Friends of Lyonia Environmental Center

09/15/2026

Coming up this Thursday the 17th! Please let us know if you can stop by and say Thank You to Eli for his many years of service to birding and the environment!

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dh5SL199E/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Our birder extraordinaire Eli Schaperow has decided to step back from leading his famous birding hikes. We want to take a moment to celebrate a man that has given so much to West Volusia Audubon and the birding community by sharing stories and photos of our adventures with Eli.

If you’ve ever attended one of Eli’s hikes or talks, if you’ve ever seen him point out a special bird, or if he’s contributed to your love of birding in any way, please join us to show Eli how much his knowledge and enthusiasm have benefited us all.

Join us at the Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave. Deltona, Florida on Thursday, September 17th. The party starts at 1:00 PM in the LEC’s main classroom.

If you have pictures of Eli on any of your birding adventures please share them with us and we will include them in a slide show. If you have stories to tell, please either share them with us at the event or e-mail them to us so we can share them with Eli.

We want to make this event as full of love and appreciation as possible and we’d love for everyone to attend who is able.

If you want to RSVP, please do so at our Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cea9hqoBD

Please send your photos and stories to:
[email protected]

09/15/2026

Last weekend’s craft program at the Lyonia Environmental Center featured the basics of Suminagashi, the ancient Japanese art of paper marbling. Our guests created a unique puzzle themed piece of art to take home!

Be sure to sign up on the LEC’s Eventbrite to get notified when new craft programs become available. They’re very popular and fill up fast!

📸: Shari Smith

09/12/2026

Everyone please say a BIG thank-you to the Lyonia Photography Club that set up a clean-up this morning on the east side of Lyonia Preserve, with a special thanks to Danielle for organizing the event. Thanks to everyone for giving their time to help protect a place that’s so special to all of us.

📸: Tyler Lovell Tyler Lovell

09/12/2026

How do we rate this rabbit’s hiding skills?

📸: Chris Kintner

09/11/2026

A gopher tortoise has started a burrow in the LEC’s Pollinator Garden! And while we love that they’ve chosen the gardens for their home, we do worry about their chosen walking paths including some journeys into the parking lot. Please be extra mindful in your car and on the sidewalks and keep an eye out for our new friend!

📸: Paula Tedrow and Danielle Linsler Rice

09/10/2026

Homeschool families can take learning beyond the kitchen table and into the natural world through a new series of hands-on programs offered by Lyonia Environmental Center during the 2026-27 school year. The programs provide a unique opportunity to supplement home learning with real-world experiences exploring Volusia County’s ecosystems, native plants and wildlife through hands-on activities and outdoor adventures.

To learn more about the individual programs, visit Volusia County’s website: https://www.volusia.org/news/Departments/Growth-and-Resource-Management/Environmental-Management/Lyonia-Environmental-Center/take-homeschool-learning-outdoors-with-lyonia-environmental-center.stml

The cost is $8 per child per program. The programs are designed for students in grades 1-9. Each family may have one free adult attend. A full refund is available for cancellations made at least two weeks in advance.

To register or for more information, call 386-789-7207, ext. 21026. Information also is available by contacting Shari Smith, education program coordinator, at [email protected], or Alexandra Hemme, education program assistant, at [email protected].

09/09/2026

Our birder extraordinaire Eli Schaperow has decided to step back from leading his famous birding hikes. We want to take a moment to celebrate a man that has given so much to West Volusia Audubon and the birding community by sharing stories and photos of our adventures with Eli.

If you’ve ever attended one of Eli’s hikes or talks, if you’ve ever seen him point out a special bird, or if he’s contributed to your love of birding in any way, please join us to show Eli how much his knowledge and enthusiasm have benefited us all.

Join us at the Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave. Deltona, Florida on Thursday, September 17th. The party starts at 1:00 PM in the LEC’s main classroom.

If you have pictures of Eli on any of your birding adventures please share them with us and we will include them in a slide show. If you have stories to tell, please either share them with us at the event or e-mail them to us so we can share them with Eli.

We want to make this event as full of love and appreciation as possible and we’d love for everyone to attend who is able.

If you want to RSVP, please do so at our Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cea9hqoBD

Please send your photos and stories to:
[email protected]

09/08/2026

Join the Lyonia Photography Club for another clean-up on the eastern side of Lyonia Preserve!

The clean-up event starts on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 8:00 AM and should last until around noon. The club will meet at the orange gate on Providence Blvd. and make their way down to the lake. The club will have grabbers and trash bags for you to help with the clean-up.

Everyone is invited - you don’t have to have attended a club meeting before! The club is also looking for people to document the clean-up through their photography.

Please RSVP here if you can attend: https://www.facebook.com/events/1052917467421798