Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserve staff collaborated with Rollins College on a Coastal and Estuarine Science and Spirituality Class. The class was held at Canaveral National Seashore and The Mosquito Lagoon Aquatic Preserve. The class tied in both the aquatic ecosystem connections as well as the human spiritual experience attained by aquatic explorations. 

During Indian River Lagoon's third annual participation in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, aquatic preserve volunteers counted 761 pollinator visitations within 30 minutes at the demonstration native plant garden at the Titusville field office. Five volunteers watched 11 native plants for fifteen minutes each, counting every insect that landed on the native plant during that time.

Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves recently had Matthew Treskovich complete his Eagle Scout Project on BC-48. Matthew and his troop installed two of the new table kits and two fire rings on one of the local spoil islands. They also cleared some trails and replaced the educational sign that was full of holes.

On May 1st, IRLAP conducted their seventh Indian River Lagoon (IRL) Drift Card Study Deployment. The study involves numerous partner organizations deploying wooden “drift cards” from different sites across the IRL on the same out-going tide.

On Sunday, April 12, 2026, the World Mission Society Church of God’s young adult group ASEZ WAO (Saving the Earth from A to Z) joined IRLAP for an Earth Day event to improve the native plant demonstration garden at the Titusville field office. The group weeded non-native and nuisance plant species and added 45 plants made up of seven native species to the garden.

On Feb. 16, 2026, the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves (IRLAP) staff attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for St. Lucie County’s Oxbow Eco Center Palmetto Pavilion. With the new outdoor classroom, outreach and educational programs will be able to take place in a larger space. The county administrator, commissioners, Environmental Resources Department staff and many children were on hand for the event. Located near the North Fork St.

The Central Florida Aquatic Preserve (CFAP) team recently installed the Living Waters collection in the Lyonia Environmental Center gallery, in Deltona, Fl.

Northeast Regional Aquatic Preserve Manager Irene Arpayoglou attended the Central Indian River Lagoon Living Shorelines Training Workshop, hosted by Florida Sea Grant for contractors and members of the public. The workshop explored the benefits of living shorelines, presented a range of design options and components, and guided participants through the permitting processes that make these projects possible.

The Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves (IRLAP) team had all-hands-on-deck for “A Day in the Life in the Indian River Lagoon.” A marine science class from Saint Lucie West Centennial High School partnered with the IRLAP office to participate in this event organized by ORCA (Ocean Research & Conservation Association). IRLAP worked with junior and senior students to collect data for a long-term citizen science project.

The Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves (IRLAP) staff collaborated with FWC, the Brevard Zoo and Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) to investigate open spaces on the 1000 Islands, near Banana River Aquatic Preserve, for potential least tern nesting sites. Florida’s least terns (Sternula antillarum) are listed as threatened, and their nesting habitat is rapidly disappearing.