LARGO - The public is invited to the Holiday Conservation Celebration, an annual event jointly hosted by the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and the St. Petersburg Audubon Society, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo.
The event is a fundraiser for both organizations, which use the proceeds for conservation projects throughout Pinellas County. Projects include protection of birds and their habitats, promotion of sustainable landscape practices that include native plant species, environmental advocacy, and public education programs focusing on wildlife, nature and sustainable living.
The event is sponsored by Pinellas County Extension/IFAS and admission is free. There will be refreshments, exhibits by local environmental groups and government agencies, conservation awards, a silent auction of nature-themed books, crafts, plants, and holiday gift items, door prizes and a special guest speaker, world-renowned environmental photographer James Valentine.
Valentine's stunning photographs have appeared in books, calendars, posters and electronic media. He is president of Quest Foundation & Arts, an organization that supports preservation and environmental education through the arts and sciences. Valentine's camera, which he calls "a carrier of the light," is used to create archival photographic art that reflects the creations of nature and culture. He has devoted his life's work to the stewardship of wilderness and wildlife and the promotion of sustainable living practices. He will offer for sale signed copies of the book "Florida's Magnificent Wilderness," which he co-authored with Dr. Bruce Means.
Event schedule
6:30 - 8 p.m.: Mix and Mingle – Refreshments – Environmental Exhibits - Bidding on Silent Auction Items
7 - 8 p.m.: Book signing by James Valentine: "Florida: Magnificent Wilderness"
The mission of the Florida Native Plant Society is to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
The mission of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society is to promote environmental education and, through responsible activism, to protect, restore and preserve natural ecosystems for both people and wildlife.
