As an Education and Outreach Intern with the Compliance Support and Strategic Engagement (CSSE) program at the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD), I attend community events engaging with the citizens of Orange County and other professionals in the environmental sector. Educating the public about the fertilizer ordinance, water pollution and air pollution has been rewarding. During my internship, I have been given an opportunity to observe a multitude of different career paths and applied knowledge from my visits to improve my grades at the University of Central Florida (UCF). With the Development Review team I sat in on a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting that showed me part of the process behind changing land use codes in the County. During my Green PLACE job shadowing, we installed trail posts on a new trail. On Lake Conway with Lake Management, we checked on invasive hydrilla levels. During an exam at UCF in my Plant Kingdom course the following week, I recognized hydrilla as a specimen in the lab and was awarded extra credit. With each team I traveled to a different part of Orange County that I had never visited. Everyone at EPD has been so kind and welcoming. I am excited to continue my internship until my graduation from UCF in December of this year.  

On April 20, volunteers from Central Florida RECON and Nautique Boat Company collected almost 800 pounds of trash from the St. Johns River. Volunteers appreciated the assistance of the Orange County Sherriff's Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission for their help transporting trash off the water. While this group of 35 volunteers cleaned their section of the river in Orange County, volunteers in Brevard, Clay, Duval, Seminole, St. Johns, Putnam and Volusia County were all lending a hand to remove trash from the St. Johns River, the longest river in Florida. Thank you also goes out to the St. Johns River Water Management District staff for partnering with the Orange County Environmental Protection Division on this multi-county cleanup initiative.  

In honor of Earth Month, staff from the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) volunteered to help Oakland Nature Preserve prepare for an upcoming controlled burn. EPD volunteers removed excess fuel and invasive plants from the site and concluded their morning with a guided hike. Thank you to Oakland Nature Preserve and all the staff that made this morning a great success!

Would you like to learn more about the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD)? EPD is excited to share a variety of information about events, sustainability, the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, regulatory updates, lake management, water quality and more! If you would like to be included on the email list, please fill out this brief sign-up form.