The season is officially over. It is officially HOT!
Our outdoor activities may be slowing down during the hot summer months, but there are plenty of online committee meetings -- and even this month’s General Meeting is Zoom. So, you can keep engaged wherever you are.
The lazy days of summer are when we get organized for the future. This is when we plan our fundraisers and tabling events, and draft our calendar of general meetings and socials. Who doesn’t like a party?
We have Solid Waste Authority Meetings to speak at and County Commissioners meetings to speak at. It doesn’t matter what county you live in within the Loxahatchee Group area, you can be sure your elected officials need to hear from you about an environmental issue you care about.
There will be a primary in August. Now is the time to check your voter registration. Are you signed up for a Vote-By-Mail ballot? Be advised, the rules have changed. Your request for a Vote-By-Mail ballot must be renewed every year there is a general election — and your request is only good until the end of the year! This year, there will be a general election in November, so your request must be renewed if you want to vote by mail. It doesn’t hurt to check, so please do so.
I will be visiting Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks in July and I have found a century-old quote that still resonates! “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” From Sierra Club founder John Muir, in 1901!
A KEY position of any organization is the treasurer. Strong financial organization and oversight is indispensable for success. The treasurer of our group monitors the numbers, helps the executive committee make informed decisions, anticipates risk, and ensures that we are financially ready for our day-to-day activities.
Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group is seeking a dedicated volunteer treasurer to oversee our financial health and ensure transparency. Lila Kipp, our group’s current capable and conscientious treasurer, will be retiring at the end of 2027. We would like to welcome her successor as soon as possible so that Lila can work with the new treasurer and share the nuances of the position for a seamless, orderly transition.
If you have the skill and the interest and have been wondering how you can help us out, this is your opportunity to contribute in a big way.
Qualifications: Ability to balance a checkbook and use the internet. Basic bookkeeping and familiarity with Excel are nice to have, but definitely not required.
Time: 4-6 hours per month. Plus, annual close-out 10 hrs. Plus annual budget Meeting 4 hrs.
Responsibilities: Receive and file bank statements, balance checkbook. Forward monthly bank statement to Chair. Send monthly financial statement to executive committee members. Receive and file invoices and reimbursement sheets. Reimbursing within 2 weeks of receipt. Answer miscellaneous questions from executive committee members or committee chairs.
If you are interested, or know of someone who might fill the position, feel free to discuss with Lila Kipp, LilajoKipp@gmail.com
JUNE GENERAL MEETING
Legislative Session 2026 Then & Now
When: Thursday June 18 from 7 to 8:15 PM. Zoom only.
Program: Wrap up of the 2026 legislative session (hopefully, if they are done by then!). Where did we end up? Where do we go from here?
We all hear bits and pieces, but Javier Estevez, the Political and Legislative Director for Sierra Club Florida, will go over what really happened this session and then he will advise us on what can we do to prepare for next session. Javi has been with Sierra Club Florida since 2022, previously serving as the organization’s Operations & Legislative Coordinator. He was born and raised in Miami and brings a wealth of experience to his role, including his own run for the Florida State House in 2018, when he came within 417 votes of flipping a red district. Javi served his local Democratic Executive Committee for Miami-Dade as both Legislative Liaison and Campaign Chair from 2019-2021 and Chair of the Miami-Dade LGBTQ+ caucus from 2022-2024.
What: Create your own unique functional art in the form of a plate, bowl, or coffee cup. Event includes all materials. If you want to go bigger or make a set, you can. Discuss options with Picasso’s staff at the event.
· Join us for light refreshments, conversation, and a fun event with like-minded environmentalists. · Help us raise some funds for our conservation work. · We suggest comfortable dress to match the casual atmosphere at this art studio activity. · Your one-of-a-kind art piece will be ready for pick-up 1 to 2 weeks after the event.
Tickets: $40. We appreciate your covering the credit card fee. Manually you can change the Tip to Zero.
We filled the hearing room...and...the overflow room!
All the attention in April was on the proposed AI Data Center Silver Fox 606 in Indiantown.
We were there on April 30; we tried! There were over 100 folks there, 2 rooms, 26 speaker cards. But the zoning change was approved.
It was the second and final vote. The first had occurred on April 23, following protests by residents against data centers in Indiantown.
And then things quickly changed: Silver Fox 606 withdrew its application.
You think this is all over? Guess again.
Rumors are swirling around Florida Power and Light’s rezoning request for 5,700 acres of land on Kanner Highway, west of Warfield Boulevard.
And there are several large-scale data centers being proposed across the region, stretching from Palm Beach County to Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast.
Stay tuned and stay vigilant. We are!
It used to be that housing developments were the target in the Whack-A-Mole game of hanging onto Florida’s natural environment. These days it’s data centers.
Getting a jump on things: Here's our Energy Committee presentation for July...
Oceans at Risk: How You Can Help
By Richard Stowe, Loxahatchee Group Energy Committee Chair
The Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group Energy Committee is pleased to host an evening devoted to oceans and how to protect them.
