm Beaches and the Flower Guild of Holy Trinity will be on hand to provide guidance and personal assistance.
Cost: $50.00*, due at registration
*Note: We would appreciate you covering the credit card fee of $1.80.
You do not have to leave a tip. Set option to “zero.”
Join us for light refreshments and conversation. A fun event with like-minded environmentalists. Activities will require comfortable dress to match the comfortable atmosphere. (Bring your refillable water bottle for drinks.)
Loxahatchee Group Chair to receive National Sierra Club Award
Linda Smithe
Please tune in on October 8 when our own group chair, Linda Smithe, will be named a winner of the National Sierra Club’s Atlas Award. The Atlas Award honors administrative contributions to groups and chapters that often take place behind the scenes, but are critical to the functioning of our organization.
Linda will be one of more than 20 volunteers from across the country to receive various honors in the annual awards ceremony. It will be broadcast live October 8 at 7 pm on YouTube and Facebook. Register here to get the links.
When the Loxahatchee Group faced a leadership gap in 2021, Linda Smithe—then just newly elected to the executive committee—stepped up without hesitation.
In the nearly five years since, she has transformed our group into a powerhouse for conservation in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Martin counties.
Linda has kept members connected through the pandemic, expanded community outreach, and led successful campaigns to protect Palm Beach County’s Agricultural Reserve and fend off destructive development proposals in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
Her leadership blends meticulous organization with contagious passion, inspiring others to write letters, attend meetings, and take action. She has improved internal communications, launched the “Chair Chat” column in our newsletter, and developed tools to keep conservation issues front and center.
A Sierra Club member since 1988, Linda brings decades of environmental expertise, unwavering dedication, and boundless energy to her volunteer job. The Loxahatchee Group is fortunate to have her.
I am the keeper of the Loxahatchee Group's printed Turtle Tracks, which date back to the late 1970's. The collection is a treasure trove of the history of our Group and makes for fascinating reading.
If anyone knows how to digitize these issues and help us get it done, please contact me at lisasierralox@gmail.com
Here are some of my thoughts after reading the October 1985 issue:
--Our Executive Committee met at the Howard Johnson Restaurant in West Palm Beach, which closed in 2022. These days our meetings are on Zoom and are open to all members in good standing.
--Ron Haines was leading canoe trips – something he still does, although he no longer uses his 17-foot Grumman “war canoe.”
--I also learned that our Group was involved in issues that we are still, 40 years later, fighting for and against.
Here's one example: In 1985 we were promoting a 75-million-dollar public beach bond referendum that was unfortunately defeated, according to the Sun Sentinel, by beachfront property owners and western community retirees. Today, we are advocating for the continued development of Milani Park, land left to Palm Beach County 50 years ago by the Milani family, specifically for a public park. Beachfront property owners and the town of Highland Beach are lobbying against the project, on which the County has already spent six million dollars. Reach out to your commissioners and ask them to support this public use of public land. Find your commissioner here.
And another: In 1985, toxic waste was in the news and it is again in 2025. Today the Loxahatchee Group is mobilizing to defeat the proposed Palm Beach County 1.5 billion dollar trash incinerator. Read about the issue here.
The point of this stroll down memory lane is to encourage our members to keep up the good fight, stay involved, stay on top of current issues, and support those who are advocating for what we, the Sierra Club, value.
And don't forget: If you can help me digitize this history of our Group, please let me know.
GOING ELECTRIC
“Inside the rush to buy an electric vehicle” was published online by National Geographic, Sept. 18, 2025. The article was written by Meryl Davids Landau, a Loxahatchee Group member.
We are so proud of our group member for spreading the word nationally that “EV’s are increasingly affordable and reliable!”
Meryl writes, “When I last shopped for a new car seven years ago, my primary focus was on style, size, and color. This time around, I had to learn a whole new lexicon: capacity, range, regenerative braking, level-two charging, and more. That’s because, for the first time, I was in the market for an electric vehicle.”
Inside scoop: Meryl bought a Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
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!
Letter to the Editor, Palm Beach Post, August 28, 2025
Stop Florida’s black bear hunt
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC) is preparing to open black bear hunting. The last Forida black bear hunt, several years ago, was a failure. Bears ineligible to be hunted were killed, including lactating female mothers and bears below the weight requirements. The cubs, no longer being fed, died. Without their mother they were denied food to survive.
Hunting provides no benefit to solving the problem of bear-human conflicts because hunting focuses on bears who are in the wild, those that are not a threat to humans. Black bears are not a food source for humans and only provide a trophy. This is not a good reason to hunt an animal. At this time, bear biologists have not provided the necessary science to support a bear hunt. Bear numbers are not increasing. The science indicates that there are not too many bears, but instead, too few. Bears are an interesting species for those who enjoy viewing wildlife. Bears are a beneficial species, an important part of our ecosystem. We, the Loxahatchee Group, Sierra Club, ask that the hunt vote be denied or postponed.
