Citizens encouraged to engage in the “Language of Science”

By Kate Rose, Florida Sea Grant

Charlotte Harbor is a haven for those looking to fill their time with something scientifically meaningful. There are many conservation agencies present: The Florida Wildlife Research Institute (FWC’s scientific arm), UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant, the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, the Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership.

And they all offer opportunities to engage with the water outside of fishing — such as the Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch, Eyes on Seagrass, Florida Master Naturalist, and vertical oyster gardening programs. But does the engagement that these programs see translate to any meaningful change?

On a small scale, yes. People who participate in these programs see positive changes in their own lives and implement behavior to help protect the environments they are engaging with.

For example, 95 percent of Eyes on Seagrass volunteers who participated in 2023 said they experienced some element of personal growth as a direct result of participating in the program. Many reported improved mental and physical health. Some even said that participating helped them recover from some sort of loss, disappointment or traumatic event.

Additionally, 91 percent of volunteers implemented at least one behavior to help conserve seagrass, including (but not limited to) adopting seagrass-safe boating practices, reducing their fertilizer, and educating others about the importance of seagrass meadows and the recent loss of habitat in Charlotte Harbor.