In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, we dive into the fascinating world of oyster farming with Sam Walsh of SharkBite Oysters and Nicolette Mariano of Treasure Coast Shellfish. Jessy chats with the farmers about how they grow oysters in floating gear on the Indian River Lagoon, what makes Florida oysters unique, and why eating farmed oysters is actually good for the environment. You’ll learn how local genetics make oysters stronger and better suited for Florida’s hot, salty waters, how ...
This episode of One Lagoon, One Voice explores how music, dance, and storytelling can turn environmental education into an unforgettable experience. Host Heather Stapleton is joined by Adam Schnell, Artistic Director of Ballet Vero Beach, and Daniel Flick, Senior Lecturer at Rollins College and Creative Mentor for the Indian River Lagoon Estuary In Concert. Together, they share how their performances bring the lagoon to life — from dancing manatees and land crabs in Nutcracker on the In...
The Indian River Lagoon is a biodiversity hot spot with over 4,000 documented species but decades of habitat loss, pollution, and climate change have taken a toll. With 89% of its seagrass cover reduced since 2011, oyster reefs degraded, and wetlands diminished, restoring this fragile ecosystem requires bold action and collaboration. That’s exactly what the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) is tackling through a $9.4 million NOAA Transformational Habitat Restoration and Co...
In this episode of the One Lagoon Podcast, Heather Stapleton sits down with two passionate conservation leaders — Tori White, Buffer Zone Coordinator with Brevard Zoo’s Restore Our Shores, and Bill DeLuccia, with the Space Coast Surfrider Foundation — to talk about how buffer zones and bioswales are transforming the Indian River Lagoon and inspiring communities across Florida’s Space Coast. Buffer zones are vegetated areas between land and water that filter pollutants, reduce stormwater runof...
In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott speaks with Dan Burdett, Natural Resources Manager, and Jenny Tomes, Assistant Manager of Community Outreach for the City of Port St. Lucie. Together, they explain how the St. Lucie River C-23 Water Quality Project at McCarty Ranch Preserve and Extension is reducing excess freshwater discharges, capturing stormwater, and preventing nutrient pollution in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. The proj...
In Episode 23 of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott talks with Mike Martin from Fort Pierce Utilities Authority about Fort Pierce’s plan to relocate its waterfront wastewater treatment plant away from the Indian River Lagoon. They discuss the project’s advanced water treatment technology, funding milestones, and how it’s designed to improve lagoon water quality while supporting the city’s future growth. The episode also looks ahead to redevelopment possibilities for the current plant si...
Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever else you listen to podcasts to catch a new episode every Tuesday! Dive into Episode 22 of One Lagoon, One Voice as Daniel Kolodny, COO of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, sits down with Dr. Holly Sweat of the Smithsonian Marine Station. Together, they explore the hidden world of infauna — the tiny bottom-dwelling organisms that play a massive role in the health of t...
Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! New episodes every Tuesday. ➜ Follow on Spotify, Apple, Youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts: https://onelagoon.org/podcast/ In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, host KJ Ayers-Guerra sits down with Melissa Meisenberg, Senior Environmental Specialist for Indian River County’s Lagoon Division, to explore the county’s bold Lagoon Management Plan. From tackling harmful algal blooms and stormwater runoff to restoring...
In our 20th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. Melinda Donnelly and Dr. Linda Walters, professors at the University of Central Florida who work in the Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab. We discuss how more than 15 years of funding has restored the oyster reefs and shorelines of the Canaveral National Seashore in the Mosquito Lagoon. Additionally, how the reduced use of plastic materials used in the restoration process has led to the development of new and improved restoration materials. W...
In our 19th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. J. Cho, professor of environmental sciences at Bethune-Cookman University, Dave Fuss, director of land stewardship at the Indian River Land Trust, and Dr. Jon Shenker, professor emeritus at the Florida Institute of Technology. We talk all about mosquito impoundments and how they contribute to mosquito control, water quality, water connectivity and improved fish habitats. We even discuss how they can serve as seagrass nurseries — all in ...
In our 18th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. Austin Fox from the Florida Institute of Technology about all things muck — and why removing it from the Indian River Lagoon is so important. To learn more about the Florida Institute’s muck removal project and process, visit Florida Tech’s Indian River Lagoon Research Institute and the muck dredging final reports. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/ ➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs...
Our 17th episode of One Voice features Judy Orcutt, President of the Clean Water Coalition (CWC) of Indian River County, and Matt Mitts, Director of Public Works at Vero Beach. We discuss the CWC’s project to convert working families’ homes and properties in ALICE communities in Vero Beach into the city's STEP sewer system. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/ ➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/ ➜ ...
In our 16th episode of One Voice, we speak with project manager, Scott Tedford, from the environmental resources division at Martin County Public Works. We explore various stormwater treatments such as floating wetlands that reduce pollution in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). To learn more about stormwater treatment areas and Martin County’s water quality projects, visit Martin County Public Works. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.o...
In our 15th episode of One Voice, we’re diving into the ins and outs of algae and algae blooms in the Indian River Lagoon. Our guests are two leading algal researchers: Edward Philips from the University of Florida and Malcolm McFarland from Florida Atlantic University at Harbor Beach. To learn more about Ed and Malcolm’s long-term monitoring of harmful algal blooms in the IRL, visit Florida Atlantic University and the University of Florida websites: https://www.fau.edu/hboi/research/o...
In our 14th episode of One Voice, we speak with Virginia Barker and Terri Breeden of Brevard County’s Natural Resources Management Department. Listen as we discuss the half-cent sales tax and how it’s sparked drastic improvement efforts in the lagoon, including the Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) project. To learn more about funds raised via the half-cent sales tax, SOIRL and how it’s helped clear mass amounts of pollution in the IRL, visit Brevard County’s Save Our Indian River La...
In our 13th episode, we’re diving into IRL clam restoration and the key efforts to preserve them. Clams may seem like simple creatures, but they play crucial roles in maintaining the health of our coastal environments. From filtering and improving water quality to providing habitat and food for marine life, clams truly multitask along Florida’s shores. In this episode, we chat with Dr. Todd Osborne from the University of Florida Whitney Lab and explore the science behind clam re...
In today’s episode we discuss the National Estuary Program and how it works. The NEP functions within a unique collaborative governance model structured around collaboration and communication among every stakeholder in the watershed. We talk about the EPA’s connection to the NEP, the NEP Management Conference, how the NEP brings people together and our shared mission of protecting and restoring waterways. IRL Community Engagement Coordinator Jessy Wales discusses all these things and more w...
Indian River Lagoon Community Engagement Coordinator Caleta Scott sits down with a very special guest — her father, Ronald Scott. As a Fort Pierce Florida native, Scott speaks of his experiences growing up as a Black nature-lover in the 1950s, and father and daughter discuss environmental accessibility through the years, fishing in the IRL, and tips on inspiring a love for the environment in children from a young age. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://one...
Community Engagement Coordinator Caleta Scott brings on Lisa Krimsky and Vincent Economio from University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences for episode 10. We discuss Martin County’s Water Ambassador Program, how human activities influence water quality, the benefits of living shorelines and the state of wild oyster habitats in the IRL. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/ ➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onel...
In episode 9, we’re sitting down with Dr. Dennis Hanisak and Kristen Davis from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. We cover IRLON, or Indian River Lagoon Observatory Network of Environmental Sensors, measuring the water quality and weather data of the lagoon, accessible data, community outreach and hope for the future. To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/ ➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.o...