Marco Nature Night

The Marco Island Beautification Advisory Committee hosted Marco Nature Night on Wednesday, March 19th for a full crowd in the Community Room at the Police Station. Marco Island Charter Middle School band was the first to greet attendees with their lively renditions of popular hits. Members of the Beautification Committee welcomed everyone at the door with a warm hello and a raffle ticket to win a plant, donated by both Rhonda Gloodt and her husband, along with Affordable Landscaping Service and Design.

Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island, Audubon Western Everglades, FL Master Gardener, Collier County Pollution Control, FL Native Plants Society, and Naples Native Plants were among the many tables of helpful information on exploring our environment and tips on how we can contribute to it. 

The JW Marriott provided a delicious assortment of refreshments to enjoy as attendees mingled with the evening’s presenters and several informative volunteers. Questions and inquiries were met with smiles, volunteer opportunities, plenty of takeaways, and go-to pamphlets of easy steps you can take to beautify your surroundings. 

Brittany Piersma of the Audubon Western Everglades kicked off the presentations highlighting key facts on the four main shorebirds who have migrated and are currently nesting on Marco Island beaches. She explained the importance of limiting the disturbance for both the birds and their nests to allow them time to rest and care for their eggs. She went on to share ways we can help increase the water quality of the island by being mindful of the fertilizers and pesticides we use that end up in the canals. By doing so, we can help in lowering the growing number of sick and dying birds and other wildlife.

Tyler Beck, an environmental technician for the Collier County Parks and Recreation, presented next on the lifecycle of a sea turtle. Of the seven types of sea turtles in the world, five are in Florida, and three are in our own county. As nesting season is approaching (May 1st-October 31st), we need to be cautious while boating, ensure nests are safeguarded, and keep an eye out for mother turtles coming ashore to lay eggs. If you live on or visit the beaches, be sure to limit your nighttime activities. If you do see a mother turtle or baby turtles crawling, keep your lights off and watch from a distance.

Lisa Foreman of FL Master Gardener was third, offering a colorful slideshow of the varied native plants in our area and encouraging attendees to have fun creating lush landscapes in their yards. Native plants require less maintenance, need less water, don’t demand fertilizers, and provide much needed cover for wildlife. From the Coral Honeysuckle that can grow up to 12 feet tall, the Callicarpa americana or ‘Beauty Berry’ that makes a yummy jam, to the Firebush, whose leaves can be crushed up and then rubbed on a Fire ant bite to take the sting away – everyone learned something new about the flora and fauna surrounding us. You can visit the Native Plant Nurseries in Naples and purchase native plants for your yard.

Rhonda Gloodt, The Butterfly Whisperer, wrapped up the informative evening by educating on the benefits that butterflies can bring to our environment, such as pollination, health, and economic value. Butterflies are a perfect indicator of a healthy ecosystem. Their absence alerts scientists to investigate the issues of a specific area. She touched on the unfortunate fact that the Monarch Butterfly population has decreased by 80% in recent years. One small yet effective way we can help with this endangered species is by planting milkweed, which serves as both a home and food source. 

Each attendee left the evening with a better understanding of how they can help our community through wildlife conservation, native plant care, and sustaining a thriving ecosystem within their own backyard.