You can't catch fish that don't exist- Join the MRC!

-from Florida Today and other sourcesFlorida is considering a plan to decrease phosphorus in lawn fertilizers sold throughout the state. SarasotaLee and Martin Counties have all been considering banning phosphorus from fertilizers because it can triggeralgae blooms in local waterways. A toxic algae bloom in the St Lucie River in Martin County last year madethe river unsafe for recreational use. A state-wide regulation would more thoroughly address the problemand make it easier for fertilizer manufactures to deliver a product specially made for Florida. Reducing theamount of phosphorus entering the water supply is part a $200 Million water-quality project for LakeOkeechobee and the Everglades recently funded by the Florida Legislature. Fertilizers now sold in localhome improvement stores contain from 0 to 16 percent phosphorus. The percentage is the second of thethree prominent numbers found on all fertilizer bags. Florida will become the first in the nation to enact astatewide restriction on the content of fertilizers. If passed, fertilizers sold in Florida must be no- or low-phosphate. Phosphorus, along with nitrogen, is a pollutant that contributes to algae blooms, fish kills, anddead zones, all of which alter already fragile ecosystems. The high phosphate levels are due in large part toAmericans’ love of heavily-fertilized, brilliantly green lawns, golf courses, and recreational areas, thoughmany professional lawn care experts say phosphate is unnecessary in Florida due to naturally high levels inmany soils.

reflect health problems throughout the bottlenosepopulation, which numbers about 80,000 in thewestern North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico alone.

Two emergingdiseases, achronic fungalskin infectioncalledlobomycosisand a newlydiscoveredtumor-inducingherpes virusaccounted for31 of the 51definite diseasediagnoses.Lobomycosisoccurred inepidemicproportions inthe southernlagoon but wasnot seen in

dolphin in the northern lagoon. Lobomycosis isonly found in dolphin and humans. Researchershave also discovered ingredients from flameretardants in dolphin tissues in both populations.They’re widely used in plastics and foams fromcomputer casings, carpet pads and cushions onchairs and couches.

Florida Seeks to Restrict Phosphate in Fertilizers

-from Florida TodayA new scientific report from Harbor BranchOceanographic Institute found one in three dolphin inthe lagoon “definitely diseased.” Experts also worrywater pollution andother factors thatharm dolphin couldharm humans too,as they eat thesame kinds of fishand swim in thesame waters.Harbor Branchanalyzed resultsfrom the first fouryears of a five-yeardolphin healthstudy involvingabout 40scientists. Lagoondolphin were foundto be less healthythan the dolphin inCharleston Harborand seem to begetting sicker. Dolphin in the lagoon are suffering froma mix of emerging ailments including genital tumors,stomach ulcers, fungal growths and viral infections thatcan lead to cancer. Biologists aren’t sure how manylagoon dolphin may be dying from cancer or as a resultof immune suppression caused by the other infections.They say their sample may

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Volunteers from the Friends of the St. Sebastian River came out tohelp restore the Sebastian River on May 19th. Over 200 nativebitter panic grass were planted in one event. This grass willprovide valuable habitat for wildlife in and around the river. Thisincludes 8 species of rare fish whose only known breedingpopulations in the world are in the Sebastian River. The opossumpipefish, tarpon snook, fat snook, and several species of gobiesare some examples of these rare fish species that are not wellknown, but are critically endangered. In the photo to the right,MRC volunteer Barbara Hollister is seen planting the panic grassalong the bank of the river just south of the County Road 512bridge seen in the background. You Can Help! MoreEvents Are Already Scheduled! If You AreInterested in Volunteering, Please Call (321) 725-7775 or E-mail us at council@mrcirl.org.

MRC Volunteers Restore Rare Fish Habitat with Support from NOAA

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MRC Volunteers Clear 620,000 ft2 of Pepper with Support fromUS Fish and Wildlife Service

Vermont Students Plant Mangroves on Lagoon with NOAA Support

MRC volunteers were active this spring, clearing 620,944 ft2 ofinvasive Brazilian pepper trees. Over 540,000 ft2 of this wascleared from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Therefuge is an essential stopover for millions of migratory birds aswell as critical habitat for native residential bird species.Pepper trees do not provide the valuable nesting habitat andperches that native species, such as mangroves, provide forthese millions of birds. In the photo to the right, MRC volunteerJennifer Essick is removing pepper tree branches that havebeen cut down by MRC staff members at the St. SebastianRiver Preserve State Park. MRC also continued its progress inthe southern portions of the Lagoon in Martin County, clearingover 45,000 ft2 of pepper tree so far this year from the BonairBeach tract in Jupiter Island.

