Misha McRae, executive director of the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the garden.
Because of the weather, the garden is closed today, but will reopen tomorrow.
McRae said, “The local weather has our pants rolled up for the water. We’ve got to duck because of flying things in tornadoes. I mean, everyone just be safe out there. That’s the message.”
The Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden did fare pretty well last night through the hurricane.
McRae said, “It did, as typical with high winds, it blows out a lot of the, I call it the brown debris, the tangles in the forest. So for safety reasons and the fact that we’re going to still having gust winds today, we thought it was best as well as follow the Monroe County School District’s call to close the garden for safety reasons today. Mother Nature uses the storms like I use my hairbrush. It gets all the tangles out, and we can pretty much depend on it. That’s when the old palm fronds fall, any brown limbs. It just gets the tangles out and opens up the trees and we are prepared for it, and we expect it.”
The fall migration event is coming up.
McRae said, “Every year we hold our annual migration census. We call it our Lower Keys Fall Migration Mania Birding and Wildlife Adventure. We have early bird hours at 7am in the morning on Saturday, and that is going to be this coming Saturday, 7:30 birding ID tour and census with local dignitary Mark Whiteside. He’s going to be leading a tour as well as at 10am Taylor Hunt, with the University of Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, will be leading a butterfly tour. Each one of these are $10 each to come in and participate, learn more about the migration and see what the storm didn’t blow away, or maybe even blew in, because that’s what the history has always said with it. So that starts at 7am this coming Saturday morning. You can go online for more information and get your information, scan the QR code, log in, or you can just come in. I will be there early Saturday morning to greet you as you come in and get you set up.”
Scarecrows are also in the garden.
McRae said, “I’m so excited to say that we have 10 scarecrows that were all submitted. We had our children’s mentorship program where we worked with local kids to create a scarecrow. They’ve been entered into the collection, as well as other locals and business and families have put in theirs. The collection is all assembled, and we’ll have everything set up next week for you to come out and explore a new adventure, a new discovery and a new reason why the Botanical Garden is so important to the community. Of course, that’s free to members to come in. Otherwise it’s regular admissions. 10 to 4. Come in and be surprised what’s lurking around the corner at the Botanical Garden.”
The Screaming Green event is also coming up.
McRae said, “We’re so excited to be able to continue offering our community a safe Halloween for the children. It will be Saturday the 26th from 10 to 2. We are looking for sponsors right now to help us with this annual event. We typically have anywhere from 450 to 650 kids and their family members join us on this one day to do tricks and treats, arts and crafts, learn more about nature and the environment and the garden and have a really good time. If you’re interested in sponsoring our event, please reach out to me at Key West garden. I’ll send you a sponsorship form. This is a very important event, because kids have a safe place to be, a day to run all around. We do it on Fantasy Fest day, on purpose, so that way the kids are pooped out that night, and the parents go and enjoy. So it’s a two part that everyone has a great day. So reach out to me, and we’re looking for our sponsors. We appreciate all the help we can get.”
A composting workshop was also held.
McRae said, “This past weekend, we did phase two of our composting workshop with the University of Florida and the Monroe County Recycle and Waste Management, we’ve partnered to do a composting project. We’ve identified five ways that you can compost in your yard. We’re doing a research project to find out which works in the best area. We’re testing, we’re researching, we’re retesting, and we’re going to get a synopsis at the end of it that says, as far as Key West and the Lower Keys go, which one works best for you. This is going to be the third Saturday of each month, which is, which is our monthly plant sale on, in addition to our nature, it’s our children’s workshop. So it’s a fun day, a great adventure and if you want to know more how to do your part for the environment, to help recycle, and that includes composting, reach out to us. We’ll schedule you in, and you can become a part of a great, exciting science project. We called on our citizen scientists to discover the best ways and means to recycle what goes through your kitchen.”
Weed warriors are also needed.
McRae said, “When the rain comes, the weeds grow with the rest of the plants. We’re looking for volunteers who can provide two to three hours a week to come and help us do weeding. It starts in our nursery. Of course, we have the only native nursery here in South Florida, 100% native plants. We need help within that. But of course, throughout the garden, we have places that we need to take care of. If you’re interested, students in the school district, if you want your community service hours, this all applies, and you can learn more about the garden, learn about our environment, learn about our native plants by helping us weed them.”
The capital campaign is also continuing.
McRae said, “We are doing a big capital campaign. As the garden grows, we need to grow with it. And when I say we, we need the business end of it. Our capital campaign has started to build the Education Department, a new office, as I pointed out in the past, the old one has outlived itself. We’ve got to get them moved. We’re looking to raise about $450,000 to help us build a new education facility that will include a classroom, a library, Research Center. It’ll be across from the nursery, because that is our live in laboratory over there and this is to facilitate the over 3,500 kids that we have visit the garden every year. For the kids, the field trips, just go see point and look. Nowadays, our field trips, you come out, you learn something in that process. We call it hands on, and you learn something that’s topical, something that is pertinent, but something that helps them within their academic career. So if you’re interested in the future, interested in the kids, help us grow by building our new education office.”
Membership is another great way to help the garden.
McRae said, “Become a member is one of the first, foremost and upfront way to support the historic Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden. We have been keeper of the trees for 88 years, and with the vote of the citizens, we’re going to be here for another 97. We’re very thankful for that. Become a member and join the ranks of the original Green Team of Key West Florida being we’ve been here since 1936. Become a volunteer is another way we talked about our weed warriors. But with the Scream and Green Halloween and with the birding events, we need volunteers to help. I can’t do it by myself. I need my volunteers to help me. Reach out to the website once again, and at the same time you can go click that donation button. We’d love to have your support.”
For more information on the garden, click here: https://www.keywest.garden/