Eyes on Seagrass was built with two goals in mind:<\/p>\n
1. Generate meaningful scientific data that can be used by researchers and natural resource managers<\/p>\n
2. Build a community of people who understand and care about seagrass ecosystems enough to protect them.<\/p>\n
Previous posts in this series speak to goal No. 1. This post will speak to the second: the impact that Eyes on Seagrass has had on the Southwest Florida community and participants.<\/p>\n
Seagrass loss is not unique to Charlotte Harbor \u2014 it\u2019s a global issue. Coastal systems around the world are seeing declines as water quality, land-use changes, and climate pressures change the conditions these plants depend on. The increase in macroalgae we\u2019ve been discussing is a challenge specific to Southwest Florida. Eyes on Seagrass has steadily grown outward from Charlotte Harbor since 2019 as other organizations recognized the need for more consistent, in-water observations of seagrass and its compatriots.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2019 \u2014 Charlotte Harbor: Florida Sea Grant established the program in Charlotte County in response to local concerns about seagrass loss and increasing macroalgae.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2021 \u2014 National Estuary Programs: The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) supported volunteer training in Charlotte Harbor and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program officially adopted the program.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2024 \u2014 Lemon Bay Conservancy: LBC took over management for Lemon Bay, which had historically existed as part of the Charlotte Harbor Program even though the bay itself straddles Charlotte and Sarasota Counties.<\/p>\n
\u2022 2025 \u2014 Calusa Waterkeepers: CWK expanded the program into Lee County, building capacity in the Caloosahatchee Estuary.<\/p>\n
Rather than a single program expanding outward, Eyes on Seagrass has grown more like a shared framework. Each organization involved applies the same core monitoring methods but has enough flexibility to focus on the conditions and questions that matter most in their area. And the network doesn\u2019t stop in Southwest Florida\u2014there are Eyes on Seagrass programs in other parts of the state as well.<\/p>\n
In the Panhandle, for example, programs are using the same framework to better understand how freshwater runoff impacts their local seagrass meadows. Their procedure includes water sampling instead of macroalgae sampling. Meanwhile, in the Indian River Lagoon, the program has taken on more of a bio-blitz style format, documenting seagrass regrowth after decades of loss. Keep an eye out for an addendum to this series summarizing results on Florida\u2019s East Coast!<\/p>\n
Eyes on Volunteers<\/p>\n
Eyes on Seagrass participants are more than just data collectors. In 2023, we surveyed 59 of 97 Charlotte County volunteers 3\u20136 months after participation to better understand how participating in the program was affecting them.<\/p>\n
\u2022 82% identified as seagrass stewards. Before participating, only 26% identified as seagrass stewards.<\/p>\n
\u2022 91% of respondents implemented at least one behavior change on behalf of seagrass. Behaviors included:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Adopting Seagrass Safe boating practices<\/p>\n
\u2022 Investigating\/implementing Florida Friendly Landscaping principles for their yards<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sharing information with others, including friends, family and peers<\/p>\n
\u2022 Advocating for seagrass and\/or environmental conservation in a political setting<\/p>\n
\u2022 Participating with other organizations who aim to conserve seagrass or natural resources in general<\/p>\n
\u2022 95% of respondents reported personal growth because they participated in the program, including:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Improved physical and mental health<\/p>\n
\u2022 Feeling like they can make a difference in their community<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gaining confidence in using new technology<\/p>\n
\u2022 High-quality social relationships<\/p>\n
\u2022 Increased self-esteem<\/p>\n
\u2022 Reduced stress<\/p>\n
\u2022 New business\/professional contacts<\/p>\n
\u2022 Improved appreciation and understanding of science<\/p>\n
\u2022 Recovery from loss, disappointment, or a traumatic event<\/p>\n
Taken together, these results point to something deeper than participation in a monitoring program. Volunteers aren\u2019t just contributing data \u2014 they\u2019re building a stronger connection to the system they\u2019re studying and the people around them. That shows up in how they describe their role, the choices they make on and off the water, and the way they engage with their community.<\/p>\n
A special thank you to Dr. Lisa Krimsky (UF\/IFAS Florida Sea Grant) and Arielle Taylor Manges (FDEP\/Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves) for their input. <\/p>\n
Tori Guarino and Carter Oleckna contributed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eyes on Seagrass was built with two goals in mind: 1. Generate meaningful scientific data that can be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":435796,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[28662,209,211,210],"class_list":["post-435795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-boatingandfishing","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/435796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}