High school students from Stratton MountainSchool in Vermont traveled to the Indian RiverLagoon to help the Florida DEP’s AquaticPreserve Program and MRC plant mangroveson the Spoil Islands. The NationalOceanographic & Atmospheric Administration’sCommunity-based Restoration Program paid forthe over 200 mangroves planted through a grantto MRC. In the photo to the left, students areplanting red mangroves on a spoil island inGrant, near the John Jorgensen boat launch. Inaddition to learning about the importance ofmangroves, students were taught about thenegative impacts of invasive species and howMRC and DEP are working to remove theseinvaders. The students were then given thechance to remove invasives on the islandthemselves. The students decided three yearsago that they wanted to make a difference andhad planned the trip since their freshman year.

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Florida Doubles Money for Everglades-News Journal

State legislatures sent a bill to Gov. Charlie Crist toincrease the money going into Everglades cleanup from $100million to $200 million a year. With matching money fromlocal governments and state funding for related projects, thetotal spending will be close to $500 million, said Senator BurtSaunders, who led the effort in the Senate. The bill alsoincludes new restrictions on polluted stormwater runoff fromnew developments, and on the dumping of sewage sludgeinto the Lake Okeechobee watershed. The bill SB 392includes restoration of Lake Okeechobee and the rivers thatflow south into the lake. It sets out a plan for acquiring landand creating water treatment north of the lake. “The waterpollution problems actually start in the suburbs of Orlando,”said Eric Draper, with Audubon of Florida, which

worked on the bill. Themove to expand thecleanup and curb pollutionwas rare in its consensus,involving the farmcommunities as well asenvironmentalists. “It’s thefirst major law to combinewater pollution and watermanagement solutions,and it puts the(government) on anaggressive timeline forimplementing the newcleanup projects”, saidDraper. Lawmakers alsoapproved spending moneyfor programs to help theSt. Johns River innortheast Florida and theIndian River Lagoon.

Household ChemicalsCause Breast Cancer-La timesMore than 200 chemicals,many found in everydayconsumer products-causebreast cancer in animaltests according to acompilation of scientific

reports by the American Cancer Society. Experts say thatfamily history and genes are responsible for a smallpercentage, but environmental or lifestyle factors such as dietcause the vast majority. Overall, exposure to carcinogens iswidespread. Toxicologists say other mammals, such as ratsand mice often develop the same tumors as humans do.More and more, cancer looks like an environmental disease.Some of the chemicals identified include: 1,4 dioxane foundin soaps, shampoos and detergents; acrylamide acontaminant in fried foods; benzene and 1,3 butadiene foundin car exhaust; styrene found in carpets and glues;dichloroethane found in paint removers; toluene found infoam cushions and bedding; methylene chloride found inpolish and fabric cleaner; and atrazine a common herbicide.

News Around the LagoonLagoon Cleanup Bill Makes Progress-TC Palm and other sources

A Congressional subcommittee has passed a waterresources bill that allocates $1.3 billion to cleaning up theIndian River Lagoon. It will be considered by the House andthe Senate by June. If the bill passes, Congress still mustfind money in the budget to pay for it. Among many otherprojects, the bill would pay for restoration of marine habitat inthe St. Lucie Estuary and removing muck and phosphorous inlakes and canals that have polluted the lagoon, sea grassesand oyster flats. Sen. Bill Nelson said the Army Corps ofEngineers is also looking into acquiring acres of additionalland south of Lake Okeechobee to use as a flow-way.Originally, the plan was to dig more than 300 deep-injectionwells to store water during wet periods, however, it is nowthought to be more cost effective,to purchase land for a flow-way to letflood waters from Lake Okeechobeeflow south through the Everglades asit had for centuries.

Florida Does Not Stop ShipsFrom Dumping Sewage-Florida TodayA legislative attempt to stopgambling ships from dumping theirsewage at sea was blocked bySen. Mike Bennett. Rep. Bob Allenhad tried to introduce a bill to requirethe day cruise industry to pay topump its sewage off at shore. PortCanaveral, where several such shipsport, has already built facilities totake the sewage.

