FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Brie Turek (407) 246-3106
Laura Bornfreund (407) 246-3423

MAYOR BUDDY DYER “WORKS-ALONG”
WITH ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK EMPLOYEES

WHAT: Mayor’s Work-Along: Orlando Wetlands Park

WHO: Mayor Buddy Dyer and City of Orlando Employees

WHEN: Friday, February 17, 2006
2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Orlando Wetlands Park
25155 Wheeler Road
Christmas, Florida, 32709


ORLANDO, FL (February 14, 2006) – On Friday, February 17, 2006, Mayor Buddy Dyer will work-along with City employees in the Orlando Wetlands Park. He will initiate a controlled burn, which is used periodically throughout the wetland areas to maintain healthy plant populations and control fallen leaf litter. In addition, Mayor Dyer will apply herbicides to the wetland plants and collect several water samples from within the wetlands, demonstrating how the health of the wetland ecosystems are continuously monitored.

The Orlando Wetlands Park is a world-renowned example of wetlands engineering and is a 1,650-acre oasis of flora, fauna and animals near the Ft. Christmas Park in Christmas, Florida. 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 water is conveyed through a four-foot diameter pipeline approximately 17 miles.

History of Work-Alongs
As part of Mayor Dyer’s commitment to providing citizens with the high quality service they have come to expect, he participates in monthly work-alongs with various City staff. In the past six months, Mayor Dyer has worked with Code Enforcement Officers, went door-to-door with Orlando Police Officers delivering valuable City information to residents in the Parramore Heritage Neighborhood, assisted City staff with aquatic weed spraying in the Clear Lake aquatic community, and worked in the customer service and development review areas of Permitting Services.

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