Today, at the FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is the “Indian River Lagoon Symposium.” (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/Symposium.html) that is part of “Love Your Lagoon,” sponsored by the Harbor Branch Foundation (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/Love-Your-Lagoon-Dinner-.html).
This symposium consist of one full day of presentations, and poster displays, and is then followed by a day including “public meeting and interaction” going forward. The symposium is a collaboration of many, but is led by beloved, Dr Dennis Hannisak of Harbor Branch, who specializes in seagrasses and has written many valuable publications on the subject. (http://www.fau.edu/hboi/meh/mb.php)
I would be remiss if I called the HBOI Symposium, the “4th annual,” as Harbor Branch (http://www.fau.edu/hboi/) has a very long history of ocean, and thus estuarine research, here on the Treasure Coast, and has had a number of important symposiums over the past 40 plus years. (http://www.hboifoundation.org/p/28/history)
Nonetheless, the past four have been consistent and coincide with the recent crisis and super-bloom “crash” of the Indian River Lagoon’s northern and central seagrass health, and the 2013 “lost summer,” from devastating polluted releases from Lake Okeechobee on top of canals C-23, C-24 , C-44 and C-25 in the southern lagoon.
Since that time, there has been a public outcry for research, funding, and understanding. These symposiums provide an incredible opportunity for the scientific community, government agencies, youth, budding scientists, and the public to collaborate sharing knowledge and questions regarding our treasured and ailing Indian River Lagoon. Harbor Branch, founded by Steward Johnson and Edwin Link in 1971 is the perfect place.
The overview for the symposium states:
“The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) Symposium is the result of a multi-institutional, multi-agency effort to provide a forum for discussing IRL science and its application to management of the lagoon. The symposium is open to scientists, decision makers, students, education and outreach professionals, and the interested public. The intent is to help facilitate better communication among these groups so that the gaps between research and its application can be narrowed.”
Here is a summary over the past four years:
2102, “Looking Forward:” (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/IRLS_2012_Program.pdf)
2013, “Health of the Lagoon:”(http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/IRLS_2013_Abstracts_of_Presentations.pdf)
2014, “Lagoon Bio-diverstiy:” (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/IRLS_2014_Abstracts_of_Presentations_Final_copy.pdf)
2015, “Lessons, Challenges, Opportunities:” (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/IRLS_2015_Abstracts_of_Presentations_Final.pdf)
SEE THIS LINK TO VIEW programs, and technical abstracts and more: (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/Symposium.html)
Kudos to the Harbor Branch and to the steering committee and to the public. Together, may we inspire each other, and our government to “Save our St Lucie River/Indian River Lagoon!”
•Jeff Beal – Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission
•Patti Gorman – South Florida Water Management District
•Dennis Hanisak – Florida Atlantic University
•Chuck Jacoby – IRL National Estuary Program/St. Johns River Water Management District
•Sea McKeon – Smithsonian Institution
•Mark Perry – Florida Oceanographic Society
•Chris Wilson – University of Florida
•John Windsor – Florida Institute of Technology
To attend the public form, this year entitled: “Engaging the Public: Citizen Science, “please see link: (http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/IRLS_2015_Forum_Program.pdf)(http://www.indianriverlagoon.org/Symposium.html)
is there a place to view the posters from the symposium held today, thursday, 2-5-15. could be a way to do some art from the posters and create some revenue, on giclee and shirts, hats,
Thanks,
Ed Jeffrey
You can view the posters at HBOI today. they may be up tomorrow too. I have asked that they be on line in the future so you can just pull them up. Contact Dr Hanisak and he may be able to get you in to see them.”Dennis Hanisak (dhanisak@fau.edu)” he oversees the symposium. I like your idea!
I wish I could attend but I have my fingers crossed hopeing YOU will tell the “untold” history of what happened to our Lagoon.
Brent are you talking about the calcium theory?
US ! is a thousand miles long and everywhere I have found the 1925 road bed it is made of coquina shells . Millions of tons must have been removed for this project alone. I keep adding to my album and I think after a person reads all the details they will come to the conclusion it is NO theory. I know the birds —fish —sea turtles –sea grass–coquina clams—and all the creatures keep telling me this is correct . I was hopeing people would question me and do their research.
Brent many people read this blog. Hopefully someone will do the research. I do think you are on to something..(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coquina) (http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/chemistry/calciumcarbonates.html)
US 1 is a thousand miles long and everywhere I have found the 1925 road bed it is made of coquina shells . Millions of tons must have been removed for this project alone. I keep adding to my album and I think after a person reads all the details they will come to the conclusion it is NO theory. I know the birds —fish —sea turtles –sea grass–coquina clams—and all the creatures keep telling me this is correct . I was hopeing people would question me and do their research.
Before US 1 was built ,I believe Henry Flaglers success of building the Ponce Hotel in St.Augistine using soft coquina to make coquina cement set the stage for his building Florida campaign. I think his workers followed the west shore of the IRL using the soft coquina to build the railroad ,RR trussels and towns as they went. The whale you found dieing on the beach is just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows how many species are now exstinct because of the destruction of the environment they depended on.
I have been looking at a depth recorder(hummingbird with side scan sonar). With this depth recorder it should be simple to identify and remove old crab traps that boats have cut the bouy off. This side scan sonar should be able to quickly cover large areas of water . Does your town do this? Once bouy is cut crab traps can kill for many years.
I do not think it is possible to have a healthy lagoon without a strong blue crab population. They are very combative in nature(exspecially the male). and the role they play in protecting baby creatures is very important to the overall health of the ecosystem.
Years ago I thought about bulding a solar tracking device on a trailer(the kind lawn companys use).Having the ability for solar panels to allways be faceing the sun would mean a system cound be only one third the size of a stationary system.I was thinking of how a gun turrent moves on a hum-V. When large boats leave the dock they have what is called and automatic transfer switch. This senses when the power is off and switchs to the boats power.A similar switch would need to be designed so that during a power failure solar panel systems would disconnect from the power grid so power company workers would not get shocked working on power lines.A system like this could be mass produced and would mean people would NOT have endless power bills ALL their life. Ever tried takeing a bone from a rottwiller? Even the most friendly dog will bit you if you mess with his food. This is how our friendly power companys would be so I did not persue it.—–Most all solar panels come with a 25 year warenty that states that after 25 years their solar panel will still put out 80%of the power of a new solar panel
Wonderful site. Lots of useful information here.
I’m sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing inn
delicious. Andd naturally, thank you for your sweat!