The Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves (BBAP), with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), launched a pilot sponge propagation study in the Venetian Basin of Northern Biscayne Bay to explore the viability of using sponges to enhance water quality and ecosystem health.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives.
Spring in Southwest Florida means the return of one of nature’s most remarkable events … nesting season for shorebirds and sea turtles. Beginning April 1, beaches throughout the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve become critical nesting habitat for shorebirds such as Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Wilson’s Plovers and Loggerhead Sea Turtles.
The Tomoka Marsh Aquatic Preserve (TMAP) recently partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the University of Central Florida’s Coastal & Estuarine Ecology Lab (CEELAB), DEP's Tomoka State Park, the Marine Discovery Center (MDC) and the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida to install a living shoreline aimed at restoring and protecting critical coastal habitat within the preserve. The collab
A decade and a half after Franklin Fifth graders first started planting a living shoreline at ANERR. It is exciting to see that the plant formerly known as Spartina alterniflora (smooth chordgrass) is flourishing. The most recent classes to visit and plant Spartina alterniflora dug into the sand and dug into the data with equal enthusiasm.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives.
Rookery Bay Stewardship Coordinator, Jared Franklin, hosted an international group of plant conservation experts for a field visit to Rookery Bay’s Cannon and Keewaydin Islands a few weeks ago. The visiting scientists were in Southwest Florida for a meeting hosted by Naples Botanical Garden as part of the Caribbean and Central American Botanic Gardens Network.
The staff of Oklawaha River AP had an amazing turnout this weekend at Silver Springs State Park’s annual two-day Springs Fest. Over 1,000 guests visited ORAP staff in the Discovery Center to touch and learn about native and invasive species found in their local springs. The turtles were the star of the show as always.
This month, Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve’s (GTMNERR) resource management team had a very successful trash cleanup day. They collected 751 pounds of trash, including two tires weighing 57 pounds. A group from St. Johns County, led by Kelly Ussia, kayaked to the spoil island and met everyone there, so more trash was collected than usual.
Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserves (NWFLAP) staff recently planted a living shoreline project with the help of local students from Washington High School. These students are part of our Grasses to Classes program where they learn about living shorelines and care for three different species of salt marsh plants throughout the school year.