Events and Meetings

Board of Directors Meeting Schedule

Board of Directors meetings are usually held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30pm.

Please call 872-8260 to get directions to the meeting location.

Past Events:

2009 Annual Meeting Summary

The Bay County Conservancy held its 10^th Annual Meeting on March 28, 2009, at the Doctors’ Pond Gazebo on the Audubon Nature Preserve. Wal-Mart’s “Green Team” volunteers Sarah Drake and Ashley Carmony were thanked for their cleanup efforts at the Audubon Nature Preserve, which resulted in a $1,000.00 donation from the Wal-Mart Foundation. Special thanks were extended to Laura Jenkins for her donation in honor of her late husband, Wally Jenkins. The funds were used to refurbish the Doctors’ Pond kiosk.

Ron Houser reported that most of the popcorn trees have now been eradicated from the Audubon Nature Preserve.  Ron also described plans to cut a trail from the gazebo to the Wal-Mart property boundary. Candis Harbison stated that the King Family Preserve had met success criteria with respect to mitigation requirements and Jackie Kolk and Nancy Harris provided updates on the Tumble Creek Preserve in Washington County. A 10-acre addition to Tumble Creek is currently under contract.

 Ric Ruebsamen provided an update on the Talkington Preserve in Lynn Haven, including the good news that a population of Panama City crayfish is established there. Teresa Nooney reported that initial efforts to restore habitat and plant a wildlife garden at the Palm Preserve were successful and will continue as funds allow. Candis described the successful dedication of the 12 ½ acre Doreen Miley Holder Preserve near Freeport. Ron Houser stated that he and Ted Wilson had cut a new loop trail on the Juniper Headwaters Preserve for visitors to enjoy and it was noted that the Department of Forestry probably would not be able to conduct a controlled burn at the preserve until fall due to the recent dry conditions. 

Bay County Conservancy Board members were formally elected for 2009-2010 and Candis distributed maps of BCC’s conservation parcels at Tumble Creek. The Conservancy’s need for assistance in raising $20,000 to purchase the 10-acre addition to the preserve was emphasized and as the meeting adjourned, all were in agreement about the importance of protecting this important watershed area.

Field Trip Summaries

Juniper Headwaters Preserve Field Trip – October 11, 2008

Jointly, Bay County Audubon Society and Bay County Conservancy visited the 40-acre Juniper Headwaters Preserve to observe many fall wildflowers and some of the resident birds, and then were guests of George Jonkel, who lives very near the Preserve and who has created a wildlife paradise on his property.  George and his daughter, Elise Gold, as Management Team Leaders, keep an eye on the Preserve. 

The Jonkel property is delightful, with ponds, many native plantings, gardens, a labyrinth, and careful documentation of the wildlife that inhabits it.  They have seen foxes, bobcats, a bear, and the usual small animals.  Elise has sighted a pair of Bald Eagles regularly, and they know that a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Red-shouldered Hawk nest there. 

After the tour, George served home-grown, home-made grape juice, and invited his guests to walk the labyrinth.

  View Field Trip Photos

Tumble Creek Preserve Field Trip - April 29, 2006

Following the Bay County Conservancy’s seventh Annual Meeting at the Gallery of Art, nineteen people in a five-vehicle caravan braved the washboard roads of the bi-county area (Bay and Washington) to discover the Bay County Conservancy’s Audubon Tumble Creek Preserve.  After a picnic lunch, Dr. and Mrs. Ed and Lisa Keppner led an exploration of the “longleaf pine-wiregrass-turkey oak” habitat on the high and dry portion of the 45-acre preserve, winding downhill through titi and Florida anise (Note: Next field trip, we’ll bring clippers to help keep the path clear!) to the seepage slopes and sphagnum moss of the creek itself.  Participants learned what an “ecotone” is and became familiar with many of the wildflowers and trees.  Written directions to the property are available by emailing us at  bcc@comcast.net.