The Girl Scouts of Troop 14005 in Weston have something new to be proud of: they've earned their Trees Badge, with a little help from the City of Weston’s landscaping aficionados. Thad Bielecki, the City's Director of Landscaping, and his colleague, Patrick Clifford, recently spent some time with the troop at their familiar meeting ground at Weston Regional Park. They've met there near the park shelter for upwards of four years, making it a place of many memories and now, new knowledge, as per the City of Weston's News.
Bielecki and Clifford delivered an interactive session that delved into the anatomy of trees, the harsh realities of deforestation, and the intricacies of seasonal care. The instruction also touched on the types of trees dotted across Weston's parks and the measures taken to secure them against the force of hurricanes. Prescribed burns, critical in managing the Everglades, were also on the agenda.
Tech-savvy scouts were introduced to Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, a tool as practical as it is powerful, used by the City to keep track of and tend to its green spaces. The City's website offers more details on Weston’s trees and their current inventory, for the digitally inclined.
A standout moment came when Bielecki raffled off a rare and endangered orchid species—an emblematic gesture highlighting Florida’s native, at-risk flora and the importance of their preservation. Jennifer Storey, the troop leader, captured the sentiment neatly. “We’re incredibly grateful to Mr. Bielecki and Patrick for taking the time to share their knowledge and passion,” she told the City of Weston's News, “They didn’t just help our girls earn a badge — they helped them understand the importance of caring for the environment and taking pride in the place they call home.”
