To commemorate Dr. Howard T. Odum’s 100th birthday on September 1st, the Florida Springs Institute hosted a Springs Outing at Silver Springs State Park. It was truly an unforgettable day! Guy Marwick, the founder of the Silver River Museum, kicked off our Outing with a fascinating tour of the museum, sharing insights into Florida’s unique history. Dr. Robert Knight, FSI board president, founder, and former student of Dr. Odum, delivered an insightful presentation on Dr. Odum’s legacy, highlighting his significant contributions to springs ecology. We celebrated with an enjoyable lunch featuring cupcakes in honor of Dr. Odum’s 100th birthday and were treated to a special rendition of “Sto Lat” or “100 years” song, sung for Howard T. Odum by Dr. Robert Ulanowicz.
We then enjoyed a tour of the Silver River on the world-famous glass-bottom boats. Dr. David Kaplan of the UF Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands joined us for the outing, bringing along his two young daughters to experience the incredible Silver River. To top it off, we enjoyed pontoon boat ride where we spotted a new manatee calf and the famous Silver River monkeys!
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Guy Marwick for his engaging tour, Dr. Knight for sharing his extensive knowledge, and the staff at the museum and state park for their warm hospitality and support. We would also like to thank Sweetwater Branch Inn for lending us their van to transport the participants. Big thanks to everyone who joined us for this memorable experience!
