Winter Haven natural resources staff outline lake stewardship, outreach and volunteer opportunities

Dustin Everett, the City of Winter Haven's natural resources manager, said the city's "principal natural resource here in Winter Haven is our chain of lakes" and described staff work to "improve water quality" so the lakes remain "sustainable for residents and visitors to be able to enjoy."

Savannah Winsamley, the natural resources division's ecosystem and asset analyst, said the division's "primary role and responsibility" is to serve as "the premier knowledge base on our local lakes" through monitoring programs and by acting as stewards of lakes and urban forestry. "Routine things we do involve getting out on our lakes, keeping an eye on the vegetation and the water quality on those lakes," Winsamley said.

Olivia Husic, an environmental scientist with the division, described the department's outreach and wildlife-ambassador work and said she keeps three ambassador animals: "I have a veiled chameleon, I have a corn snake, and I have a Florida box turtle." Husic said bringing animals to camps and events helps connect children with the environment. She recommended volunteering as an entry point into natural-resources work and said, "They're usually looking for volunteers, and they're happy to have people out to explore and learn things."

Devin Moore, the division's senior environmental scientist, said staff duties vary day to day, from "aquatic plant monitoring" to responding to wildlife events and teaching youth how to kayak. "Getting out and doing outreach events, talking with the youth, showing our wildlife ambassador animals off to residents is especially important to me," Moore said.

Staff comments focused on (1) monitoring and stewardship of the city's chain of lakes, (2) education and youth outreach including summer camps and kayak instruction, and (3) volunteer recruitment and community engagement. No ordinances, motions or formal votes were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.