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Scout Linking People To Land

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 10, 2008

RUSKIN - Four years ago, Janet Zicht read an article about butterflies losing habitat, piquing her interest in native plants.

That interest has led her to seek a career in landscape design.

But before she rushes off to college, Zicht is headed to the Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center on Sept. 27 to share her knowledge of plants that are both drought tolerant and wildlife friendly.

Zicht, a senior at Freedom High School in New Tampa, is a Girl Scout working toward her Gold Award, the equivalent of the Boy Scout's Eagle Award.

She plans to host a program at Camp Bayou called Linking to the Land, during which she will distribute donated native plants and pass out goodie bags filled with gadgets and information people can use to make their gardens more Florida friendly.

She is holding the event in conjunction with National Public Lands Day, a national volunteer event to benefit America's public lands.
National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with 700 volunteers and three federal agencies. Last year, 110,000 volunteers worked in 1,300 locations in every state.

The idea behind the program is to keep the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, known as "the tree army" that worked from 1933 to 1942 to protect this country's natural heritage.

Girl Scouts who attend the event at Camp Bayou can earn their Getting with The Land patch.

"I want to help give homeowners native plants to place in their backyards and information for their personal use," said Zicht, who decided to do the presentation at Camp Bayou after hearing its director, Dolly Cummings, talk about programs there.

To spread the word, Zicht has visited Girl Scout events and neighborhood groups, including a Going Green campout at Camp Dorothy Thomas in Riverview.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Linking to the Land nature program
WHERE: Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center, 4140 24th St SE, Ruskin

WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 27; registration deadline is Sept. 17

COST: Free

INFORMATION: http://campbayou.blogspot.com /2008/08/linking-to-land-going-for-gold-sept-27.html

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 865-1566 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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