eVIP Volunteer at the 2022 National Public Lands Day Project |
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Lend a Hand to make a difference in your Orange County environment and community.
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Thank You Volunteers!
National Public Lands Day
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The Orange County Environmental Protection Division celebrated National Public Lands Day on September 24. In total, 24 volunteers and staff gathered on a new Green PLACE property near the Econlockhatchee River in east Orange County. Volunteers removed 300 pounds of invasive plants and 170 linear feet of old fencing. A big thank you to the American Society of Civil Engineers' Environmental & Water Resources Institute for supplying volunteer refreshments and extra hands to help! It was wonderful to work with the University of Central Florida's National Society of Black Engineers and all the individuals who came out to help. Thank you to the volunteers and staff that made this project a resounding success!
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In Her Own Words
Namritha Ramakrishnan, Volunteer Intern
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I started my internship with the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) in February with the Development Review Program (DRP). The DRP is a fast-paced team which reviews land developments on an environmental basis, ensuring that projects align with regulations on wetlands and Florida's native wildlife. My first project involved digitizing project documentation (plats, permits and plans) from files dating back to the 1900s, to make them more easily accessible for citizens. I uploaded these documents to the specific folders where data such as Conservation Area Impact Permits (CAIs), EPD project reviews and others are stored. More recently, I began a new project to help keep track of reviews and project statuses. The database containing 4,000 records is currently being transferred to make things more organized and efficient. As I assisted the team in transferring these records, I learned more about how the review process works. Now entering my third year as an Environmental Engineering major at the University of Central Florida, I am able to apply what I learned in my internship to my research and studies. It has been a great experience learning the terminology and processes behind the permitting process, and how these steps at the County level help us conserve and preserve Florida's wetlands and native wildlife. I would like to thank my supervisor Tim Madhanagopal and the rest of the DRP team for this amazing opportunity to work with them and for providing me with valuable knowledge that I will carry with me through my career!
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Fall Intern Meet & Greet
November 7, 2022
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The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will host a virtual Meet & Greet on Monday, November 7, at 12:30 p.m. This networking event is for those interested in volunteering as interns for the spring semester. At the Meet & Greet, EPD staff will conduct brief interviews with candidates and describe various internship opportunities. Current internship application and enrollment in school is required. Candidates must RSVP to participate.
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Sign Up!
Receive More News From EPD
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Would you like to learn more about the Orange County Environmental Protection Division (EPD)? EPD is excited to share a variety of information about events, sustainability, the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, regulatory updates, lake management, water quality and more! If you would like to be included on the email list, please fill out this brief sign-up form.
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Storm Drain Labeling
Spearhead a storm drain labeling project in your community. Orange County eVIP provides all the supplies, a one-hour training session and the support to create an enjoyable and meaningful service project for your group. Please help us keep our surface water clean and our storm drains functioning properly. This is a great project for scout groups!
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EnviroScape Training Workshop
Learn how to use the EnviroScape Model to provide fun, hands-on watershed education presentations to youth in Orange County. Are you an educator? Once trained, classroom teachers and youth group leaders can also "check out" our education materials. One-on-one trainings can be arranged to accommodate your schedule.
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Internship Program
To learn more about the program, send an email stating your interest. Internships are competitive and applications are accepted year-round. Students can earn service hours, college credit and meaningful work experience. Interns who complete a three-month unpaid internship are eligible to apply for paid internships as available.
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Orange County Water-Quality Monitoring
Orange County partners with the UF/IFAS LAKEWATCH program to provide volunteers with training and equipment for water-quality testing on local lakes. Volunteers need lake access, a few hours each month to collect samples, transportation to deliver samples, a canoe or watercraft and a one-year-plus commitment to sampling.
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In-School, After-School and Summer Camp Presentations
Teachers and youth group leaders interested in watershed education can request EnviroScape presentations for their students. Presentations are approximately 25 minutes long and are scheduled throughout the academic year and summer months as schedule permits.
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Community
Cleanup Kit
Is your group looking for an environmental project? eVIP has a new kit that helps individuals lead a cleanup and assist in keeping Orange County free of pollution. eVIP provides the supplies, training and support. The project is a good fit for volunteers of all ages and groups of all sizes. Educational materials will be provided as requested.
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Thank you for your interest! |
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If you would like more information on any of the opportunities listed above,
please contact the Orange County Environmental Protection Division Volunteer Coordinator
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Orange County Environmental Protection Division
407-836-1430 | Cell 321-689-8232 | Fax 407-836-1499
3165 McCrory Place, Suite 200, Orlando, FL 32803
Serving our community by conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment for current and future generations.
Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved.
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