2009-2010 FWC Volunteer Program Annual Report

8/8/2019 2009-2010 FWC Volunteer Program Annual Report

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Volunteer Program

Annual Report

2009-2010

Volunteer Program

Annual Report


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2FWCVolunteer Program

Annual Report

Fiscal year 2009-2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010) was anextremely productive and successul year or the Florida Fish andWildlie Conservation Commission (FWC) volunteer program. Thevolunteer program continues to grow in terms o the number ovolunteers and volunteer hours as well as the type and scope o

projects and tasks or which volunteers contribute their time andeorts. The FWC benets rom the skills, experiences and dedication

o our volunteers and, in turn, we strive to oer volunteers a ullling,meaningul and satisying volunteer experience.

In 2009-2010, FWC volunteers made a positive impact by assistingwith activities such as acilities/grounds maintenance, wildlieresearch, biological sampling and monitoring, habitat restoration,laboratory work and education and outreach.

Agency Statistics2009-2010 volunteer hours 108,154.25

Value o volunteer hours $2,255,0161

Full time equivalent (FTE) ~52 positions

Statistics by Division/Ofce/Institute

Division/Ofce/Institute Volunteer Hours

Division o Hunting and Game Management 31,535.50Division o Marine Fisheries Management 4,040.50

Division o Freshwater Fisheries Management 1,336.25

Division o Law Enorcement 18,861.50

Fish and Wildlie Research Institute 21,612.10

Division o Habitat and Species Conservation 25,559.40

Oce o Recreation Services 5,063.50

Oce o Executive Director 145.50

The FWCbenefts rom

the skills,experiences anddedication oour volunteers,and in turn,we strive tooer volunteersa ulflling,meaninguland satisyingvolunteerexperience.

(Footnotes)

1 Value calculated using Independent Sector 2009 national estimate on value of a volunteer hour:

$20.85 (http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time)

Total volunteer hours increased by 12% rom2008-2009 to 2009-2010, a value increase

o $350,000.
http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_timehttp://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time


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Annual Report

Division o Hunting and Game Management

Hunter saety volunteers contributed 31,016 hours to continue

the heritage o hunting by teaching youth the knowledge and

skills needed to be sae, responsible hunters.

nVolunteers hosted 560 classes resulting in 13,284graduates, a 15-year high.

nRoger Mitchell o Plant Citywas named hunter saety

volunteer o the year. Rogertaught 24 hunter saetyclasses, serving as a chieinstructor or 19, andcertiying 950 students.

Division o Marine Fisheries Management

Kids saltwater-fshing clinic volunteers contributed 3,979 hours.

nSince 1996, more than 44,000 children and 29,000parents have participated in kids saltwater-shing clinics.This would not have been

possible without the8,000 volunteers whoassisted with educating

young anglers aboutshing techniques, marinehabitats, ethical anglingand marine conservation.

Stock Enhancement Research Facility (SERF) volunteers:

nContributed 2,003 hours.

nAssisted hatchery sta during thegrading, tagging and release o

hatchery-reared red drum. nAssisted sta at local outreach

events such as the Florida State Fair,

Marine Quest, Florida Sportsmanshing shows and outdoor shows.

Volunteer Program Highlights

This wouldnot havebeen possiblewithout the8,000 volunteerswho assistedwith educating

young anglers

about fshingtechniques,marinehabitats,ethical anglingand marineconservation.


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Annual Report

Division o Freshwater Fisheries Management

Tenoroc Fish Management Area (FMA) volunteers:

nContributed anestimated 600 hours.

nAssisted sta withhosting 32 events

at Tenoroc FMA inPolk County, includingschool programs,nature estivals andshing derbies.

nAssisted biologistswith relocating 49largemouth bass and 1,500black crappie rom Medard

Reservoir (Hillsborough County)to Tenoroc FMA.

nAssisted biologists in FWCsSouthwest region withrelocating 660 largemouthbass rom Medard Reservoirto Lake Thonotosassa(Hillsborough County) as part

o a research study.

nAssisted sta biologists incollecting largemouth bass population data over a two-month period on six Tenoroc FMA lakes.

nAssisted in the building o rock-beds or sh spawning

habitat along bank shing areas o our Tenoroc FMA lakes:35 rock-beds (6,820 eet total) were built.

