How to Help NOW: Save the date. Invite friends now. Print the poster (above) and post in your building’s lobby, bulletin board, mail room, etc (get mgt permission). Share & Invite Friends on Facebook! Sign up to Volunteer on our Calendar!
Get Involved: Please Sign Up.Quick Sign In / Up for ACE & ACENA https://forms.gle/rfC25FjXpuyHdme29Long Sign Up: Get involved in UPG https://forms.gle/qymC6urW8Q1aWq528Contact: [email protected]
This is UPG’s Second ACE Preserve & ACENA Picnic.What’s the best way to celebrate when you vaccinate?
Meet Me at the Median! Let’s Activate our Median Park with a Picnic. Let’s get together, share food, listen to some music… and ORGANIZE! Why? FIU is still trying to steal both ACE Preserve and NE 135th Street.
The Picnic: INFOThis is especially for ACENA Residents, ACE Stakeholders and North Miami taxpayers. Parking is very limited, so please walk or bike.
WHERE: It takes place at the Median right in front of ACE. Navigation Address: 2699 NE 135th St, North Miami, FL 33181
WHEN: Oct 16th, 2021 8am: Projects begin Check in at the Median. Workers must wear closed-toed shoes for safety. Family projects: gathering wildflower seeds for the UPG Nursery; Adults will be doing a Habitat Planting (Shade Trees) nearby in the Preserve.
11am-1pm: Picnic & ProgramUPG will have a hot grill for your food and a cold cooler for your bevs, plus as much ice water as you can drink. Bring a blanket (social distancing: keep 6′-10′ between pods please). Masks required, except when eating. Bring a cooler if you come for the morning project.
WHY?Well, FIU’s President has been scheming (as usual) to steal the Preserve. UPG has plans to stop FIU.
Back in May, we talked with the community about UPG’s vision for ACE and ACENA. We’re honored by the strong public response of the community.
This time, UPG has some specific scenarios to discuss… We’re getting organized… We’re filling gaps… We need YOU to prepare for what comes next: in the field, in the next phases of planning, and behind the scenes on special projects.
You’ll be meeting key members of the UPG Team (because Sam can’t do it all).
Community Organizer: Get the word out to the neighborhood, your building, key stakeholder groups… Habitat Team: Get your hands dirty planting Native Shade, deleting invasives… transforming the space into a Preserve that truly serves people and nature. Nursery Team: Grow plants and trees for our projects… in your own space! Strategic Planning: Plan next steps, and carry them out.
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2018 Content: UPG and ACE Stakeholders were fighting FIU toSAVE ACE Preserve from the Land Grab!
Please don’t take other actions at this time out of respect for those who are mourning the loss of friends and family. We will resume actions at a fitting time.
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Voting has completed in the Florida Senate (3/9) and House (3/10).FIU won this battle.
Note: this website will be updated constantly as new info becomes available.Latest update: March 10th @ 3pm.
This is the 4th time that FIU has attempted to steal ACE Preserve. This bullying has to stop.
The Senate and House both approved HB215.Section 334.352 / Lines 248-260 of the Bill.Bill Text: https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2018/215/BillText/er/PDF
Now it goes to the Governor to sign.
Please see the top of the page.
Please stand by. Join us. Plan with us.
Take the ACE Survey: What do YOU think the Preserve needs? Click HERE!
UPG is honored to be selected as a PSC Grant Winner!We will transform part of Arch Creek East Environmental Preserve into Native Habitat where the community can be immersed in nature while they walk, bike, dog-walk, meditate… there will be Nature Trails, interpretive signage, and a young forest we shall protect and nurture.
Supersize this project? Yes, Please! Being a PSC finalist catalyzed much bigger impacts: The City of North Miami is pledged substantial funding, allowing us to triple the project scope to around 1.8 acres! Big THANKS to NM Councilman Scott Galvin for his strong support – past, present & future – and to NM staff who are working with UPG to carry out our plan.
We are very grateful to our many Partners who are helping us build our TREES program, especially Emerge Miami! Thanks to our friends at Miami-Dade County Parks ,we have a thriving nursery growing trees for this project. Miami Dade College has been a wonderful partner, and Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy – Miami Dade College has pledged continued support. ACENA – Arch Creek East Neighborhood Association will be bringing neighborhood volunteers out!
Hats Off to UPG’s amazing Volunteers! UPG has been working at ACE for 4.5 years. Volunteers have been working there almost every week, month after month. They conquered Burma Reed. They planted mangroves. They took out Australian Pines, Brazilian Peppers, Air Potatoes, Oyster Plants… and they planted several Demonstration Habitats.Their hard work showed the City and the Foundation what is possible.
This project fulfills goals of the Miami-Dade County Open Spaces Master Plan.It is the only PSC Winner in North Miami or NMB.
Moving forward, we seek NEW PARTNERS in the NM area… Students will experience our award-winning Service-Learning, and earn service hours. Faculty will find Experiential projects to compliment their classroom content. Community groups will help create transformation. Faith-based groups will find new paths to stewardship. Bike groups will create a new oasis. Nature groups will help make life possible for generations of wildlife! We will all work and learn together, and it is all good!
This is UPG’s second PSC Grant (our first was in 2013 for Amelia). It is our third time being a PSC Finalist. We truly appreciate the confidence and support of The Miami Foundation and Foundation Funders for our vision, creativity… and our work ethic!
This is our *original* concept. It is 3x bigger now, thanks to North Miami! Read all about it: Click here!
Photos & Video:
ACE (Arch Creek East Environmental) Preserve is a City of North Miami Park. It is located along Biscayne Bay, between NE 135th Street and FIU Biscayne Bay Campus.
Address2605 NE 135th St.North Miami, FL 33181
UPG has been working at ACE Preserve for more than 4 years… but don’t take our word for it…
A picture is worth 1,000 words… so here are photos plus video!
Video: Young Manatee in the Preserve July 2016https://www.facebook.com/SamVanLeer/videos/10206843121416341/
Photos: Please visit our UPG Facebook Group, and search for “ACE”. You will find many photos of UPG Volunteers making progress… and of Nature