Irrigation Uses Up to 75% ofU.S. Water Supplies- Grist Env. NewsIrrigation accounts for 75% of all thewater consumed or polluted in theU.S. With few exceptions, irrigationwater from farms and lawns containfertilizers, salts, growth hormones,microbes, and often pesticides andherbicides. The EPA estimates thatirrigation consumes 76 trillion(76,000,000,000,000) gallons of water a year and pollutes anadditional 61 trillion gallons. Drip irrigation can reduce wateruse in irrigation by 33%. Use of native plants in yards candramatically reduce irrigation at home. Homes consume 5.9trillion gallons, 70% from flushing toliets and showering andpollute 25.3 trillion gallons, mostly as sewage. Water efficienttoilets, low flow showerheads and faucet aerators on sinkscan cut water usage by 50%. Industry and mining consume3.5 trillion gallons and pollute 27.8 trillion. Commercialbusiness consumes 9 trillion gallons and pollute 8.3 trillion.Commercial toilets are more heavily used and benefit fromefficient systems. Thermoelectric plants consume 3.5 trilliongallons and pollute 3.5 trillion. Livestock consume 3 trilliongallons a year and pollute 4.5 trillion. If cattle are grazedinstead of fed irrigated grains their water consumption can becut 75%.

Scientists have nursed dozens of tiny coral fragments ina lab in Ruskin, and transported them to WesternSambo Reef in the Keys as an experiment to saveFlorida’s vast coral reefs. Florida's reefs have beendying from everything from pollution to climate change toshipwrecks. The idea is to grow coral in labs, kind of likefish farms, so they can be returned to their naturalsettings in Florida’s struggling coral reefs.

Reefs at Risk from Pollution andGlobal Warming -Associated Press, Photo: AP

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MRC News 2007 MRC Board of DirectorsChairman, David Botto

Vice Chairman, Janet BonderSecretary, Walter O. StieglitzTreasurer, Diane McCauley

Executive Director, Jim Egan

Board membersDr. David Cox Patrick HayesGilbert Kennedy Steven KintnerIngrid K. Matta Diane McCauleyJim Moir Ted MoorheadDr. Philip Newell Maureen RupeSteve Chalmers Sandy SandersonKenneth Tworoger David BottoMichael Brothers Mary ChapmanCapt. Rodney Smith Gary DotsonSarah Heard Thomas P. BauschCharles Grande Marge KetterJanet Bonder Carrie StewartJohn Whitescarver Frank CatinoWalter O. Stieglitz Jerry WoodsDr. Fielding E. Cooley

Advisory Board MembersSue Carlson Jim SwannDr. Duane DeFreese Margo StahlPaul Reinhold Ken KasweckDr. Grant Gilmore Dr. George MaulAnthony Koromilas Phyllis WoodfordHoward WolfIndian River Lagoon Species Spotlight

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Volunteer SpotlightVanessa Trosa

Vanessa Trosa volunteers in theoffice twice a week helping withmailings, creating handouts, andassisting in grant construction. Shealso helps with the water qualityprogram. Vanessa works with theMRC as part of a partnership withEaster Seals.

Seagrass Awareness Calendar’s Donation of $2500Will Produce $500,000 Worth of Lagoon Restoration

From right to left, Niki Plomaritis, Rhonda Cox and Susan Isom of theSeagrass Awareness Calendar presents $2500 to Jim Egan from MRC.

At the MRC’s Lagoon Day on April 21st Earth Day, the creators of the SeagrassAwareness Calendar awarded MRC with a $2500 check. The idea for thecalendar came about during a kayak yoga retreat on the Indian River Lagoon.100% of proceeds were donated to organizations with a clear plan of action toimprove water quality of the Lagoon. The Marine Resources Council was onethese organizations. The $2500 donation will fuel over half a million in volunteerrestoration for the lagoon.

The Coral Snake

A highly dangerous snake usually encountered in early morning and eveninghours, coral snakes can be found in any environment. To differentiate betweenthe poisonous coral and the harmless king snake. Remember the old saying ”redand yellow will kill a fellow.” What this means is the red and yellow bands are nextto each other only on the coral snake. Coral snake venom attacks the nervoussystem. Coral snakes have small grooved fangs which are permanently erect.They usually hang on after biting. The coral snake is one of the few poisonoussnakes among the over 300 native snakes in Florida. Snakes are important forkeeping mice and rat populations in check. Homeowners will kill snakes thinkingthey are a threat and will wonder why they end up with mice living in their homes..