When: Wednesday, July 22 from 6:30 to 8 pm. Where: Mandel Public Library, 3rd Floor Auditorium, 411 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach. What: Two ocean experts share ways we each can be a part of protecting our oceans and shorelines.
Catherine Uden, Senior Field Representative for Oceana in Florida, explains how Florida residents, business owners, and local elected officials can help Oceana advance legislation to protect our oceans and marine life. For over ten years, Catherine’s work has focused on ocean and coastal conservation in Broward County. She has led efforts to reduce plastic pollution, protect coastal habitat, and ensure public beach access. She previously taught in the Broward County Public School System for fifteen years.
Evan Orellana, Regional Surfrider Foundation Manager for Florida and Puerto Rico, shares how local volunteers can protect our ocean waves and beaches through beach cleanups and water testing. Evan earned a bachelor's of science in marine biology at Florida Atlantic University, specializing in the study of corals and jellyfish. He previously served as Director of Education at the Sandoway Discovery Center, an oceanfront historic nature and shark conservation museum in Delray Beach.
Light refreshments will be provided by the Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group Energy Committee.
Loxahatchee Group members and others on the corner of Southern and Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach on May 16.
On Saturday, May 16, Sierra Club Florida rallied across the state to send a loud S.O.S. for our Gulf shores and species – and the Loxahatchee Group showed up!
We had a dedicated, hot, and noisy crowd. There were non-stop honks in support of our messaging, which was only a few miles away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, making it clear the public is against expanded oil drilling in the Gulf and the threats posed to endangered species.
We mobilized across the state for Save Our Shores/Save Our Species with sign-waving events and rallies as part of a Gulf-wide and nationwide weekend of action to show public opposition to attacks on the Endangered Species Act and expanded offshore drilling in the Gulf.
The demonstration was tied to Endangered Species Day, which was May 15. Together, we’re sending a clear message: Floridians will not stand by while our wildlife, waters, and way of life are put at risk.
Floridians have defeated offshore drilling before – and we can do it again.
This is about more than one day of action. It’s about protecting our wildlife, our waters, and our future. For more information go here.
Great News from Martin County!
Louise C Yeiser and Jeff Whitman
There was a bunch of good news at the May 5 meeting of the Martin County Board of County Commissioners.
Commissioners accepted donations of several properties from Ms. Louise C. Yeiser. They will be preserved in perpetuity for conservation, environmental, and, in some instances, passive, nature-based recreation purposes.
They include three parcels totaling one acre in North River Shores along NW Spruce Ridge Drive in Stuart and 13 parcels totaling 6.7 acres adjacent to East Fork Creek on US 1, as well as adjacent to the Hobe Sound Scrub Preserve.
A big thank you to Ms. Yeiser for the donation and to Hobe Sound resident Jeff Whitman for working with the county to make it happen.
Ms. Yeiser has contributed nearly $10 million worth of land to the county, according to Environmental Resources Administrator John Maehl.
“I am so excited about being able to donate this land. So I invite other people with resources to please step forward and do the same thing. Together, we can really make a big difference,” she said.
The commissioners also:
Removed a requirement restricting a parcel along Haney Creek to commercial use. It is now to be used for conservation and recreational purposes.
Executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks, to construct a weir structure as part of the Cypress Creek Floodplain Restoration Project at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Adopted a resolution approving and accepting upland and sovereign submerged land easements from the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida (Board of Trustees). The project, once completed, will restore natural floodplain function, reduce erosion, and improve downstream water quality of Cypress Creek.
OUTINGS
Exploring local wild spaces together! Smaro Katsangelou (left) and Natasha Rattray pause beneath a moss-draped live oak during Michelle Dunaway’s Yamato Scrub Natural Area outing on May 13. The group explored Florida scrub habitat, learned about saw palmettos, spotted rabbits, and enjoyed a curiosity-driven morning in nature. Join us on a future outing to discover the hidden wonders of our local natural areas!
Want to become an Outing Leader with the Sierra Club? Now's Your Chance
Join us Saturday June 13 for an Outdoor Leadership Training Seminar near Orlando, where candidates will learn essentials of Sierra Club Values, conservation and safety, best leadership practices, group management, trip planning, and steps to leadership. Come learn how to help others explore, enjoy, and protect your favorite natural places!
Stay for Sunday, June 14, when we will offer a FREE CPR/First Aid Course! Only offered for current Sierra Club Outings Leaders or trainees. For questions on your current certification status, send an email to Jordan at jordan.holaday@sierraclub.org.
This training is for candidates interested in becoming outing leaders in their local communities. Outing leaders have the opportunity to lead hikes, paddles, and service projects across the state to bring people together to explore nature and mobilize communities around conservation issues. The volunteer experience is open to anyone, with no previous guiding experience required, as we provide training, community, and ongoing support.
By Maria E. Pizano-Balatovis, Loxahatchee Group executive committee member
On the morning of May 2, I participated in the planting of Florida native species at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area. The plantings had either been salvaged from the site prior to the commencement of an ongoing Shoreline Stabilization Project or they were genetically identical to those on site prior to the reconstruction.
