Issue No. 31/December 2025
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Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!
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The leadership team of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail wishes you and yours a very special and warm Holiday season. As another year comes to a close, we hope you will continue to join us as we strive to preserve and enhance the beauty of the OSLT scenic highway. We have some great activities planned in the New Year so we hope to see you soon. Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year to all!
Photo of the Loop's Granada Bridge lit up for the holidays courtesy of Ormond Mainstreet
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ReGrow the Loop 2026 Begins!
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There is a host of wonderful ReGrow the Loop/Volusia programs scheduled for 2026. Take a look at the first five selections below and mark your calendars now for these free and informative presentations!
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Protected Species and Habitats along the Loop
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Saturday, January 31st
10 am to 12 noon
Ormond Beach Regional Library,
30 S. Beach Street
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Learn about the unique homes of our local wildlife and plants. From forest, marshes, wetlands and the beach, you’ll find about how the animals in these ecosystems help maintain our environment - and why they are protected by laws and regulatory agencies. Experts will be on hand to discuss a variety of flora and fauna including marine mammals, reptiles, plants and even insects! Discover why it is so important to protect these iconic Florida species - and what you can do to help.
Presented by Jennifer Winters, Protected Species Activity Manager for
Volusia County
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Saturday, February 7th
10 am to 11:30 am
Ormond Beach Regional Library
30 S. Beach Street
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Find out how to create a fabulous garden amendment by recycling your kitchen scraps and yard debris into a nutrient powerhouse called “Black Gold." Learn about composting, the items needed to set up a home system, and what is ok to add to your compost - and what's not. Reduce waste going into our landfills and discover the many ways in which you can use your “Black Gold" to enrich your home gardens.
Presented by Leslie Nixon, Certified Florida Master Gardener, Pawpaw Native Plant Society
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Native Plants for Spring Blooms
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Saturday, February 14th
2 pm to 3 pm
Ormond Beach Environmental Discovery Center (EDC)
601 Division Avenue
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Native plants are so important to our environment - especially with the loss of natural Florida habitat to development. Discover how you can add native plants to your landscape that will bring colorful spring blooms and attract pollinators. This presentation will take place in the EDC classroom and all of the native plants discussed during the program will be available for sale.
Presented by Katie Tripp, Ph.D., Owner, Natural Beauty Native Florida Landscapes, LLC
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Dream Green Volusia's Fifth Annual Hike
Saturday, February 22nd
12 pm to 4 pm
Join a Park Ranger to explore the nature and history of Bulow Creek State Park. We'll be taking a 1.5 mile trail hike that ends up at the Sisco Canal and Bulow Creek - offering excellent views of both of these historic waterways.
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Participants will walk through dense oak and maritime forest, moving past ancient oak, cedar, cypress, magnolia and pine. Hikers could see gopher tortoise, osprey, hawks, deer, and turkey.
Meet at the Bulow Woods Trail at 79412 Walter Boardman Lane in Ormond Beach. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Some uneven terrain and slippery surfaces are found along trail. For more information contact Ranger Mark at Mark.D.Adams@floridadep.gov or call 386-517-2084
Presented by Mark Adams, Tomoka Basin Park Ranger for Dream Green Volusia
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Here Today . . . Gone Tomorrow
Saturday, February 28th
10 am to 12 noon
Ormond Beach Regional Library
30 S. Beach Street
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Did you know that the Florida Ornithological Society lists over 500 species of birds on its Florida Bird Checklist? At face value this is an impressive number but it fails to tell the full story. Some bird species only spend the winter months in Florida, while others return from points south to spend summer in our neighborhoods building nests and raising their young. Then there are those that only pass through during the spring and fall months on their long journeys to surprising places across the continents. What birds are we talking about? Join us on the 28th to find out more about the avian wonders who visit our area each year!
Presented by Joan Tague, President of the Halifax River Audubon Chapter
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Coastal Strand Walk Enlightens Hikers
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A large group of inquisitive hikers turned out for the Coastal Strand Walk at North Penisula State Park on the morning of November 22nd. Bryce Merritt, Co-Chair of the OSLT's Environmental Committee led the group through a dense, maritime hammock ecosystem which eventually turns into a sandy trail traversing the windswept, coastal dunes of the Park. Along the way he highlighted the various animals who make their homes in the Park and how they utilize the different plants and environments to survive. Many thanks to both Bryce and Laura Ureta for coordinating this event and to all who attended.
Trail photograph courtesy of Amber Bobak .
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Wednesday, December 17th
5:15pm
Ormond Beach Public Library
Sandpiper Room
30 South Beach Street
Ormond Beach, FL
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To Attend Remotely:
For those attendlng remotely, please sign on 15 minutes early. We have had some audio difficulty getting everyone online so our Team will be working out any technical problems before the 5:30 meeting starts.
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Winter sunset along John Anderson Drive in North Peninsula State Park
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The Mission of the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail Byway organization is to protect and enhance the Loop by serving as a focused source of education, community outreach and enhancements projects consistent with our volunteer resources and guidelines of the Florida Scenic Highway and National Scenic Byway programs.
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