At their first program meeting of the season, Duval Audubon Society thanked the wonderful volunteers who helped the birds this past nesting season.

These volunteers helped as bird stewards at Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville, posted nesting signs at Nassau Sound Bird Island, conducted species surveys at Huguenot and at Little Talbot State Park and helped locate and survey rooftop colonies all over the region.

And they were a voice for the birds, testifying in front of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at their June meeting in St. Augustine.

Duval Audubon President Pete Johnson, its board of directors, and Audubon of Florida staff-member Monique Borboen thanked the volunteers for their incredible dedication. The volunteers received a well deserved round of applause from the audience!

The evening program was continued with a presentation by Tera Meeks, City of Jacksonville Division Chief for the Waterfront Management & Programming, who oversees the county’s preserves and parks. Her talk, Jacksonville's Preservation Project: The State of our Nature Preserves and Parks, introduced the audience to the Preservation Project’s vision of surrounding the City of Jacksonville by a green belt of parks and preserves. Ms. Meek's program introduced the numerous preserves already acquired by the City, the efforts to make them accessible to the public while preserving the wildlife and the hopes to finish the acquisition of the conservation lands needed to complete the belt.

One of Jacksonville's assets is one of the largest urban park systems in the country, and the audience left eager to go explore the Special Places they just heard about.

Thanks to Duval Audubon, President Pete Johnson, and Division Chief Tera Meeks for making this night one to remember!