The May-June edition of the Sierran is now available.
Click here to view the .pdf file.

Central Florida Sierra Club will join the Manatee Sarasota group at Caya Costa State Park. Come join us for a great weekend at one of the state's premier island state parks. Cayo Costa State Park, a jewel of the Gulf coast, lies west of North Ft. Myers and is accessible only by private boat or passenger ferry. It has one of the top rated beaches in the nation. We'll paddle out Fri. with a stop at legendary Cabbage Key restaurant for lunch (the inspiration for Jimmy Buffet’s song Cheeseburger in Paradise) and paddle back on Sun.

Leader: Don Kirkley: 941 493 3085 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (Manatee/Sarasota Group).

Several of us from Orlando will be carpooling down for the weekend so contact Mary-Slater for more info on leaving from Orlando: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Saturday, May 17 at 9:30am Hike at Disney Wilderness Preserve

Located in Kissimmee, the Disney Wilderness Preserve protects the headwaters of the Everglades ecosystem. This 12,000-acre preserve, which is owned by The Nature Conservancy, is bordered by Lake Russell, one of the last undeveloped lakes in central Florida. It is also home to hundreds of wildlife species, many of which are rare, such as bald eagles, Florida scrub-jays, sandhill cranes and gopher tortoises.  Staff from The Nature Conservancy will meet us and update us on plans to develop roads through this natural area. We’ll hike 3.5 miles and have lunch at the lake. Bring lunch, drinking water, hat, and sun block. This is a good hike for children and families. Cost: $3 for adults, $2 youth. Address: 2700 Scrub Jay Trail, Kissimmee, FL 34759 RSVP: Mary-Slater 407-481-4398 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Directions:

From I-4 Exit onto Hwy. 535 and head south.

Follow 535 to Poinciana Blvd. Turn right (south) onto Poinciana Blvd.

Follow Poinciana Blvd. approximately 15 miles until you reach the intersection of Poinciana Blvd. and Pleasant Hill Road. Turn right onto Pleasant Hill Rd.

Continue to the first stop light, which is Dover Plum.

Turn left onto Dover Plum and continue until you come to the second stop sign, which is at the end of Dover Plum.

Turn right and shortly thereafter turn left at the first left drive onto Scrub Jay Trail following it into the preserve to the parking lot.

Come have an exciting day at the Green Earth Expo and make sure to stop by and visit us at  Booth 804  near the food court and the main entrance.

They expect over 50,000 to attend Green Earth Expo 2008 to learn how to Green their lives in many different ways. Expo information is included below, but be sure to check back often as we will be updating this page and adding to the Green Earth Expo 2008 program.

Expo Hours:
Thursday,  May 15:             10am – 6pm            *Exhibitors &Corporate/Government Attendees only
Friday,     May 16:             10am – 6pm     
May 16: ECO KID'S Day, click the link below for information:
Saturday,  May 17:             10am – 6pm
Sunday,    May 18:             10am – 3pm

We have reserved Thursday, May 15 as a “Business-to-Business” day to promote Sustainable commerce amongst the corporate community.  We do welcome the General Public to attend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Learn more about the expo visit their web site

The Econ River Wilderness is a 230 acre site off of Lockwood Blvd. southeast of Ovideo. It consists of beautiful oak hammocks, pine flat woods and sand hill habitat. The loop is 2.7 miles (round trip) and we’ll have lunch. This is a nice hike for children. We may see fox squirrels, river otters and gopher tortoises. From downtown take SR 50 (Colonial) east to Alafaya Trail. Turn left (north) onto Alafaya Trail. And travel north until McCullough Rd. Turn right (east) onto McCullough Rd and follow to intersection with old Lockwood Rd. Left onto Old Lockwood. The wilderness is 1/10 of a mile on right off of Old Lockwood. Bring lunch. RSVP: Mary-Slater Linn 407-481-4398 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This man-made system of levees, impoundments and pumping systems is designed to remove water from Lake Griffin, circulate it through nearly 2000 acres of marsh and open-water habitats, and eventually return it to the lake in a purer state.   In the process, the nutrients are removed. Known for its varying habitats and size, what separates the conservation area from other preserves is the wildlife drive which we wil bike. Built atop the dikes in the treatment marsh, the drive provides access to the interior of wetland habitats. Meet at 9:00am at the Burger King on 441 in Apopka and follow us to Lake County. Bring lunch. RSVP: Mary-Slater Linn 407-481-4398 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Cross Seminole Trail is a paved recreational trail that has been designated as one of Seminole County's Showcase Trails because of its length, beauty, and accommodation of various users. The section of Cross Seminole Trail from downtown Oviedo to the I-4 Pedestrian Bridge in Lake Mary has been designated as part of the Florida National Scenic Trail, a 1300-mile trail running from the panhandle to the Everglades. The main trail passes through some heavily wooded areas with a variety of native plants and trees. We’ll meet at the Black Hammock Trailhead (off of State Road 434) and ride approx. 10 miles. 

RSVP: Mary-Slater Linn This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 407-481-4398

Cost: $5.00 for hiking/biking guide book (optional)

We’ll carpool from Orlando at 9:30am and head over to Merritt Island and hike the Crookshank Trail. Merritt Island was established in 1963 when NASA created Kennedy Space Center. The 5-mile long Crookshank Trail is along the berms and banks surrounding marshland. We usually see great wildlife and people from across the WORLD come here to see birds. You need to come just to say you have been to Merritt Island!

Bring your binoculars and we’ll look for rosate spoonbills (the bright pink bird), rare white pelicans, ducks, egrets and gators and small mammals. After we hike the trail and drive the Black Point Drive loop and head to Dixie Cross Roads for lunch of their famous rock shrimp.

Cost: $5.00 for hiking guide book (optional) and bring money for lunch.

RSVP: Mary-Slater Linn This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 407-481-4398