Issue No. 6 / July, 2023

Sunrise along the Loop on High Bridge Road in Ormond by the Sea

Summer Along the Scenic Loop

Summer is in full swing and as the thermometer inches ever upward, our outdoor activities tend to slow down and revolve around the hours just after sunrise and just before sunset. It's a rhythm that the animals residing along the Loop also follow as heat and humidity dictate a much slower pace. However, if you look closely, you'll see that sea turtles have been nesting along the coastline and in the estuaries along the Intracoastal, marine life is teeming.

We on the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail Board are also busy behind the scenes this summer, working closely with Volusia County and its partners on the ReGrow the Loop initiative. We believe that to preserve, enhance and "ReGrow the Loop" there must be a concerted and well coordinated plan that any resident or volunteer can easily follow to do their part. We are excited to join with the other enthusiastic and like-minded organizations that are coming together to make this County program a success. Please take some time to review its history and if so inclined, sign the pledge and attend one of the free workshops that are being offered to residents. Together we really can nurture and improve our beautiful scenic highway and its precious wild areas.

ReGrow the Loop: A Brief History

This May, Volusia County launched ReGrow the Loop, an exciting, one-year pilot program to restore and enhance the natural beauty of the Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail in Ormond Beach. The wildly popular Loop is a 30-mile double loop of roadways traversing some of the most beautiful and diverse natural scenery remaining in coastal central Florida. It is a snapshot of what many call "the old Florida" and has become increasingly more vulnerable as development has exploded in the area.

Partnering with the University of Florida//IFAS Extension, Volusia County and other local organizations hope to eradicate invasive plant species, increase native vegetation, attract more wildlife and pollinators, and create sustainable practices that residents can adopt to protect the County’s natural beauty along the Loop.

Ormond Beach resident Alan Burton, who donated $1,000 to support the project said, “We have an opportunity to get our hands dirty, plant a tree and nurture our environment not only for ourselves, but also for future generations.” Residents who live along the Loop – and anywhere in Volusia County – can get involved by signing a pledge, attending a workshop, and organizing or participating in a Loop volunteer event. Each participating household will receive a ReGrow the Loop sticker and a native, three-gallon tree at one of the tree giveaway events that will be held on October 14th, 9-11am at the Discovery Center, Central Park, Ormond Beach and in the summer of 2024 (TBD).

The pilot program was approved by the County Council on April 4. In the future, similar projects may be implemented in other environmentally sensitive areas of the County.

For more information, visit www.volusia.org/regrowtheloop or contact Sheila Hutchinson at 386-822-5778 or volusia@ifas.ufl.edu.

Become a ReGrow the Loop Participant

Joining is free and easy for all Volusia County residents.

Complete the CITIZEN PLEDGE linked below and select a minimum of one environmentally-friendly action related to regrowing the loop, protecting water quality, and engaging for the Loop.

When you complete the pledge, you will receive a ReGrow the Loop sticker and one monthly email with a list of educational activities offered by UF/IFAS Extension, Volusia County, and our partners.

Click HERE to take the Citizen Pledge

Recap of the July 13th Workshop

"All I can say is WOW! I am truly amazed by how many people joined us in July for the presentation on Your Guide to Florida Friendly Landscaping Principles and How to Apply to Your Landscape. I would like to thank each of you for volunteering and for helping make our first event such a success...

...I wanted to share with you the numbers from the program. We had a total of 67 attendees, 46 of those being walk-ins (meaning they did not pre-register on Eventbrite). We were also able to pass out 11 pledge stickers, eliminating the need to mail, and 11 people completed the pledge that day. Those who took the pledge but were not present to receive their stickers, will receive them via mail by the end of the week. Again, thank you all for your hard work and I look forward to our next meeting in August!"

- Kalan Taylor
County Extension Director & Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
UF/IFAS Extension Volusia County

History Con a Great Success!

The OSLT participated in the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) Summer History Con on July 15th at the Museum. MOAS did a wonderful job in presenting this all-day celebration of Florida history featuring re-enactors, demonstrations and more.

