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Education, in all its forms, is the key to our
efforts to alleviate the stress on Florida's seabirds. We believe that
no matter what your age, you never stop learning. Our education program
reflects this belief through our efforts to reach audiences of all ages
and backgrounds.
Field Trips & Classroom Programs
There are over 3.9 million students in Florida, and
each one of them should understand that every individual can have a
positive influence on the environment and conservation. Each year we
reach thousands of students through our education programs. These
programs help people understand our work and how they too can make a
difference. From groups of one or two people to classrooms of 30 or
more, we produce programs that are tailored to each group's interests.
We offer school groups of up to 30 students at a time
the opportunity to make a field trip to our facility. Visiting classes
are given a guided tour of our facility and observe the daily operations
of our organization. We do not charge for our
programs, which allows a greater number of groups to share the
experience.
Outreach & Public Information
Students aren't the only people we need to reach. We meet with many
community groups such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, local town Councils,
women’s clubs and many others. We also participate in the Miami
International Boat Show, which is an excellent forum for meeting boaters
and fisherman.
We're also partnering with other organizations on
projects that seek to protect the environment by educating the public at
large. The Seabird Station was instrumental in the development
of the 'Don't Kill Pelicans With Kindness' campaign. This public
information program provides the operators of marinas, piers and other
angler hotspots with informational signs that warn patrons about the
serious health risks posed by feeding fish scraps to pelicans.
We worked
with Seagrant and the Yamaha Billfish Tournament to make these signs a
reality. This program has greatly reduced the number of pelicans we see with
large fish bones stuck in the throat or stomach.
Networking & Professional Development
Wildlife rehabilitation is a team effort. The volume of
injured wildlife being treated nation wide is steadily increasing, so
we're doing our part to help meet the demand. Our staff members are
heavily involved in the Florida & National Wildlife Rehabilitators'
Associations (FWRA &
NWRA) as well as the
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC).
Each year we present seminars and papers that are designed to help other
rehabilitators improve their skills, while fostering improved
networking. Our Executive Director is serving on the NWRA’s Board of Directors
as a vice-president and is chair of the Post Release Studies Committee. In the wake of
2004's devastating hurricane season, we're working with the FWRA to
develop better networking and support capabilities among Florida's
wildlife rehabilitators for disaster response.
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