Thoughts from Operation TRAP’s UF Summer 2026 Undergraduate Gulf Scholar: Madeline Prummer
This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Operation T.R.A.P. (Trash Reduction for Aquatic Preserves), a NOAA-funded initiative focused on intercepting marine debris before it reaches Florida’s coastal waters. Working alongside Dr. Monica Wilson, I spent the summer traveling to pilot sites in Cedar Key and Pasco County, collecting and documenting debris from storm drain traps, Watergoat litter booms, and monofilament recycling tubes.
When I began this internship, I expected to learn about marine debris and gain experience with environmental fieldwork. What I did not expect was how much the experience would challenge me as both a student and a future environmental professional.
Learning From the Field
Much of my internship involved work that was not necessarily glamorous. Field days could mean spending hours outdoors emptying storm drain traps, sorting through wet and muddy debris, weighing collections, and carefully recording each item in our data sheets. At first, even identifying and categorizing debris could be challenging. Over time, I became much more comfortable recognizing different materials and understanding how our field observations contributed to a larger dataset.
The work also taught me to be adaptable. Weather, road conditions, unexpected debris, and even wildlife could change the plans for a field day. I learned to check forecasts ahead of time, arrive early, communicate with my team, and be prepared for whatever we might encounter. And sometimes, “whatever we might encounter” included rescuing a live turtle trapped inside a storm drain.
One of the most surprising things I learned was that marine debris patterns are not always obvious from the landscape. I initially assumed that areas near busy roads or commercial businesses would consistently collect the most litter. Instead, some residential sites collected significant amounts of debris, particularly tobacco-related waste. These observations reinforced the importance of collecting data rather than relying on assumptions about where pollution comes from.
Connecting Communities and Data
My coursework in Environmental Justice and Policy and the Gulf Scholars Program had already introduced me to the environmental challenges facing Gulf communities. However, Operation T.R.A.P. allowed me to see those challenges firsthand.
Cedar Key especially showed me the importance of trust and community involvement in environmental work. Because Cedar Key is a small, close-knit community, the work we were doing was visible. As the summer progressed, local residents began recognizing our team and understanding why we were there. We also had several regular volunteers who consistently showed up to help with cleanouts and were always willing to lend a hand. Their willingness to contribute their time and effort demonstrated a genuine sense of public service and community stewardship. These interactions changed how I think about the relationship between conservation and the communities it serves. Environmental work is not something that happens separately from a community; it depends on people who are willing to participate and take ownership of the places where they live.
My Gulf Impact
As the summer came to an end, I created an interactive ArcGIS StoryMap documenting Operation T.R.A.P.’s work in Cedar Key and Pasco County. The StoryMap combines field photographs, maps, information about the debris interception technologies, and data collected through the program’s monitoring efforts.
Because Cedar Key and Pasco County serve as pilot communities, I also wanted the project to look beyond my own internship. Operation T.R.A.P. has collected more than two years of data, creating an opportunity to demonstrate how a program that began with pilot communities could eventually support a broader coast-to-coast approach to marine debris interception in Florida.
Explore the StoryMap ‘Stopping Marine Debris at the Source’
Looking Ahead
This summer reinforced for me how fulfilling public service can be. Whether I was sorting through a storm drain trap or analyzing debris data, I could see how seemingly small actions contributed to a larger effort to protect Florida’s coastal ecosystems.
As I look toward law school and a future career in environmental law and policy, I will carry this experience with me. I want to understand not only the laws and policies designed to protect our environment, but also the communities affected by those policies and the scientific work that helps shape them.
Most importantly, Operation T.R.A.P. showed me that environmental work is not always glamorous—and that is exactly what makes it meaningful. Sometimes making a difference means getting your hands dirty and knowing that the work you are doing will help protect a place and a community you have come to care about deeply.
I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Monica Wilson and everyone involved with Operation T.R.A.P. for allowing me to learn from their work and become part of the effort to reduce marine debris along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Operation TRAP is supported by NOAA’s Marine Debris Program and in partnership with FDEP’s Aquatic Preserves, Florida Sea Grant, Pasco County, Keep Pasco Beautiful, and the City of Cedar Key.
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