Karen Pillar and Nancy Galdo set up promotional materials that highlighted interesting OSLT history and shared how the area and State Parks were preserved. We received a great deal of interest: everyone loves the Loop but there were a number of people who had never heard of it - or visited!

Attendance was good and we added 30+ names to our newsletter mailing list. This is an event we plan to attend every summer.

A huge shout out to Karen Pillar for creating such a wonderful display!

Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail Vice Chair, Nancy Galdo, along with Board Member, Karen Pillar at July's "History Con" at the Museum of Arts & Sciences.

Click to Join our
Facebook Group

Spotlight on...

An Orange Grove in Ormond Beach

Did you know that there were once orange groves along John Anderson Drive in Ormond and Ormond by the Sea? Joseph Price, an Ormond Beach pioneer, bought acreage along John Anderson Drive in 1887 to create an orange grove after the city won gold and silver medals in the South Florida Fair.

For nearly ten years, an orange grove and a small one-bedroom cottage were on the property. But due to a frost in 1898, followed by another in 1906, Price abandoned the grove and decided to build a house. In 1915, Hammock Home, which now spans 5,589 square feet with six bedrooms and five baths, was built. The original one-bedroom cottage, built in 1889, is still standing in the northeast corner of the property. Today it remains as a private residence and can be seen when traveling along John Anderson Drive just north of Granada Avenue. In 2022 it sold for roughly $1.3 million dollars -- that's a lot of oranges!

Upcoming Events

International Coastal Clean-Up Day

Saturday, September 16th

This year, we are reaching out to our mailing list members to ask that you volunteer and participate with us during the International Coastal Clean-Up Day on September 16th. OSLT will be beachside on the Loop and a number of other organizations are also participating. If you’d like to join us, please email us here or sign up on our Facebook page. More detailed information and a list of the other check-in sites will be featured in our August Newsletter.

Coastal Strand Walk in conjunction with ReGrow the Loop

North Peninsula State Park

Saturday, October 7th

In partnership with Volusia County's ReGrow the Loop initiative, we are pleased to be sponsoring a free, informative and leisurely walk through the coastal strand of North Peninsula State Park. Join us as we, along with guide Paul Rebmann, take to the trail to experience one of Volusia County's longest stretches of coastal strand habitat. Duration is approximately 2 hours.

Paul Rebmann is a Florida Master Naturalist and nature photographer who has resided in Ormond by the Sea for the past 27 years. He is a longtime member of both Halifax River Audubon and the Florida Native Plant Society, and currently serves on the Board of the Friends of Gamble Rogers State Park.

With his exceptional knowledge of the flora and fauna in the area, participants can expect to come away with a better understanding of this unique Florida ecosystem. Space is limited so mark your calendars now!

For further information about North Peninsula, please visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/.../north-peninsula

Our July Meeting - All Are Welcome!

Wednesday, July 26th

5:30 pm
Ormond Beach Public Library, Sandpiper Room
30 South Beach Street
Ormond Beach FL 32174

Doors open at 5 pm and the meetings starts at 5:30.

All are welcome and we invite you to attend either in person or remotely. (Remote link at the end of this newsletter)

To Attend Remotely:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device:

Click here to join the meeting

Or join by entering a meeting ID

 Meeting ID: 396 856 372 834 Passcode: dHP5Zw
Join with a video conferencing device
130865883@t.plcm.vc
Video Conference ID: 124 398 140 2
Alternate VTC instructions
Or call in (audio only)
+1 321-430-1064,,696493058# United States, Orlando
(844) 603-6058,,696493058# United States (Toll-free)
Phone Conference ID: 696 493 058#

Click to Join Remotely

Get on the E-Mail Trail!

If you know someone who would like to be added to our mailing list, please send their name, email address and phone number to this address and add Mailing List to the subject line. Now is the time to come together as a community to protect the beauty of our scenic highway! Thanks!