With funding from the Indian River Lagoon Program,MRC has been able to start testing exactly how muchnitrogen and is being discharged into the Lagoon fromstormwater runoff, an increasingly important concern.MRC began testing the outfalls in March 2007, forammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and organic nitrogen using aFDEP certified Lab.

Ammonia is shown as the white area on the graph tothe top right and tended to be in low concentrations.Ammonia is the most damaging form of nitrogenbecause it causes algae to grow the fastest. It is alsoassociated with leaking septic tanks. Nitrate/Nitrite isshown on the graph in dark blue and recorded its highestvalue of 0.68 mg/L at site MP0625 which is a metal pipethat drains 6th street in Melbourne Beach.Organic Nitrogen is any nitrogen compound produced by natural or living things. Examples of organic nitrogen are proteins,amino acids, and urea. New discoveries have led researchers to believe that algae and bacteria are able capable of utilizingorganic nitrogen without microbes breaking it down into easier forms such as ammonia and nitrate/nitrite. This newevidence suggests that organic nitrogen may also be the cause of excess bacteria and algae growth (blooms). The Floridalimit for total nitrogen (ammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and organic nitrogen) is quite lax, allowing 3.0 mg/L. Other estuaries haveset lower nitrogen limits to reduce negative impacts. The Peconic River/Flanders Bay Estuary has established a 0.5 mg/Llimit on total nitrogen.

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ADOPT-A-DRAINThe Adopt A Drain Program is partially supported by a grant from

the Indian River Lagoon Program and the US EPA

How Stormwater Reduces Oxygen in the LagoonFish and shellfish need oxygen in the water in order to breathe,

only dolphin and other animals that surface can get their oxygenfrom the air. Pollution can encourage bacteria and algae that robthe water of oxygen and a fish kill results. Biochemical OxygenDemand (BOD) is the amount of oxygen consumed bymicroorganisms as they breakdown both natural and man-madematerial that washes into the lagoon. The higher the BOD, themore oxygen is being robbed from the water. Sources of BODinclude anything that can wash into the lagoon including leaves,dead plants and animals, animal waste, grass clippings,wastewater treatment discharges, sewage from septic systems,fertilizers. Sewage and fertilizers contain nutrients such asammonia, nitrate/nitrite, and phosphorus that increases the growthof algae and bacteria. These consume oxygen directly and thenwhen they die, oxygen is also consumed by their decay. Thedecaying material encourage more bacteria that feed off it allincreasing the oxygen demand According to the EPA, unpollutedwater should have BOD levels of less than 5 mg/L. In the map onthe right you can see the BOD results from volunteers with MRC’sAdopt-a-Drain program. In Jan 2007, all the BOD results were wellbelow five except for Northern Melbourne which had 8.3 mg/L. Ofthe drains being tested flowing into the lagoon in Jan., the impactto the lagoon's oxygen levels was only high near Eau Gallie.

By April, BOD levels had risen, with 3 sites recording valuesgreater then 5 mg/L and one just north of Cocoa recording a valueof 4.9mg/L. A drain south of Cocoa increased from 3.0 in Januaryto 7.3 mg/L in April. The drain north of Turkey Creek increasedfrom 0.8 in January to 5.4 mg/L in April. Why the oxygen levelsare being impacted more in spring than winter is likely related toseasonal effects: warmer water encouraging more growth ofoxygen-consuming organisms, more fertilizing of lawns, moregrass cuttings getting into stormwater drains, etc.

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Lagoon Watch is supported by the Indian River Lagoon Program and US EPA.

Drought and Evaporation RaisesSalinity Throughout the Lagoon!The Indian River Lagoon is an estuary, which means it is a

mixture of freshwater and salty ocean water. Near the oceaninlets the salinity is usually highest and lowest near cities andrivers that input freshwater from storms. Many adult fish cantolerate low salinity levels but often their eggs cannot be fertilizedbecause they are designed to float in salty water. The less densefreshwater cause fish eggs to sink to the bottom and not befertilized. Salinities of less than 14 ppt. will also kill the larvae ofsome fish species including the spotted sea trout. Sustainedsalinity below 15 ppt. will also kill clams and shellfish. With anongoing drought and a mild hurricane season last year, the impactof too much fresh water washing into the lagoon has beentemporarily on hold. The National Weather Service has reportedthat local 2006 rainfall levels were some of the lowest on recordand that so far 2007 rainfall levels are 40% below normal. Thelack of rain keeps the lagoon from getting diluted by fresh waterand lowers lagoon water levels causing more ocean water to movein from the inlets. The warm temperatures encourage evaporationthat raises salinity levels by removing fresh water and leaving thesalt behind. The amount of salt dissolved in water is measured inparts per thousand (ppt.). Ocean water has a salinity of 35 pptwhich is the same as 3.5%.

