FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Olabisi Slade Cox (407) 246-2213
Orlando Wetlands Park (407) 568-1706

City of Orlando Wetlands Park Festival

WHO: City of Orlando citizens
Central Florida residents and visitors

WHAT: City of Orlando Wetlands Park Festival

WHERE: Orlando Wetlands Park
25155 Wheeler Road
Christmas, Florida

WHEN: Saturday, February 18, 2006
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.


Orlando, FL (February 11, 2006) – The City of Orlando Wetlands Park Festival will take place on Saturday, February 18, 2006, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. This world-renowned example of wetlands engineering is a 1,650-acre oasis of flora, fauna and animals near the Ft. Christmas Park in Christmas, Florida.

Citizens and visitors can experience this unique Wetland Treatment System with the entire family. Event co-sponsor, the Orange Audubon Society, will lead guided bird watching excursions and expert-guided nature photo shoots. The Florida Native Plant Society will lead native plant identification hikes and wilderness hikes will be available by the Florida Trail Association. Ace of Hearts Ranch will offer guided horseback rides and pony rides for the children. For those who like to sit and ride, guided bus tours will travel along the wetland berms, giving riders an opportunity to experience first hand, Florida’s wild wetlands.

In addition to the numerous guided tours, there will be bird banding and mist-netting demonstrations, a police canine demonstration, tree give-a-ways, door prizes and live folk music. Featured in the various wildlife shows will be alligators, Florida panthers, snakes, birds and many others. Also, the City’s Families, Parks and Recreation Department will be giving away free backyard trees to each family attending the festival.

Many interactive children’s activities like the Out-On-A-Limb kids tree climbing, rock climbing wall, petting zoo, horseback riding, hay rides and games will be available, and citizens are encouraged to bring family, friends and neighbors to this fun, free educational festival. Free admission and free door prizes. Food will be available for purchase. For more information please call the Orlando Wetlands Park (407) 568-1706.

History of Orlando Wetlands Park
In the mid 1980’s, the City of Orlando’s Iron Bridge Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant needed more overflow capacity than what was allowed in the Little Econlockhatchee River. In 1986 the City of Orlando purchased 1,650 acres and in July 1987, the 1,220 acres wetland treatment system was completed and reclaimed water began to flow from the Iron Bridge Plant. The system was designed to polish up to 35 million gallons a day of reclaimed wastewater. The water is conveyed through a four-foot diameter pipeline approximately 17 miles.

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