Page 6 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - October '22
P. 6

Page 6, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
                                                         Northern Notes

        Stuart Air Show from page 1

        magical twilight performance against the setting sun, a   Preserving The Preserves
        spectacular fireworks presentation and – at the end – the
        infamous Wall of Fire to the night.              By Katie Roundtree,
          The Twilight and Fireworks Show is a very different   Director of Finance and
        experience from the daytime shows and something you   Administration, Northern
        definitely won’t want to miss.                   Palm Beach County
          Following the show, enjoy a rockin’ fun concert by the   Improvement District
        Rotorheads. Vendors and concessions will be open.     Northern owns and
          The TD Bank Dirty Flight Suit Party takes place in the   maintains approximately
        VIP area at Witham Field and includes front row center   2,000 acres of preserves
        seats from which to view the Friday Night Air Show and   throughout the 128-square-
        fireworks, buffet dinner, open bar and a meet and greet   mile district. It is an
        with show performers, sponsors, VIPs and pilots. Also   integral part of many of our
        included is an ideal location from which to watch the   residential communities
        Rotorheads and access to air-conditioned bathrooms.   and a pristine area of native Florida that we strive to   woodpecker was feeding. Even more importantly, many
          Pilots and crew come to the party directly following   protect. Since these areas sometimes lie behind residents’   of these birds and their nests/eggs are protected by federal
        their twilight performance, even if they’re sweaty or   houses, we get many calls to trim back trees or take out   law (The Migratory Bird Treaty Act).
        stained with grease, hence the party’s unusual name.   trees that are not aesthetically pleasing. If it is warranted     We also get requests to remove rodents from preserves.
          Gates open at 5 p.m. Tickets to the TD Bank Dirty   or threatening to property, we will trim back or remove   Northern staff does not treat for rodents or any other
        Flight Suit Party are $115 per person and include general   vegetation, but in most cases, trees should be left in their   pests in the preserves. The baits and poisons used for that
        admission to the air show that night. Children aged 5 and   native state. Why is this? Why can’t we make the preserve   purpose are designed to attract and kill rodents but are also
        under are free.                                  areas look like parks?                            known to attract other nontarget mammals. Aside from
          After you’ve decided which of these lively events     First and foremost, we are required through permit with   the risk of primary exposure to nontarget mammals in the
        you’d like to attend, it’s easy to purchase your tickets at   South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), not   preserves, there is also the risk of secondary exposure.
        www.stuartairshow.com/tickets.                   to remove or kill any native trees or plants in the preserve.     Rodents, including mice and rats, are a key component
                                                         As for other more ecological examples, native trees and   of the food chain in the natural ecosystems throughout the
                                                         vegetation provide many benefits to wildlife. Cabbage   preserves. Many of the desired animals in the preserves
                                                         palms are Florida’s state tree. They provide housing for   rely on rodents as food, including animals such as hawks,
                                                         many animals such as squirrels, racoons, frogs, lizards,   owls, bobcats, foxes, and snakes.  When the rodents
                                                         etc. Small rodents, lizards, insects, and even rare plant   are poisoned, they become weak and are easy prey for
                                                         species rely on the uncut “boots” on a palm for a home.   predators. If these predators eat the poisoned rodents, they
                                                         Squirrels and birds will use the palm thatch as nesting   will get secondary exposure to the poison and will likely
                                                         material and will often nest in the palm. Recently staff and   die. If we start targeting organisms on the lower end of the
                                                         preserve crews removed three cabbage palms from behind   food chain, this will disrupt the rest of the food chain and
                                                         a resident’s home. When one of the palms dropped to the   could cause serious harm to the health of the preserves.
                                                         ground, seven newborn squirrels fell out of it. Staff had to     An essential part of preserving the preserves is to let
                                                         build a temporary “home” for the babies close to the tree   nature be nature. Removing exotic species of plants and
                              Photo provided by Aeroshell  and hope that the mother came back to find them. Many   allowing for nature to take its course are important for the
                                                         bird nests can also be lost because of cutting plants down.  health of the preserves and the rest of our environment in
                                                           A 2019 study in south Florida found that cavity nesters,   South Florida. Nature is not always perfectly groomed,
                                                         native woodpeckers specifically, favored palm snags over   but for everything there is a purpose. What may seem like
                                                         pine trees or  maples in urbanized tropical regions. A   an old ugly tree to you, may be home to birds and other
                                                         snag is a dead tree. This is even more of a reason to keep   wildlife. Leaving the preserves in their natural state is
                                                         standing snags in the preserve. We had a resident request   required and the right thing to do.
                                                         to take out a maple snag from behind his home. It wasn’t     NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants
                                                         threatening any property, just was a bit of an eyesore.   somewhere around your home helps lock rainwater in
                                                         Northern staff went to check it out and as soon they got   the ground, reducing the flow of pollutants and poisons
                                                         close to the tree, a woodpecker flew towards them and into   into the drains. Using organic fertilizers and pesticides
                                                         a small cavity it had built in the tree. Not only was there   in your garden further protects and brings health to your
                                                         a nest, but there were several baby chicks inside that the   yard and all the species living there.



                        Photo provided by Stuart Air Show

















                        Photo provided by Stuart Air Show




           F AIRWAY PHYSICAL THERAPY

                          IS NOW
        FUNXION REHAB


                   CENTER!



                 Brett Richman, PT Owner

        Physical Therapy Visits also offered
        in the home for convenience at no

        additional cost!

                   Most Insurances accepted
              LA Fitness Plaza - PGA National
       We have moved from Suite 27 to Suite 42

       (P)561 775-7775 (F) 561 293-2730
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