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Advisory board moves ahead with Coastal Dune Lake Week planning, considers September or October events and passport partnership
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Summary
Staff and board members discussed timing and activities for Coastal Dune Lake Week, including partnering on a DEP parks "passport" program, tours, cleanups (CBA paddle cleanup May 9), t‑shirts/prizes, and a potential public showing of a PBS documentary during the week.
Staff presented planning options for this year's Coastal Dune Lake Week and asked the Walton County Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board for input on timing, themes and partner roles. The board discussed two candidate weeks (a September date to align with the DEP parks passport rollout or an October alternative), potential themes emphasizing tourism and stewardship, and a mix of events including interpretive tours, volunteer cleanups, and outreach.
Staff said the passport program would let visitors earn scratch‑stamp prizes at sites (10 visits yields a prize; visiting all 15 yields a larger prize distributed through the visitor center); the county can also supply or order additional t‑shirts to support the campaign. "If they visit 10, they'll get another prize. And if they visit all 15, then they'll get another prize, which they can all get from the visitor center," staff said.
Board members proposed activities that worked well previously—native‑plant and ecosystem tours (IFAS and local experts), kayak/paddle cleanups (CBA coordinates a more structured cleanup for one lake), and DIY cleanups publicized across social media. Staff suggested showing a PBS documentary/DVD for public viewing at the library or in this room as an outreach event; PBS previously aired the film periodically. Staff also noted site‑specific constraints such as Fuller requiring advance calls for access because it is conservation land managed by a nonprofit.
Partners confirmed commitments and timing: Kayla Wingard of CBA said CBA will coordinate the Coastal Dune Lake Week cleanup and runs quarterly paddle cleanups with the next scheduled for May 9 at Western Lake. Staff said the Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board would be incorporated into the week if it occurs in September during the advisory-board meeting week; if held in late October, staff suggested hosting video screenings and other campus-based events.
Next steps: Staff will check DEP/Parks passport readiness and confirm dates, reach out to IFAS and local volunteers to schedule tours, and follow up with the TDC and partner organizations to coordinate prizes and promotional materials. A formal resolution to authorize routine activities during the week was anticipated in a future meeting packet.