Drew Martin, Conservation Chair, Loxahatchee Group Sierra Club, lives in Lake Worth.
Cleanup at Snook Island Natural Area in Lake Worth Beach August 28, 2025
Linda Smithe, left inset above, and Sabrina Carle, right inset, plus other volunteers and county staff in group shot above, spent several hours removing trash from the Snook Island Natural Area in Lake Worth Beach. Located in Lake Worth Lagoon adjacent to the Lake Worth Beach Golf Club, the natural area is a wetland wonderland featuring lush mangrove forests, oyster beds and open sandy areas perfect for nesting shorebirds.
The volunteers concentrated their cleanup efforts along the mangrove-lined shoreline. The large aerial roots of red mangrove trees trap trash brought in by high tides. What types of trash did the volunteers remove from the natural area? Plastic bottles (lots of those), golf balls (lots of those), beer bottles, aluminum cans, plastic bags (lots of those), clothing, fishing-related debris, boating-related debris, food wrappers and wood boards from docks. The effort filled a truck with 1,280 pounds of trash!
Thank you, volunteers, for working so hard to preserve and protect this Palm Beach County natural treasure.
Palm Beach Commission Meeting, August 28, 2025
Gail Ladd, seen on monitor photo above, and about 30 other members of the public spent almost all day in the Palm Beach County Commission Chambers waiting for the opportunity to speak for 3 minutes to support maintenance funding for all environmentally sensitive lands managed by Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management (ERM). Currently, ERM uses funds from the purchase of Transfer of Development Rights, TDRs.
The Development and Construction Community wants to divert the TDR funds to finance more housing. Sierra Club believes increasing housing, especially affordable and low-income housing, is important, but not at the expense of our environmentally sensitive lands. Actually, a pot of money currently exists as voters passed a $200 million Housing Bond in 2022, which has not been used up yet.
There was a happy ending. During over an hour of discussion between the Palm Beach County Commissioners and staff, all the Commissioners went on record supporting the funding of our environmentally sensitive lands' maintenance. This was not a vote but was very encouraging and it will be hard for the commissioners to reverse their statements.
Clean-up at Loxahatchee Slough, September 18, 2025
Linda Smithe and Brian Ducharme, on left, and other participants removed 1,940 pounds of debris (that is almost one ton!)
We even saw a white-tailed deer that crashed the cleanup party.
Countywide Transportation Master Plan Meeting, September 10, 2025
On September 10, Linda Smithe attended a Countywide Transportation Master Plan Meeting at the Palm Beach Gardens Library. She made comments and was even on WPEC, Channel 12 News that night.
Eight separate Transportation Master Plan meetings were held across Palm Beach County in September. We can have a voice in the master plan if we make the effort. The goal of the Countywide Transportation Master Plan (CTMP) is to establish a planning framework that provides for a countywide vision for transportation and mobility that safely connects people to places and provides for a multi-jurisdictional process. For more information check out: https://pbcmoves.com
Your Yard’s a Biological Desert
At our September General Meeting, Conservation of Soil and Water for Your Yard, Carly Batts, owner of Be the Change Native Plants and Landscape Design, shared important ways to make our yards more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The program was well attended and the information well received. Many thanks to all the participants.
Carly gave us an insightful look at the importance of soil development and biodiversity in our yards.
· The typical American forest is full of biodiversity. More plants, animals and insects than you can name. It is a balanced system with no need for irrigation, fertilizers or pesticides.
· Typical urban lawns are a biological desert with very limited plant, animal and insect diversity. It constantly needs irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides.
· Once developed, it takes 30 years for the land to become ‘natural’ again. It takes 1,000 years to generate 3 cm of topsoil.
When considering your landscaping, consider the wildlife you are trying to attract. Plant what they need and want.
Member Sam Cintron and daughter Veronica at the pottery party/fund-raiser last month.
Thank you for supporting our Paint Pottery fund-raising event in August at Potter’s Cove. Everyone that attended had a wonderful time and the food and wine were great. The creativity was amazing.
You all helped to support our Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group mission. The ticket sales, combined with generous additional donations, allowed us to raise over $400. Thank you again! Go here to see all the photos.
What else can you do? Stay engaged. Our work—and your voice—will be just as important in the months ahead.
For more information check out our website and our events.