The maps to the right were created using data collected byLagoonwatch volunteers. The January 2006 map shows lowsalinity levels caused by 2005 being a wet year with 66 inches ofrain. The southern half of the Banana River and neighboringIndian River shows problematic salinity of less than 15 ppt. asindicated on the map by the grid pattern. Most of the remainingpart of the lagoon in Brevard County experienced stressfulsalinities between 15 - 20 ppt indicated on the maps in light blue.North of Titusville and south of the Sebastian Inlet, the remainderof the lagoon had good to high levels of salinity which is desirablefor fish and shellfish. The freshwater rivers and estuaries like theSt Sebastian and St Lucie show low salinities at their headwatersbut this is natural and desirable.

By April 2006, the problematically low salinity areas of less than15 ppt. in the Indian River and Banana River increased to juststressful levels of 15 - 20 ppt. The areas that were stressed at 15-20 ppt in January increased to good levels above 20 ppt. TheMosquito Lagoon and a small area around Ft Pierce Inletincreased in salinity from high to even higher salinity than theocean itself, known as supersaline, marked in white on the map.Some species are impacted by salinities that are too high, but thisis natural condition when there is little rainfall and evaporationkeeps concentrating the salt that remains. Species in the lagoonwill have experienced these natural high salinities in the past andwill adapt. Unnaturally low salinities caused by runoff offreshwater from development can produce conditions thesespecies are not adapted for. The rest of the lagoon in April 2006had salinities between 25-35 ppt. which are ideal for fish, shellfishand seagrasses and are marked in dark blue.

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THE LAGOON MONITORReport from Indian River Lagoonwatch

As evident on the map to the left, by January 2007 the onlyportion of the lagoon that experienced any salinity stress was asmall area in the southern tip of the Banana River and in theIndian River near the Eau Gallie River and Turkey Creek. Therest of the Lagoon experienced ideal conditions with south of FtPierce and the Mosquito Lagoon experiencing supersalineconditions due to the drought. By April 2007, the area ofsupersaline conditions has extended up to the Sebastian Inlet.With so little rainfall, most of the water in the lagoon near theinlets is ocean water. Since the lagoon is warm and shallow,evaporation causes the salt in the ocean water to concentrateeven more, creating salinities in the lagoon higher then theocean. The portions of the lagoon away from the inletscontinued to experience ideal salinity conditions.

We can expect the ideal salinities to continue as well as anincrease in supersaline areas until we experience either asignificant rainy period or a hurricane system. In 2004 back toback hurricanes dropped the salinity from conditions like thosecurrently found, to dangerously low levels in just a few months.The drop in salinity associated with hurricanes is natural, butwe compound the situation by covering so much of the landwith concrete, asphalt and rooftops that keep the ground fromabsorbing the rainwater and send it quickly to the lagoon.Research suggests that when an area is covered by over 20%hard surfaces, the surrounding water bodies lose 80% of theirliving resources. A typical development covers 35% of the landwith hard surfaces. Modern stormwater retention ponds help tocapture the early rainfall but once filled, they overflow into thelagoon.

What Can You Do?Start by minimizing hard surfaces that cause rainwater to flowoff your property. Capture water running off your roof anddriveway by creating gentle sloping low areas called swales,where water will tend to collect. If you already have swales ornaturally low areas on your property, don't fill them with grassclippings or yard debris, they are converting rainwater intovaluable groundwater instead of stormwater runoff. Don'tattempt to drain them or connect them to drainage ditches, theyare supposed to hold water for up to a couple of days after arainfall and slowly recharge the groundwater. If you use aplastic liner under your deck or mulch to stop weeds fromgrowing be sure it is designed to allow rainwater to seepthrough it or all that rain will end up draining out your drivewayand into the lagoon. Homeowners miles from the lagoon areconnected to it by drainage ditches and canals that weredesigned to drain the land for agriculture or ranching. Now thesame canals quickly transports stormwater that impacts thelagoon. So what you do around your property has an almostimmediate effect on the lagoon.

