Many visitors will also visit Siesta Key pub-
lic beach while they are here. According to
Bob Luckner who organizes the Audubon
beach stewards for that island, 10 percent of
Florida's imperiled Snowy Plover population
nests on Siesta Key.
Luckner offers the following suggestions to
the public to help protect the birds:
• Give a wide berth (30 to 50 feet) to the nest-
ing areas (dunes and posted zones) and
feeding birds ("tired parents!"), the release
points out.
• Look out for chicks running around.
• Leave dogs at home. Just the sign of a dog
or cat may flush a bird from her nest per-
manently. Additionally, a county law makes
it illegal for anyone to bring a dog onto the
Siesta and Lido beaches.
Anyone who would like to become a chick
checker or beach steward may contact
Jeanne Dubi at jeanne@sarasotaaudubon.org
to volunteer at Lido Beach and Bob Luckner
at sksnpl@gmail.com to volunteer at Siesta
Key beach. For more information, visit www.
sarasotaudubon.org.
Sarasota County will host three public
workshops at multiple locations as it seeks
comments from area residents and business
owners about the county's future solid waste
master plan, the county has announced.
"We're looking forward to community mem-
bers attending these workshops, because
we value their feedback," said Kristina King,
business manager for the Sarasota County
Solid Waste Department, in a news release.
"Together we can guide the future for turn-
ing solid waste into a resource for Sarasota
County."
The workshops are scheduled as follows:
• Tuesday, July 8, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Venice
Public Library, 300 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice.
• Wednesday, July 9, 7 to 9 p.m., Lemon Bay
Park and Environmental Center meeting
room, 570 Bay Park Blvd., Englewood.
• Thursday, July 10, 7 to 9 p.m., Twin
Lakes Park, Green Building conference
room, 6700 Clark Road, Sarasota.
For more information, visit scgov.net or
call the Sarasota County Contact Center at
861-5000.
COUNTY SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON SOLID WASTE MASTER PLAN
A combination trash/recycling container has
been in use as part of a pilot program at some
beach accesses. Photo by Rachel Hackney
Sarasota News Leader July 4, 2014 Page 97
