By Amy K.D. Tobik
The Voice

Sometimes when it rains, it really pours.

As torrential rain descended upon Central Florida during Tropical Storm Fay in August, roadways flooded and once low-level retention areas turned into lakes. The Lawton Environmental Study Area, once filled with butterflies, grasshoppers, turtles and flowering plants, was submerged in water.

Rachelle Groetsch, volunteer program chair of the garden located on South Lake Jessup in Oviedo, said the school property was flooded from fence to fence, spilling onto the Lawton Elementary playground. And with continuing rainstorms during the summer and poor drainage, approximately 6 inches of water became stagnant.

“Unfortunately [the water] never receded so all of the plants were pretty much destroyed because they sat in water,” Groetsch said. “And then with the rain afterward it became a sludge, basically,” she added.

With the water levels so high, and no sunshine or dry air in the forecast, Groetsch requested help from the Seminole County School System.

“Unfortunately, due to the damage at other schools, the priority with the school system had to fall on doing structural repair first,” Groetsch said.

Groetsch then explained her plight to the City of Oviedo and Mayor Mary Lou Andrews sent a pump out to the location the next day, lowering the level an estimated 4 inches.

“They came out and observed how much damage we had, which was twofold because when the garden flooded, the (surrounding) neighborhood had potential to flood because the drain was right there. We were trying to take proactive stance for both reasons,” Groetsch said.

Andrews said the relationship between the schools and the school board is important to the city. “The Lawton Butterfly Garden is an important learning tool for the students, and it is also an opportunity for students and their families to learn about this local ecosystem,” said Andrews, who offered to lend a helping hand in the gardening.

The environmental study area was originally designed 13 years ago using nearly two acres of wetlands located on the southwest corner of the school campus. A volunteer base of teachers, parents and people from the community completed the wooden outdoor classroom in 1996.

Over the years, the plant base increased significantly with donations of plants such as plumbago, firebush, lantana and pentas, providing the ideal environment for butterflies to flourish. Students have been able to witness the butterfly life cycle first hand or take samples of the water to enhance science curriculum.

Today the area sits partially submerged in water. “About 95 percent of the butterfly plants were destroyed. The dock and pavilion need to be checked to make sure they are structurally sound,” Groetsch said. “The shed lid flew off and the weed eater sat in 6 inches of water and two benches need repair,” she added.

“Even now we have one down tree and once the remaining water recedes, we may need to take more down,” Groetsch said. The goal for the year is to dredge the water, clean up some of the invasive plants and remove all the flowers that are dead, she said.

Anxious to get the revitalization under way, Groetsch has planned workdays for people in the community to contribute to bringing the garden back to life.

“The funny part is that when we were out there a week ago picking out the dead stuff, I saw more wildlife than I had seen in months,” Groetsch said. “There were butterflies, unique birds I have never seen out there before, hawks, frogs and crickets. I guess some things keep going.”

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Help out at the next Butterfly Garden day
Workers and donations are welcome. Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Bring gloves and labeled non-electric equipment to restore the butterfly garden. Community service hour cards will be signed. For more info, contact Rachelle Groetsch: jazzysaint@mpinet.net

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Source: SeminoleVoice