Welcome New MonitorsAnn Tench, Brad Merritt, Jim Moir, and Denely & Sally Daw.The Marine Resources Council has again teamed up with theMarine Discovery Center to increase the number of stationsbeing monitored in the Mosquito Lagoon. Its newest monitorsinclude: Chad Truxell, Lou King, Karen McCullough, BillLawson and Kay Bertrand. The MRC has also teamed up withthe Indian River Keeper for the first time, which has filledstations south of the Ft. Pierce inlet and include Kevin Stinette,Roger Sharp, Linda Nunn, James Dannahower, and StacyJohnson. The MRC would like to thank all volunteers for theireffots in helping to preserve the Indian River Lagoon.

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Fun, Free and Informative! Join us at the BBrroowwnn BBaagg EEdduuccaattiioonnaall EEvveennttss

City of SEBASTIAN BROWN BAGLast Friday of the Month at Noon, Riverview Park Gazebo in Sebastian

June 29 “Estuaries” by Robert Bergen, Palm Beach Community CollegeJuly 27 TBAAug 31 “The Queen Conch” by Amy Shawl, Harbour Branch Oceanographic Institute

LAGOON HOUSE BROWN BAG - Every Tuesday at NoonJoin us at the Lagoon House, 3275 Dixie Hwy (US1), in Palm Bay, just south of the Honda Dealership

June 5 “Ospreys of Pelican Island National Refuge” by Bob Montanaro, Pelican Island Refuge,USFWSJune 12 “Hiking the Florida Trail” by Richard Louden”, Fl Trail AssociationJune 19 “Dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon” by Dan Wagner, Mother Ocean OrganizationJune 26 “Biodiversity of Indian River Lagoon” by Kathy Hill, Indian River Lagoon ProgramJuly 3 “No Brown Bag Lunch” HAPPY 4TH OF JULY !!July 10 “Everglade Restoration” by Kathyrn LaMartina, So.Fl. Water Mngmt. Dept. - IRLJuly 17 “Sharks! In the Indian River Lagoon” by Dan Wagner, Mother Ocean OrganizationJuly 24 “Sea Turtlesa” by Corlie Wells, Sea Turtle Preservation SocietyJuly 31 “Stormwater 101” by Liz Melvin, Brevard County Stormwater Dept.Aug 7 “Recycling“ by Pam Shoemaker, Brevard County Solid Waste ManagementAug 14 “Photo-Active paint for Algae Inhibition” by Clovis Linkous, Florida Solar Energy CenterAug 21 “Ecology, Fishing in the Indian River Lagoon” by Grant Gilmore, Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc.Aug 28 “Natural Hazards - Sea Level Changes” by Dr. George Maul - Florida Tech

GRANT BROWN BAG – Every Friday of the month at NoonThe Grant Brown Bag will be on Summer Hiatis until September 2007. See you then

Every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. at the Ft. Pierce Library learn about nature with Captain “Chop” he will offer a presentationon the topics listed below. To complement these talks, there will be a “Walk and Talk Tour” the following day, everyFriday at 1:30 p.m. The presentation as well as the talk is fun, fascination, and free! For more information, please callVicki at (772)-462-2787.June 7 3pm Manatee Search - Learn how to spot manatees and understand them and their place in the world.June 8 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour of Manatee Search with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.June 14 3pm Mangroves, Mosquitoes , and Man - Learn about their mysterious relationships to each other and us.June 15 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Mangroves, Mosquitoes, & Man with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Bear point Sanctuary.June 21 3pm Bayous and the Lagoon – Capt. “Chop” will compare the marshy creeks to our Indian River Lagoon.June 22 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Bayous and the Lagoon with Captain Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.June 28 3pm Tracking Wildlife - Learn how to tell who’s been walking in your footsteps!June 29 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Tracking Wildlife with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Bear Point Sanctuary.July 5 3pm Birds, Butterflies and Bobcats – Come learn their names and why they are so important to the area.July 6 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Birds, Butterflies and Bobcats with Captain Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.July 12 3pm Life in the River – Capt. “Chop” will discuss how the many species of plants & animals live together.July 13 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour of Life in the River with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Bear Point Sanctuary.July 19 3pm Lagoon 101 – Learn to identify some of the various wildlife that lives in the Indian River LagoonJuly 20 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Lagoon 101 with Captain Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.July 26 3pm Birds - The Captain will introduce you to hundreds of bird species, their migration & breeding patterns.July 27 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour of Birds with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ Vitolo Family Park.Aug. 2 3pm Nature – Come and learn about the physical universe.Aug. 3 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour of Nature with Captain Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.Aug. 9 3pm Creatures of the Lagoon – You see them but do you know their names and habits?Aug. 10 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Creatures of the Lagoon with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Bear Point Sanctuary.Aug. 16 3pm Mangroves, Mosquitoes, and Man – Learn about their mysterious relationships to each other and us.Aug. 17 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Mangroves, Mosquitoes, & Man with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Bear point Sanctuary.Aug. 23 3pm Birds, Butterflies and Bobcats – Come learn their names and why they are so important to the area.Aug. 24 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Birds, Butterflies and Bobcats with Capt. “Chop” Lege’ at Vitolo Family Park.Aug. 30 3pm Tracking Wildlife - Learn how to tell who’s been walking in your footstepsAug. 31 1:30 Walk and Talk Tour Tracking Wildlife with Captain Lege’ at Bear Point Sanctuary

