Wildflower authors share expertise at “Ding” Darling for lecture series

Gary Schmelz and Glen Stacell, authors of A Guide to Native Wildflowers of Southwest  Florida, will make a special guest appearance on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. in the Education Center at Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

Professor Schmelz is the former director of the Big Cypress Nature Center and also former director of education for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Stacell, a former high school environmental science and biology teacher, serves on the board of the Friends of the Fakahatchee and is a noted lecturer on native wildflowers.

The authors will sign copies of their newly released book following their slide show and lecture.

Their presentation is part of the “Ding” Darling Bookstore’s 2010 Thursday Afternoon Lecture Series. See schedule below for upcoming lectures.

Admission is free to the event, which is sponsored by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge. Seating is limited and available on a first-come basis. Future events are listed below.

For more information, call 472-1100 ext. 241 or log on to www.dingdarlingsociety.org.