Friends of the Carlton Reserve
1800 Mabry Carlton Parkway
Venice, FL 34292
Important Rare and Endemic Wildflowers of SW Florida
Presenter: Jeff Weber
Friends of Carlton Reserve monthly meeting. ALL are welcome
Please join us for this free, fun, and informative talk!
Light snacks will be served, please bring your own reusable water bottle.
Monday, March 9, 2026 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Carlton Reserve (picnic pavilion or cabin, pending weather conditions)
1800 Mabry Carlton Parkway, Venice, FL 34292
RSVP: If possible, please contact Linda by Sunday, March 8th with the number in your party: [email protected] so we know how much food to purchase, if you can’t RSVP please join us anyway!
Program: Jeff is an excellent speaker. He will talk about some of the noteworthy Rare and Endemic wildflower species found at the Carlton Reserve and in our local natural areas. He’ll have lots of pretty pictures and interesting information on the species highlighted.
BIO: Jeff is originally from Western New York state but considers himself a semi-native, having lived in Florida since he was 8 years old. He grew up in Pinellas County, attended Seminole High School, St. Pete College and Eckerd College where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1984. He began his professional career with the Florida Park Service, working as a state park ranger from 1985 to 1989 and as a district biologist based at Oscar Scherer State Park from 1989 to 1992. In 1992, he accepted an environmental specialist position with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources and served as a land manager for several Sarasota County parks and preserves until his retirement in August 2024. Jeff has remained active in retirement, enjoying plenty of travel, lots of hiking, nature photography, gardening and sharing his knowledge by leading guided nature walks and through a variety of public speaking engagements.
Friends of the Carlton
Tribute
to Jay, Bill, David and Jeff
Keepers of the Land
An afternoon with Boyce Blackmon!
Please Join the Friends of the Carlton Reserve for a presentation on the history of the Carlton Reserve and their end of year meeting. Light refreshments.
Public is welcome
WHEN: Tuesday, April 18th from 4:00 - 7:00pm
LOCATION: T. Mabry Carlton, Jr. Memorial Reserve, also known as the Carlton Reserve., 1800 Mabry Carlton Pkwy, Venice, FL 34292
Want to learn more about Boyce Blackmon before you go? https://sarasotaoralhistory.com/2018/01/30/boyce-blackmon/
Boyce Blackmon will present a program about the history of the Carlton Reserve, changes he's seen over the years, conservationism/environmentalism, he'll answer as many questions as he can and share lots of stories with folks.
Boyce had the original Hunt Lease for more than 3 decades on the then privately owned Ringling/MacArthur Tract - now in permanent public ownership as the well loved Carlton Reserve. He was an active Sarasota County volunteer for many years and has spent another 20+ years helping educate folks about this fabulous Reserve!
He'll give a history of the Carlton and highlight some of the changes he's seen since the 1960s. He spent his career as a builder and cattle rancher in Sarasota County. He is a conservationist/environmentalist. He co-founded and was on the original Friends of Sarasota County Parks (FOSCP) board. Boyce brought his friend, Jack Urfer (Ie. Urfer Park) to Parks and Rec for Jack's MILLION dollar donation! Boyce is a loyal member of Friends of Carlton Reserve and proudly holds membership #1! Please join us for this fun and educational event.
Bob Oliphant
former president of Friends of Carlton and long time mechanic who serviced all the power tools for volunteers.
Two of our long time officers, Jim Courtright, president, and Russ Johnson, secretary/treasurer
are stepping into retirement.
Here are two video tributes to their two decades of service to the Carlton Reserve and Friends of the Carlton:
JIM: https://youtu.be/uuqIM37HbPk
Russ: https://youtu.be/RxRXAD288ps
In Transition
Friends of Sarasota County Parks--Friends of the Carlton parent 501(C)3--
Terry Redman (right) retires, Buck Buckmaster (left) assumes presidency:
Terry Redman (retiring):
Congratulations to Debbie Blanco, retiring after over two decades of service to Sarasota County as land manager of the Carlton Reserve.
Click on picture or here to view video tribute 3:50 minutes
Venice Area Beautification, Inc., Lemon Bay Playhouse, Friends of the Carlton Reserve, and Friends of Sarasota County Parks celebrate Russ Johnson
Fran Valencic Sun Columnist
Venice Area community service organizations and family celebrated Russ Johnson whom they refer to as “The Man For All Seasons” with a surprise 80th birthday party. Bob Vedder kept a long line of members paying tribute to the volunteer to just 5 minutes each. Some had names for Russ including the “Godfather of Beautification in Venice.”
“There are no pictures of Russ,” Monty Andrews said. “He leaves when the work is done and never sticks around for pictures.”
The list of work by Russ Johnson is long including helping plant more than 200 trees in Venice over the past few years. Russ installs the lights for the Holiday Parade and the Boat Bash. He designed the butterfly gardens at Venice Gardens and the YMCA. In his red truck, he waters the trees in the Venice Urban Forest.
The group agreed Russ’s major deficit is he just can’t say no. After greetings and accolades everyone sang Happy Birthday and said,: “We love you.”
On the occasion of his 80th birthday, Russ Johnson was honored Dec. 1, 2019, at the Venice train station for his numerous contributions to the Venice Community, including the Friends of the Carlton Reserve.
Click here to view a video tribute to Russ's many good works in the Carlton Reserve.
Russ Johnson is the Indispensable Knight of the Reserve. Besides doing triple duty for Friends of the Carlton as Secretary, Treasurer and main supporter, he has been repeatedly recognized as “Volunteer of the Year” for his dedication to community service. For years he has been a loyal worker for groups like ours--VABI (Venice Area Beautification, Inc.), Lemon Bay Playhouse, and Shamrock Park. He has been seen on many sensitive lands with his infamous gang-- the pepper patrol--removing exotic invasive plants or setting out acres of native plants as part of a restoration project. Russ worked tirelessly on the 12 stall pole barn and WindySawgrass Cow Camp restoration and on virtually every project and event we have ever undertaken. From the beginning Russ has been there for us and the lands.
Thank you, Russ.
Carlton Friends and Volunteers Honor Bob Branson & Family
Photos by Jean-Louis Dumaine
Check out the Sarasota Herald Tribune article
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
featuring one of our best Friends: Jeff King
Jeff King is a long time Friend of the Carlton--his donated signs guide hikers and bikers, and a cage he donated sequesters giant air plants, (endangered by an invasive Mexican weevil) to be used as seed banks.
President:
Treasurer:
Website & Info:
Park Naturalist
Meghan Harris Meyer
Link to searchable U.S. map resources with parks, trails, campgrounds, historical sites, marinas, etc.
Sarasota County
Field Guide
to Conservation Lands
(download 64pp. PDF)