Learn About Nature with Capt. Chop

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COCOA BEACH BROWN BAG –2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at NoonThe Cocoa Beach Brown Bag will be on summer hiatus until September 2007. See you then

Summer comes quietly to our Indian River Lagoon Coast: more like a sleeping lamb than a roaring lion. As late as inmid May one night you’re sleeping comfortably with the windows open listening to Mother nature, then the next nightyou’re melting in bed until someone turns on the air conditioning. Fortunately mornings are still mild along the beaches.At the end of our street there’s a crossover with stairs that lead to the beach: also there are two smooth, wooden seats,facing the ocean and perfectly situated for those folks wishing to watch the world turn. Quite often I’ll ride my bike downto it just at sunup. Watching the world turn there is an event that never becomes tiresome. Seeing hordes of little terns,drawn to our waters by an invasion of tiny glasslike minnows, a mixture of immature anchovies, sardines and other fish,mate at the edge of the surf and sand, is one of our favorite sights this time of year. Like the sea turtles (nesting now),these little white marine birds with angled-wings and their sharp pitch call, “kitti, kitti, kitti” spend the vast majority of theirlives out on the water only coming to our beaches to feed and procreate. Watching packs of terns fish along the edge ofthe surf can warm one’s spirit. Flocks work back and forth with their heads down scanning, and piercing the ocean’ssurface in search of a fishy meal. They only occasionally interrupt their hunt to check the pace those feather comradesaround them. Then, with vibrating wings uplifted, tails compressed, they plunge into the sea, bill first. Then, on thebeach they share their catch with potential mates for the all to see. Where do these little terns go nest after mating nowthat this barrier island has been developed? Locally, they head to the roof of the Indian Harbor Beach Winn Dixie (off thesoutheast corner of state Rd. 518 and A1A) “where this large colony of little terns has been nesting for years,” says WinnDixie manager, Trish Bennett. Summer’s a time of year when many interesting critters are drawn to our beaches and thenearby surf. Besides the influx of egg-layering sea turtles, manatee, and bottle-nose dolphin, summer’s migration ofbillions of glass minnows in massive schools attract many species of fish including: tarpon, snook, bonito, Spanishmackerel, and ladyfish. Then as the feeding begins sharks, barracuda, kingfish, and other large predators come to findan easy meal. To learn more about this threatened species Google Little Tern and if you’re looking for more informationon fishing, boating and conservation to go www.coastalanglermagagzine.comFlorida’s Free Coast to Coast Outdoor Magazine - Coastal Angler Magazine Use, Don’t Abuse It!

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Bees Suffering Widespread Dieoffs-from Los Angeles Times

A fungus that caused widespread loss of bee colonies inEurope and Asia may be playing a crucial role in themysterious phenomenon known as Colony CollapseDisorder that is wiping out bees across the U.S.Researchers said that they had found the fungus, a single-celled parasite Nosema ceranae, in affected hives fromaround the country. Those researchers have also foundtwo other fungi and half a dozen viruses in dead bees, “Byitself, it is probably not the culprit…but it may be one of thekey players”, said entomologists Diana Cox Foster of PAState Univ. “We still haven’t ruled out other factors, suchas pesticides or inadequate food resources following adrought”. Historically, bee loses are not unusual. Weather,pesticide exposures and infestations by pests, such as theVarroa mite, have wiped out numerous colonies in the 60’sand 70’s. Researchers found several viruses, includingmembers of a recently identified genus called flaviruses. Itis not known whether these small, RNA-containing viruses,which infect the Varroa mite, are pathogenic to bees. Aclosely related parasite called Nosema apis, which alsoaffects bees, can be controlled by the antibiotic fumagillin,and there is evidence it will work on N. ceranae as well.

