Volunteers needed for seagrass monitoring program

CHARLOTTE COUNTY – UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Charlotte County is seeking volunteers to participate in the 4th Annual Eyes on Seagrass Citizen Science Monitoring Program to document the health of seagrass in upper Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay. The information collected is used to inform environmental health assessments that can be used by natural resource managers.

Volunteers are asked to form teams of at least three and are responsible for transportation to their assigned sites via boat, kayak, canoe, paddleboard or wading. Individuals may also attend training but are not guaranteed to be placed on a team for sampling. New volunteers are asked to attend in-person training prior to the first outing. Online instructional videos will be made available to repeat volunteers or those who can’t attend training.

Register online at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/charlotte/sea-grant/eyes-on-seagrass/

Spring Sampling

• Training: April 8, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Equipment Pick-up: April 10-14, 2023, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Training: June 24, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Equipment Pick-up: June 26-30, 2023, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Sampling: July 10-24, 2023

All trainings and equipment pick up will occur at Centennial Park Recreation Center, 1120 Centennial Blvd., Port Charlotte.

For information, contact Kate Rose at Kate.Rose0210@ufl.edu or 941-764-4346 or Jodie York at Jodie.York@ufl.edu or 941-764-4349.