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Families, Parks and Recreation
Press
Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Olabisi
Slade Cox (407) 246-2213
Orlando Wetlands Park (407) 568-1706
City of Orlando
Wetlands Park Festival
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WHAT: |
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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WHO: |
City of Orlando citizens
Central Florida
residents and visitors
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WHEN: |
Saturday, February 18, 2006
9:00 a.m. – 3:00
p.m.
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WHERE: |
Orlando Wetlands Park
25155 Wheeler Road
Christmas, Florida
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