Restoring Kissimmee River -Associated PressThe Kissimmee River is a success story of nature

restored after years of dikes, dams and diversions for floodcontrol left it in an ecological mess. Congress approved theland to restore the Kissimmee River, the headwaters to theEverglades, in 1992, clearing the way for the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers to begin construction. 15 years later,the project is fully funded, although it’s just about a thirdcomplete. Federal funding for overall Evergladesrestoration is lagging and it could now take a half-century tocomplete, two decades past the goal. Ecosystemrestoration and flood control projects across the countryhave been slowed because of a bureaucratic, politicalprocess. Ecosystems that are disappearing, such ascoastal wetlands in La., could be gone by the timeCongress fully funds projects, critics say. But even if itpasses, there’s already a $58 billion project backlog. A newWRDA (Water Resources Development Act) bill wouldbring the backlog too more than $70 billion. In Florida, stateand federal officials are entrenched in a 30-year, 10.5billion effort to restore the Everglades, the largest project inthe world. Passing a WRDA bill is the first step in a lengthyprocess to actually getting work done.

On the Lagoon with Captain Rodney Smith

More News Around the Lagoon

State Rewrites Manatee Plan - from Daytona Beach News-JournalState officials have rewritten a proposed manatee management plan, hoping to underscore their commitment to the

popular marine mammals. The first draft, released by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission last fallsparked controversy by admitting there was a 12% chance of a 50% decline in the manatee population in the future. Thenew version restates the goal, to reduce that chance to a 1% chance of a 50% decline. The commission also added acommitment to protect seagrass, the primary source of food for manatees. The plan also includes objectives to improve themethods used to estimate manatee populations, working to minimize human-related manatee deaths and to work withelectric utilities to prevent manatee deaths if they shut down any warm water outfalls now used by the animals during thewinter. The commission voted to move the manatee from endangered to threatened, but a plan must be approved beforethe change can take affect.

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In 1922, Lake Okeechobee rose five feet,recapturing its bottomlands from the cabbagefarmers. “The water spread way back from the lakeinto the sawgrass country, which made it all look likea vast sea.” The St. Lucie Canal was poised tobecome the worlds fourth largest, behind thePanama, the Suez, and the Kiel: ” when finished, “Fred Elliot wrote, “it will change Lake Okeechobeefrom the greatest menace to one of the greatestassets of the district.” But it wasn’t quite finished,so the lake was still an uncontrolled menace. Elliottried to provide a measure of protection by buildingan earthen dike along the lake’s southern rim, butwhile it was basically a squishy pile of muck andsand, only five to nine feet tall and forty feet thick atits base. This mud pile was so vulnerable toerosion that one section in Moore Haven had to berebuilt five times. There was little concern on theGold Coast on Sept 17, 1926 when a four- inchstory noted that a tropical storm was heading for theBahamas, but was expected to miss Florida. Thatnight, Miami was pummeled by the mostpowerful hurricane in its history (up to that point). There were gusts up to 140 miles per hour and storm surges as high asfifteen feet. Miami and Miami Beach were left in ruins. The storm then headed northwest to Lake Okeechobee. Violent windswhipped up the swollen lake and sloshed it south like a 730-square-mile saucer tipped on its side. The lake then rippedthrough its flimsy muck dike, sending a roaring wall of water through Moore Haven. Scores of men, women and children weredrowned like rats in a trap in the first rush of the flooding waters. The dike, designed to imprison Mother Nature... had onlyconcentrated her fury. The 1926 hurricane killed nearly 400 and left more than 40,000 homeless. Terrified that hurricanepublicity would scare away more visitors and investors, Florida’s leaders minimized the damage, denying reports ofdevastation as rumors and exaggerations, openly discouraging relief efforts. (The 1935 Hurricane would far exceed thedamage of the 1926 storm)

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Lake Okeechobee, the St. Lucie River and the 1926 Hurricane--The Swamp by Michael Grunwald published by Simon&Schuster Paperbacks