Calusa Waterkeeper has invited Kate Rose of Florida Sea Grant to be guest speaker at its quarterly State of Our Water event Saturday April 12th, 9:30AM The Iona House at Calusa Nature Center, 3450 Ortiz Avenue in Fort Myers.
Rose, a Florida Sea Grant Agent for Charlotte County, is a marine scientist with a background in fisheries and aquatic sciences and brings years of research and outreach experience to the program. She will share her expertise on how communities can support
the stewardship of seagrasses through citizen science. Additionally, the Calusa Waterkeeper Rangers will deliver the State of the Water Address, providing an update on the health of local waterways and the ongoing efforts to protect Florida’s coastal environments.
As seagrass continues to disappear, it becomes more important than ever to engage communities in their protection. Florida’s seagrass beds serve as food and habitat for marine life, improve water quality, and protect shorelines. However, pollution and environmental changes threaten their survival. To combat this challenge, Calusa Waterkeeper piloted the Eyes on Seagrass program in Lee County in 2024 in partnership with Florida Sea Grant and is now training citizen scientists to monitor seagrass health and collect valuable data. Through this program, volunteers will play a pivotal role in surveying seagrass and contributing to the health assessments used by local natural resource managers.
To reserve your seat or for more information, visit calusawaterkeeper.org