The Society of the Four Arts

Admission is free. Open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Field trips are welcome for this exhibition!  For additional information, contact The Four Arts Children’s Library at (561) 655-2776.

A Gallery Talk for this exhibit will take place on  Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 11 a.m.

Mr. Tom Sterling, Photographer will discuss “Florida’s Wetlands”

Location: Mary Alice Fortin Children’s Art Gallery

Cost: Free and open to the public

About the Exhibition:

The Society of the Four Arts will debut an original photographic exhibition which focuses on one of the most valuable environmental resources in the world: Florida’s unique wetlands. Aptly titled “Florida’s Wetlands,” this exhibit features more than fifty images that explore the heart of Florida’s delicate wetland habitats.  Educational material will accompany the photographs to familiarize the visitor with the important roll that wetlands play in the very survival of man; as well as the survival of the many creatures with which we share these marvelous and indispensable environments.

Before man arrived in Florida, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, sloughs, bogs, marshes, and swamps constituted over half of the state’s total land mass. As modern man settled and developed the land, Florida saw the addition of two other types of wetlands, ditches and canals, which drained the land for development and moved water for use in agricultural and urban purposes.  That practice, ironically and sadly, cut the number of natural Florida wetlands in half.

This drastic alteration of our wetlands has had a serious impact on native wildlife.  Some species have been able to adapt, although reduced in number; others fight to survive.  Reducing wetlands has also reduced man’s ability to supply himself with one of his most basic needs – clean water.

Wetlands, such as marshes and swamps, act like giant sponges to hold water and then slowly release it into the groundwater table.  From there, it works its way to the local water plant and eventually to the pipes that run to the faucets in your home.  The thick vegetation and detritus (decaying plants and animals) serve to filter many of the contaminants that escape from our septic tanks, lawns, streets, and storm sewers.  Aquatic plants absorb CO2 while replenishing the supply of oxygen in the air and water itself.  One acre of marshland is said to be four times as productive, in terms of biomass (total weight of plants and animals produced), as an acre of prime Iowa cropland.  It also supplies homes for an untold number of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.

Florida’s wetlands are a finite resource.  At some point in the near future, the demand for water will exceed the wetland’s ability to meet the needs of man and the many creatures with which he shares his valuable resource.  Some would argue that we’ve already passed that point.

This exhibit is divided into the various habitats that comprise wetlands.

The Marsh: A flooded grassland noted for its obvious grasses, rushes, and reeds, as well as cranes, rails, bitterns, night herons, rabbits, apple snails, and myriad insects.

The Swamp: A flooded forest characterized by cypress trees, snakes, owls, heron rookeries, orchids, bromeliads, limpkins, and mosquito fish.

Lakes, Ponds, Rivers and Sloughs: Open water habitats where the alligator predominates along with a variety of fish, cormorants, anhingas, herons, egrets, storks, ducks, and grebes.

The Everglades: An environment that is a mix of all of the above wetlands plus the brackish coastal mangrove areas that are home to the American Crocodile.  In addition to the already noted wildlife you may also encounter black bears, panthers, deer, otters, raccoons, and many more exciting creatures as you explore Florida’s Everglades.

Wakodahatchee & Green Cay Wetlands: Manmade wetlands that are used by the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department to filter and  remove nutrients from thousands of gallons of waste water after the water has undergone extensive primary and secondary treatment in their plants.  These restored wetlands provide new homes for bobcats, otters, herons, egrets, alligators, and many others.

The photographs are the work of Tom Sterling, David Ho, Jim Kern, John Green and Christopher Gillette.

Tom Sterling has produced seven half-hour and two one-hour programs for television which have been seen in over 80 countries around the world. At the same time, he produced 15 lecture films and has appeared at National Geographic, Carnegie Mellon, The Museum of Natural History in New York City, The Smithsonian, Chicago Geographic and Golden Gate Geographic. As a frequent presenter at The Society of the Four Arts, he has taught thousands of Palm Beach County schoolchildren about the nature and uniqueness of Florida’s ecosystem.

Born in Hong Kong, David Ho graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in finance.  In his spare time he explored and photographed the underwater world of the Great Lakes Region.  The opportunity to dive year-round drew him to Florida and its exotic marine and freshwater environments.  Based in the Palm Beach area, he has broadened the scope of his photo adventures to include The Bahamas, Caribbean Galapagos, Hawaii, Thailand, Fiji, and Australia.  His photos are eagerly sought by many publications.

From his early years in New York City and the neighboring state of New Jersey, Jim Kern has traveled the world for over 50 years seeking intimate photos of komodo dragons, lions, gorillas, proboscis monkeys, and a myriad number of other incredible creatures.  He has called Florida his home for some time and quite naturally fell in love with its unique national park – The Everglades.  His photos have found their way to numerous publications and in 2008 a collection of his best images was published in a handsome edition titled The Wildlife Art & Adventures of Jim Kern Photographer.

John Green, of Belchertown, Massachusetts, was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He served three years in the U.S. Army and then acquired a B.S. degree in Natural History Interpretation from the University of Massachusetts.  While working for the U.S. Forest Service he began to photograph nature.  This led to the production of ten slide programs, numerous exhibits, many publishing credits, a feature on PBS’s Kids, and workshops where he shares his strong belief in “Natural Light Photography”.

Christopher Gillette of Sweetwater, Florida is a biology student at Florida International University.  He is a volunteer on the python eradication project in Everglades National Park.