October Outings
Saturday, October 11, 8:00 AM – Knee-Deep in Nature: Join Us at Coral Cove Park on Jupiter Island. A relaxed 1.5-hour walk through diverse Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway coastal habitats. Leader Michelle Dunaway. Register here.
Saturday, October 11, 8:00 AM – Morning Bird Migration Walk near Weston. Leisurely walk in Markham Park near the Everglades to observe migrating birds. Leader Jordan Holaday, jordansierraleader@gmail.com, 732-912-1800. Register here.
Saturday, October 11, 9:00 AM – Family Friendly Wildflower Walk near Homestead. Leisurely walk on the Long Pine Key Nature Trail in Everglades National Park near the Homestead entrance. Leader Kaatje Bernabei, kaatjebernabei@bellsouth.net, 305-298-0277. Register here.
Sunday, October 26, 8:00 AM – Explore Hidden Habitats at Yamato Scrub in Boca Raton. A gentle two-mile hike wandering from sunlit scrub into shady flatwoods and quiet basin marsh, noticing the plants and wildlife that call these rare habitats home. Leader Michelle Dunaway, spotspotcat@comcast.net. Register here.
Friday, October 31, 6:30 PM – Halloween Night Hike at Miramar Pineland Park. Leisurely evening walk led by a Broward County Park Naturalist. Leader Jordan Holaday, jordansierraleader@gmail.com, 732-912-1800. Register here.
Sunday, November 9, 11:30 AM – Flamingo Gardens Tour in Davie. Three-hour tour of a 60-acre botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary. Leader Max Goldstein, maxgold@yahoo.com. Register here.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTION
Sierra Club Members,
All members are encouraged to vote in our annual Executive Committee election. This year seven candidates are running. In alphabetical order, they are Michelle Dunaway, Pat Edmondson, Glenn Laufer, Kiele Mader, Drew Martin, Sylvia Sharps, and Carol Stender. These seven candidates are vying for five open seats on the nine-member Executive Committee.
You must have your membership number to vote. All members will receive a postcard or email containing their membership number. Stay tuned, your ballot will be arriving in October.
Broward Group General Meeting:
Planning for Resilience in Broward County
Dr. Jennifer Jurado
When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025, 6:30 pm
Where: In person only! Veterans Park, 7600 NW 50th St, Lauderhill, FL 33351
Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Jurado, Chief Resilience Officer and Deputy Director of Broward County Resilient Environmental Department
In Spring 2025, Broward County formally published the Resilient Broward Plan, which presented risk assessment and adaptation strategies to address combined flood and heat risk. The plan includes a robust assessment of the economic benefits derived from infrastructure improvements and redevelopment strategies designed to reduce risk, avoid damage losses, and minimize economic disruptions. Dr. Jurado’s presentation will provide an overview of the conditions leading to the development of this plan, anticipated benefits and costs, policy recommendations, and activities already underway related to this plan, as well as other priority climate initiatives.
All kinds of snacks will be on hand! Bring your refillable water container.
From Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward:
As Chair of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), I’m proud to announce the launch of SoFloGO, a new mobile app unifying regional transit across South Florida. The app streamlines trip planning and fare payment for Tri-Rail, Metrorail, Metrobus, Metromover, BCT, and Palm Tran.
The SB 180 Emergencies bill from the 2025 legislative session effectively freezes Florida’s land use planning system; jeopardizes community safety, resilience, and affordability; and shifts power away from local elected officials to developers and outside challengers. The legal and financial risk to local governments is very concerning. The SB 180 law 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.
1000 Friends of Florida has published an insightful analysis of Senate Bill 180 on purely constitutional issues:
First, this law is unconstitutional because it violates the single object limitation: “Every law shall embrace but one subject in matter properly connected therein....” This law violates the single subject rule because it invalidates comprehensive plan and land development code measures that have no logical connection to the main purpose of the law, Emergency Management. The title is misleading.
This law creates unreasonable classifications. It applies the same prohibitions against cities that suffer no hurricane related damage as it does to those that do. The boundaries are based on an arbitrary 100 miles of a hurricane’s track.
This law violates the natural resources clause of the Florida Constitution by precluding local governments from enacting changes to their comprehensive plans and codes. These changes may be necessary to conserve and protect their natural resources, scenic beauty, remove air and water pollution, and excessive or unnecessary noise.
Finally, this law violates the unfunded mandates provision in the Florida Constitution, which requires that local emergency and management related staff positions meet increased biannual training requirements and participate in an annual emergency readiness conference. It adds new pre- and post-storm event recovery requirements that will require funding from counties and cities. It imposes new requirements relative to debris management sites that will require county and city additional expenditures.
If you don’t like this law, please tell your Senators and Representatives:
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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.
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