Space Coast honors Earth Day with festivals, cleanup
As the world observes Earth Day, this might be a good time to tap into your own renewable energy source: your feet and your hands.
Brevard County offers a few ways to walk on the wild side this week, or to chip in picking up the trash that blights the Space Coast.
Although Earth Day is officially today, the main local event will be Saturday at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville, hosted by the county's Environmentally Endangered Lands program.
The free event includes bird, reptile and live bat exhibits. But going on the guided hikes might yield many more sights.
"Definitely gopher tortoises," said Xavier de Seguin des Hons, EEL's north region land manager. "You might see maybe a bobcat ... maybe some deer."
The event also includes live music, gardening information, artists painting, children's activities, crafts and face painting.
The Enchanted Forest Earth Day celebration typically lures 400 to 1,200 people, depending on the weather, de Seguin des Hons said.
Another big environmental celebration Saturday will be the annual festival at Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Viera.
The 200-acre manmade wetland, just past the county wastewater plant, has become a bird haven.
Exhibitors include the Brevard Zoo, the EEL program, the Space Coast Audubon Society, the Camera Club of Brevard, Keep Brevard Beautiful, Florida Master Gardeners and Recycle Brevard.
Also Saturday, Keep Brevard Beautiful will host the 31st annual Trash Bash at more than 96 locations throughout Brevard, as part of the Keep America Beautiful — Great American Cleanup.
Earth Day events
• What: Annual Earth Day Festival
• Where: Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Management and Education Center. The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is located in Titusville on the north side of S.R. 405, a half-mile west of U.S. 1.
• When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m Saturday, April 26.
• Cost: Free
• Activities: Florida wildlife, bird and reptile exhibitors, Bat Belfrys with live Florida bats; live music, guided hikes, Florida Native Plant Society gardening info and native plant sales, environmental booths, artists painting on site. We will have children's activities, crafts, and face painting. Food will be available for purchase.
• Music: 10 a.m. — Sheryl Paige; 11 a.m. —Sharon Osuna; 12 p.m. — Crystal Woman; 1 p.m. — Chris Kahl; and 2 p.m. — Janine & Friends.
• Information: Enchanted Forest Sanctuary at 264-5185, or visit www.eelbrevard.com; or find the sanctuary on facebook.
Keep Brevard Beautiful's 31st annual Trash Bash
• When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 26, but one from 9 a.m. to noon today, from Cocoa Beach Ramp Road, cleaning up the Thousand Islands.
• Where: More than 96 locations throughout Brevard County, as part of the Keep America Beautiful — Great American Cleanup.
• Information: For a list of cleanup sites and other information, visit: http://keepbrevardbeautiful.wordpress.com/events
Viera Wetlands Nature Festival
• When: 1 to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, April 26.
• Where: Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands, 3658 Charlie Corbeil Way (two miles west of Wickham Road, exit off I-95)
• Cost: Free
• Activities: Exhibitors include the Brevard Zoo; Environmental Endangered Lands Program; the Space Coast Audubon Society; The Camera Club of Brevard; Keep Brevard Beautiful; Florida Master Gardeners and Recycle Brevard.
• Tours of the water-treatment facility are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Information: Call 637-5521 or visit http://www.brevardcounty.us/NaturalResources/EnvironmentalResources/Wetlands.
• Brevard Zoo conservation will offer a butterfly monitoring tour from 2 to 3 p.m. Reservations can be made in advance by calling 254-9453.
Earth Day mangrove potting
• 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22.
• What: Pot mangroves to help restore Indian River Lagoon shoreline.
• Where: Barrier Island Center, Melbourne Beach, 8385 Florida A1A, Melbourne Beach.
• Information: 723-3556, or joy.winet@brevardparks.com