VERO BEACH — The Environmental Learning Center (ELC), a 64-acre tranquil enclave on Wabasso Island, has undergone numerous transformations over its 25 year history – not least of which was rising from the ashes after a lightning strike triggered a devastating fire in 2008.
So it was no surprise that spirits were particularly high as thousands turned out on a blustery but beautiful Sunday afternoon to help the ELC celebrate its Silver Anniversary at the Life on the Lagoon themed EcoFest.
Twenty-five years ago, watching as citrus groves were unearthed to make way for housing developments, Pelican Island Audubon Society members conceptualized a place to promote environmental education. Through extraordinary vision, community-wide support and careful stewardship, that dream has evolved into an ecologically diverse habitat enjoyed by humans and wildlife alike.
Exhibits and activity stations, games and goodies dotted the entire campus, each one bustling with action. Special ELC bracelets were given to children who had their EcoQuest cards stamped after visiting knowledge booths, and reusable green Publix bags were slung over shoulders to hold craft and discovery items.
“It’s called the tourist tree,” said volunteer Kitty Bernard of the Gumbo Limbo tree plantings she was handing out. “If you look at it, the bark is red, but it peels.”
The Upland room drew visitors to try their hand at fly tying, or get up close and personal with Florida snakes, including what is believed to be the world’s largest yellow rat snake.
Volunteers were encouraging photography buffs to enter the Lagoon Treasures Photo Contest which runs through March 30. Winners will be announced at the April 21 Wild & Scenic Film Festival at Majestic 11 Theatre.
“The photo contest demonstrates the diversity of wildlife we are privileged to enjoy every day,” said volunteer Jill Uttridge. “Our hope today is that we will encourage more students and adults to share their own photos of favorite lagoon treasures.”
First grader Loralei Horsley excitedly sought out her entry in the Making a Difference in MY World school contest. More than 1,900 kindergarten through fifth-grade children participated in contest, with prizes given for each grade level and category.
Her watery scene featured stingrays made of Play-Doh because she said, “Everyone else was doing dolphins and pelicans. I just wanted to do something different.”
The Discovery Station is always a popular stop – a place to dip hands into the touch tank and gently handle Lagoon critters, play with dioramas and pat a life-sized manatee’s whiskers.
Little ones kept warm running from one booth to another as parents and grandparents tried to keep up. Others danced with innocent abandon to the sunny sounds of the River Rats on the main stage. The more adventurous tried their skills SNAG® (starting new at golf) golf, dip netting in the lagoon and fly casting into buckets.
Attesting that everything old is new again, members of the Old Vero Ice Age Site committee were on-hand for the first time, tempting junior paleontologists to dig for fossils.
“We have the remains of five human beings; it’s the largest amount found in America,” said board chairman Susan Grandpierre. “We have almost two full skeletons and bones of five individuals.”
The Environmental Learning Center will host Lagoon Life Activity booths beginning March 8 at the Indian River County Firefighters Fair, and on March 23 and 24 at the Vero Beach Boat Show, and will participate in the March 30 Big Beach Clean Up at Wabasso Beach with Penny Hill Beach Emporium.
