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Panhandle Butterfly House Awards

 

2009

The Panhandle Butterfly House is recognized by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) as a Search for Excellence National Winner in Landscape Horticulture recognizing the best Extension horticulture program in the nation.

 

May, 2009:

The Panhandle Butterfly House receives the 2009 Curtis Kingsbery Education Award from the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society

The Panhandle Butterfly House has  received the 2009 Curtis Kingsbery Education Award from the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society at their annual meeting held Thursday, May 28, 2009.  The award is for "increasing awareness of Florida's biological diversity through the study of butterflies and their habitats". 

The award is named after an uncle of one of our Santa Rosa County Master Gardeners, Donna Barker. Curtis Kingsbery was past president of the Francis M. Weston Audubon Society in Pensacola and its field trip chairman for more than twenty years. He was also a board member of AOS; Regional Reporter for Northwest Florida for Audubon Field Notes/American Birds; and compiler of the Pensacola Christmas Bird Count and other surveys, including the Breeding Bird Survey for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After retiring from the insurance business, Curtis developed and taught three weekly birding classes under the auspices of Pensacola Junior College. He encouraged his students to become concerned environmentalists and led them on field trips to various birding locations in the Southeast United States. He also initiated birding and nature trips to Alaska, Costa Rica and Arizona.

Fall, 2008:

Florida Master Gardener State Award of Excellence in the category of Service to 4-H and other Youth by UF/IFAS

The Panhandle Butterfly House “Kiderpillar” School was awarded the Florida Master Gardener State Award of Excellence in the category of Service to 4-H and other Youth by UF/IFAS (Tom Wichman) at the 28th Annual Florida Master Gardener Conference in Coral Springs held October 20-22, 2008.  Mary Peterzen, Tour Guide Chairman, received the plaque from Commissioner Gordon Goodin at the 2009 Panhandle Butterfly House Season Opening on April 17, 2009.  The plaque is now on display at the PBH.  The Guides all received certificates for their participation.

“Kiderpillar” School focuses on Florida butterflies, their habitat, conservation, appropriate integrated pest management and healthy ecosystem education.  Creativity and documented increase in knowledge of butterfly life cycles, beneficial insects, metamorphosis, butterfly life cycles, and host nectar plants were integral parts of earning this award. 

Want to share our award winning programs with a group. Contact us for more information and to schedule a group tour.

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