11/16/1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

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C7 the Plan and the lands will tie in with the St. Sebastian River Buffer Preserve. The Plan will be presented to the School Board tonight with a request for the School Board to preserve 12 acres on the Pelican Island Elementary School campus. He then introduced Pelican Island Elementary School Principal, Bonnie Swanson. Principal Bonnie Swanson introduced some very important citizens, the students at Pelican Island Elementary School who are members of the junior and senior Eco Troops. The children proposed to buy every scrub jay lot in Sebastian and have done a great deal of work. These 9 and 10 -year-old children will tell the Board what they believe and what they know. She presented a brochure on the Aloa Lortan Nature Trail, named after a teacher who cut the first trail on weekends. The children are attempting to make sure this habitat remains in a pristine state. They have received 2 grants and a national award for their work. She then introduced Stephanie Holdridge, the President of Eco Troop. Student Stephanie Holdridge, President of Eco Troop, expounded on the students' dream to expand the nature trail and explained their intent to raise private funds and apply for grants to fund the project. If they are able to fulfill their dream, they will present the trail to the School Board to hold in trust. She noted that the students feel a responsibility to change the course of the future in order to have an opportunity to watch their children and their children's children enjoy these lands. Student Kevin Christman noted that they have asked the Sebastian City Council to maintain the lands in a natural way. In order to proceed with proper land management, periodic controlled burns will be required to clear the undergrowth and there is a need to remove the exotic plants and animals. The Brazilian pepper tree is taking over and we need NOVEMBER 16, 1999 -109- BOOK PgGE ; 0