This week, people can see development plans for the 70-acre nature and birding park in the city of Apopka that will include habitat restoration and a visitors’ education facility, as well as meet the project’s architectural team.
The free program will be held Thursday, September 19, at 7 p.m. at Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 North Forest Ave., Orlando, in the Camellia Room. No reservations are necessary.
Orange Audubon Society, the local chapter of the National Audubon Society, and the city of Apopka will develop a 70-acre nature and birding park at the entrance to the St. Johns River Water Management District’s popular Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. The long-awaited lease agreement was announced last March 20 at the Apopka City Council meeting.
Orange Audubon will be working toward habitat restoration with trails for the majority of the site and to renovate an existing building to create an education facility for visitors, according to Deborah Green, president of Orange Audubon Society, in a news release.
In May, Orange Audubon contracted its architect, Philip Donovan, and his team from Little Diversified Architectural Consulting (Little). This firm had designed several net-zero energy buildings and has embraced this project enthusiastically.
“Over 150,000 visitors drove through the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive in 2023, a number that increases each year. Visitors now come from Central Florida and all over the country and world. Many will stop at our center. Our hope is to educate residents about birds and native plants through the restoration of this site,” Green was quoted as saying in the press release.
To follow the progress of the project, volunteer or donate, contact the Orange Audubon Society at 407-637-2525 or info@orangeaudubonfl.org.
The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively.
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