Page 20 - 2018 Art-i-facts Jan-Feb

The Art of Nature:

2018 Lunch and Learn at the History Center

In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Nature
Discovery Center at Circle B Bar Reserve, the History Center’s
2018 Lunch and Learn lecture series includes speakers
presenting programs that are closely tied to the art of
nature and the environment. One of the most frequently
visited and photographed areas in Polk County is Circle B
Bar Reserve.
Few things inspire us like the beauty of nature and the art
that is found in it. Polk has a vast selection of locations and
experiences that offer residents and visitors an opportunity
to enjoy the beauty and art of nature that is unique to the
local area. Polk boasts of more than 26,000 acres of lush,
natural landscapes drawing photographers from all over the
country to explore and observe wildlife in a natural habitat.
Jeff Spence, director of Parks and Natural Resources for Polk
County, will kick off the nature and environment series on
April 17 with his presentation, “Natural Resource Reclamation
at Circle B Bar Reserve.” Avid nature enthusiasts, Spence and
his wife, Lynette, have for more than a decade captured
the beauty and art of Polk’s nature through the lens of
photography. A special collection of their photographs are
on display at the Polk County History Center in the Through
the Lens: Polk County’s Natural Beauty photography exhibit.
Their work also is featured in a line of notecards which are
sold at the History Center gift shop.
Other speakers include:

June 19 – Terri Mashour, Author and Land Management
Specialist, “Backcountry Trails of Florida – A Guide to Hiking
Florida’s Water Management Districts”
Aug. 21 – Dr. Jack E. Davis, University of Florida, Department
of History – “Nature’s Dozen: Key Moments in Florida’s
Environmental History”

Oct. 16 – Michelle Hoffman, Curator, Central Florida Zoo –
“Gopher Tortoises and Indigo Snakes – Restoring the Long
Leaf Pine Forest”

For a complete 2018 Lunch and Learn Lecture schedule, visit
www.polkhistorycenter.org or contact the History Center at
(863) 534-4386.
The Polk County History Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow. Visit
www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more Photographs of a Great Horned Owlet (2016) and a Male Wood Duck (2016)
information on exhibits and programming. All programs by Jeff Spence, director of Polk County Parks and Natural Resources, and his
and events are free and open to the public. wife Lynette. Jeff Spence speaks at Lunch and Learn on April 17, 2018.

20 Art-i-facts • January-February 2018 • www.polkarts.org