Division o Law Enorcement

Division o Law Enorcement Reserve Ofcers:

nContributed 18,861.5 hours.

nAssisted the

FWC Division

o LawEnorcementin its missionto protectthe stateswildlie, reshand saltwater

aquatic lieand humanresources.

Volunteersassisted stawith hosting

32 events at

Tenoroc FishManagementArea in PolkCounty.


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Annual Report

Fish and Wildlie Research Institute

FWRI herpetological research volunteers:

nContributed887.5 hours.

nAssisted with dip-netting or striped

newts and gopherrog tadpoles tocollect data ora State WildlieGrant programtitled Survey owinter-breedingamphibianspecies in the

peninsula.

FWRI marine mammal research volunteers:

nContributed 4,243hours.

nAssisted Fish andWildlie Research

Institute biologistswith marinemammal monitoring,research, rescue

and healthassessment.

FWRI black bear research program volunteers:

nContributed1,766 hours.

nAssisted with

black bearresearch andassisted atFlorida blackbear estivals,

educating thepublic on blackbear habitat,eeding habitsand managementtechniques.

Fish andWildlie

ResearchInstitutevolunteerscontributed

21,612 hoursassistingwith researchand outreach

projects.


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Annual Report

Division o Habitat and Species Conservation

Ridge Rangers volunteers:

nContributed8,339 hoursto conserveendangered

habitat andspecies on theLake Wales Ridge.

nWon thePrudential-DavisProductivityAward. This awardrecognizes andrewards state

employees and work units whose work signicantly andmeasurably increases productivity and promotes innovation

to improve the delivery o state services and save money orFlorida taxpayers and businesses.

nRemoved 8,300 eet o oldbarbed wire encing and30.8 tons o old tires anddebris rom conservation

lands on the Lake WalesRidge.

nPlanted 700 endangeredscrub lupine seedlings at the FWCs Lake Blue conservationarea and continue to monitor and maintain the seedlings.

nUsed GPS units to map locations o invasive plant specieson two tracts (totaling 1,201acres) o the Lake Wales RidgeNational Wildlie Reuge.

nAssisted with Red-cockadedWoodpecker habitat enhancementeorts and participated inamphibian, invertebrate andwildlie surveys.

FWC WMA/WEA volunteers:

nContributed 10,456.75 hours.

nAssisted area managers with acilities and groundsmaintenance,landmanagement,wildliesurveysand habitatenhancementeorts.

Ridge Rangersvolunteersremoved 8,300

eet o oldbarbed wire

encing and30.8 tons oold tires anddebris romconservationlands on the

Lake WalesRidge.


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Annual Report

Ofce o Recreation Services

Chinsegut Nature Center volunteers:

nContributed4,845.5 hours.

nParticipatedin the Florida

Natural AreasInventory RareInvertebrateSurvey, collectingtwo specieso beetlesnever beoredocumented onthe Chinsegut

WEA.

nParticipated in the Florida Butterfy Monitoring Network

citizen science project to assess distribution and populationtrends o common and imperiled butterfy species.

nAssisted FWC biologists with Red-cockaded Woodpeckernest surveys, nestling banding and nest site habitatenhancement

nAssisted with acilities and grounds maintenance, invasive

species removal and year-round educational programs andestivals.

Volunteerscontributed

4,845.5hours to theChinsegut

Nature Center,

assistingwith estivals,educational

programs,citizen science

projects andacilitiesand groundsmaintenance.

Documents

2009-2010 FWC Volunteer Program Annual Report