The Nature Conservancy organized the event. Thirty-three participants planted 65 native species before the Florida sun exhausted us. Participants included two Nature Conservancy leaders, 21 members of the Martin County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, nine helpers from the general public, and myself.
Although I am a happy member of both the Nature Conservancy and the Florida Native Plant Society, I attended the event as a representative of Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group.
The $16 million Shoreline Stabilization Project by the Bureau of Land Management was started in January of 2025 and should be completed by early December of this year. The project includes installing a living shoreline of native mangroves to improve resiliency, offer habitat for juvenile fish, and improve the aquatic ecosystem. The goal of the project is to stabilize about five acres of shoreline and enhance recreational access.
I volunteer for the Jupiter Lighthouse because of the historical, cultural and ecological significance of this site. The Shoreline Stabilization Project, in the words of Katrina Heller, Executive Director of the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, “will revitalize our public lands and safeguard historical resources… for generations to come.”
I highly recommend visiting the unique Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area in beautiful Jupiter!
Arbor Day at Galaxy Scrub Preserve
By Kay Gates, former chair, Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group
Chris Lockhart at one of the display signs at the Preserve.
I celebrated Arbor Day (April 24) at the Galaxy Scrub Preserve in Boynton Beach. I was privileged to be led on a small group tour there by well-known biologist and nature expert Chris Lockhart, who has been hired by the city to oversee and direct restoration work at the preserve.
Restoring the preserve has also been a special project for our local Sierra Club Loxahatchee Group, championed by members Lisa Hanley and Mike Fitzpatrick.
I first visited the preserve more than five years ago on the initial Sierra Club work outing there. It was a jungle! A friend and I spent several hours filling garbage bags full of bottles, wrappers and cans. It was overwhelming.
Over the years, many volunteers have donated hours to removing non-native plants. A couple years ago and many work outings later, I helped guide Galaxy School students down a rudimentary path on one of their first tours of the preserve.
This April 24 was the first I had been back — what a pleasant surprise to see the marked difference. It really is looking like a Florida scrub preserve. Tons of non-native vines, plants and trees have been removed. Now there are open areas where native plants have come back. It is a visually different, beautiful place. In one special section, non-natives were completely removed, clear down to the bare ground, and then the area was hand planted with many flowering native plants. It’s an amazing site.
The benefits of restoring the preserve are multi-faceted. Consider what difference this rehabilitation is making to native wildlife. Then there is the wonderful learning experience the scrub provides for the urban students who get to visit. Also, I think the restoration has been a labor of love for many volunteers. I hope to return in six months to a year to continue to bear witness to the transformation.
There will be more Sierra Club sponsored work outings in the fall to continue the restoration work. Please watch Turtle Tracks for notices of these outings and join us.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
We were at it again!
If you did something last month that you want to let us know about, please contact Linda Smithe.
In April, Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) Trip LeaderPam Maldonado received the Sierra Club Florida Otter Award for her years of volunteer efforts with the group. We’re so grateful for all our amazing volunteers who make our outings with area youth happen all year. It was wonderful having everyone gather for a celebration of their work and commitment. In the photo ICO Chair Meryl Davids Landau is on the left with Pam and her award.
Also in April, Palm Beach County staff and several volunteers, including Loxahatchee Group members Randy Carle and Zara Brenner, spent several hours removing trash from Snook Islands Natural Area in Lake Worth Beach. The natural area, located in Lake Worth Lagoon, is adjacent to the Lake Worth Beach Golf Club. Volunteers concentrated their cleanup efforts along the mangrove-lined shoreline.
On April 30, volunteers and Mosquito Control staff spent several hours removing trash from Lake Ida Park in Delray Beach. Sabrina Carle did some crashing and bashing through wetland vegetation to get to some of the debris. During the three-hour event, the group filled 15 large trash bags with all kinds of trash.
Linda Smithe and and Brian Ducharme were among the volunteers who removed 300 pounds of trash during the May 6 cleanup event at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area. Thanks to everyone for working so hard to keep this natural area clean and green.
If you have escaped the heat, you may be doing great things up north. We would love to hear about them and share them. Please contact Linda Smithe. Thank you everyone!
SIERRA CLUB BROWARD GROUP EVENTS
June General Meeting
When: Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 6:30 pm in-person and 6:45 pm online
What: Is It Possible to Restore Nature in Your Own Yard?
Where: Online or in person at Veterans Park, 7600 NW 50th St, Lauderhill, FL 33351
Program: An informative video from Homegrown National Park and a live presentation from Group member and Broward Master Gardener Catalina Franco-Cicero.
Did you know that small changes in your yard can have a huge impact on biodiversity? By creating native habitat, you can help restore nature while experiencing the joy and fulfillment of connecting with the world around you.
The Homegrown National Park video will explain how biodiversity is declining and what you can do to help, offer simple and effective ways to create habitat and support wildlife, and explain the personal rewards of bringing nature back home.
Catalina’s live presentation will teach us about native gardening with a hands-on mini starter garden example, landscape options and a chance to ask questions.
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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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