Do you spend time out on the Indian River Lagoon? Whether you enjoy boating, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, snorkeling or just soaking up the sun in these critical estuaries, Florida Sea Grant is calling on volunteers for the Eyes on Seagrass Blitz.
From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the blitz will rely on residents to report seagrass using the Seagrass Spotter App. Participants will fill out the online volunteer form, take photos, use the identification guides to determine species and upload their findings to the designated app. More information is available from this Florida Sea Grant website.
This data will help identify areas and the types of monitoring needed for future monitoring and surveys. Participants are asked to report both the presence and absence of seagrass across the lagoon.
This community-driven seagrass monitoring event takes place along the entire Indian River Lagoon region, including Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana River in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. With this large-scale citizen-science effort, volunteers will contribute valuable data on seagrass health, crucial to restoring the Lagoon’s fragile ecosystems.
“Since seagrasses thrive in healthy waters, their presence is an indicator of good water quality in the lagoon,” said Lisa Krimsky, regional water resources agent with Florida Sea Grant. “Knowing where seagrass is absent is just as important as understanding where it is present. Monitoring overall seagrass distribution and composition is essential for understanding overall ecosystem health.”
This event builds on the success of the Eyes on Seagrass program in Charlotte and Escambia Counties, and anyone in the Indian River Lagoon can now be a part of the collective effort to safeguard the lagoon’s health.
The Indian River Lagoon is home to a vibrant ecosystem featuring lush seagrass beds that provide critical habitats and nurseries for marine species like manatees, sea turtles and various fish and invertebrates. Seagrass plays a vital role in enhancing water quality by stabilizing sediments, removing nutrients, producing oxygen and sequestering carbon dioxide.
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and county governments.
flseagrant.org | @FloridaSeaGrant
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by Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
ABOUT FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The Florida Sea Grant program, hosted at UF/IFAS, is a university-based program that supports research, education and Extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. In addition to UF/IFAS, the program is a partnership between Florida universities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and county governments.
flseagrant.org | @FloridaSeaGrant
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