Photo Credit: Jean Thomas |
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Please send only landscape orientation (horizontal) photos that are uncropped/unedited.
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MRC's Mangroves Made the Nice List! |
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Our mangroves have been extra good this year! If you'd like to be their secret Santa, please consider donating items from their Wish List (click button below to view). Contact Mara, at [email protected] for more information.
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STEM Education for the Lagoon |
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What do you get when you mix students in grades 4-12 with underwater remote operated vehicles? The SeaPerch! On November 18th, students from all over Brevard County gathered at Satellite High School for the Annual Innovation Games. During the games, students participated in various STEM competitions, including SeaPerch challenges, drone flights, and escape challenges. MRC education staff had the pleasure of not only attending the SeaPerch competitions but also judging them! MRC Board member Roger Hickman and his wife Lori Hickman were instrumental in the execution of this event. Thank you to all the participants. |
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Imagine a crystal clear Indian River Lagoon with meadows of sparkling emerald seagrass, teaming with schools of fish and an abundance of other marine life. With your support it can happen! Please consider making a year-end donation to MRC to help us in our mission, and to Save Our Seagrass, Shorelines, Stormwater and Spirit! Click below to donate, or mail a check to the Marine Resources Council at 3275 Dixie Hwy NE, Palm Bay FL, 32905. |
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Have You Heard About LagoonWatch? |
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Interested in learning more about MRC’s 30+ year program monitoring the health of the Indian River Lagoon? Stop by the Lagoon House on Saturday Jan 14 for an overview of the program by LagoonWatch Coordinator Kara Woods (time to be finalized).
The Lagoon House will be open on Saturday, January 14 for all current and prospective LagoonWatch monitors. People interested in learning more about the LagoonWatch program are encouraged to attend. Kara will present a quick overview of the LagoonWatch program and then go through the various tests monitors perform each week. She will also review ZiScape, the online program used to record monitoring results. There will be time for questions and comments about anything LagoonWatch related.
Existing monitors are encouraged to pick up their 2023 monthly QA samples and to resupply their test kits with chemicals and/or other supplies at this time. They are also welcome to stay for the program review and offer their comments and suggestions.
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LagoonWatch needs YOU, Titusville! |
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One of our longstanding LagoonWatch monitors is going to have surgery soon and so will not be able to monitor their THREE sites for the next 6 months. We wish them well and are therefore looking for new monitors to take over 1 of the sites permanently and the remaining two for 6 months at least.
The three Titusville sites that need new monitors are:
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Haulover Canal: on the south side across from the Manatee Observation Deck: 28.820866 -80.860171 - permanent replacement.
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US1 at the Turnbull Creek bridge: 28.820866, -80.860171 - at least 6 months.
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83rd St NW Boat ramp, ~1.5 mi N of Haulover Canal, Mims: 28.756310, -80.765967 - at least 6 months.
If you are interested, please email our LagoonWatch Coordinator, Kara Woods at [email protected] for more information. Thank you!
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Legends of the IRL Inducted |
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The first Legends of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) were inducted at the Love Our Lagoon Celebration on Nov. 4 with 130 MRC patrons attending. The first Legend, to whom the new hall of fame is dedicated, is Ted Moorhead, pictured sitting at the event. A dozen other Legends joined Ted, including Dr. Duane De Freese, PhD, Executive Director, IRL National Estuary Program and Council. The Legends are those that should most be remembered; their stories will be shared here in 2023 and featured at Lagooniverse.com starting Jan. 1. |
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Richard Winger Gifts Made to MRC |
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The Winger family selected MRC to receive memorial gifts at the passing of Dick Winger, a lagoon-lover and two-term Mayor of Vero Beach, whose motto was "Keep Vero Vero". To read about Dick Winger, click here.
To make a memorial gift to MRC, visit SaveTheIRL.org/donate; when you give, select the tribute option to name who is to be honored. People make tributes for various purposes, including memorial, marriages, and other important occasions.
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A Win-Win for You and Your Favorite Charity! |
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Learn how you can make tax-free charitable donations directly from your IRA! By making a qualified charitabe distribution, you can benefit your favorite chairty while excluding up to $100,000 annually from gross income. Click below to read more. |
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Pelican Island Audubon Celebrates the Bakers on Dec 5th |
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Celebrate and thank Drs. Richard & Juanita Baker for their leadership and promotion of environmental education for adults and students alike, at the Pelican Island Audubon Society Volunteer & Member Appreciation Party! The event will be held on December 5th from 6-8 at The Heritage Center in Vero Beach. Tickets are $30 per person and include catered appetizers. Click below for more information and to reserve your spot! |
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Though our national park system does a fantastic job at preserving life within its boundaries, those parks are too far and few between to adequately preserve ALL of the plants, animals, and insects that our ecosystem depends upon. This program challenges everyone to choose native foliage and remove invasive plants in their yards, parks and common areas to create healthy ecological networks between national parks! If you've already shifted your yard to a native paradise, or are interested in taking the first step, visit the website below for tools and to get your yard on the map! |
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The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast and the Space Coast Office of Tourism invite you to participate in a community-wide survey to provide your input on what defines Florida’s Space Coast. |
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Volunteer of the Month - Roger Hickman |
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MRC Board Member, Roger Hickman, moved to Florida to marry his wife Lori in the fall of 2013. He remembers his first time driving across the causeway taking in the beautiful view of the lagoon, and then the very next week wondering why the water had a foul odor and not knowing the cause.
Roger found MRC in 2015, and was inspired to volunteer due to his love of water. He completing 24 years of service in the Navy, which showed him how important water quality is to sustaining life. He enjoys the restoration side of volunteering by getting involved with living shorelines and low-impact development, but his favorite volunteer opportunity is in youth education. Roger greatly enjoys MRC's classroom programs, such as teaching kids STEM activities during summer camp, because it takes students out into the real world of environment and exploration.
Thank you, Roger, for everything you do to make our coastal community a better place!
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Florida-Friendly Landscaping Facts - Share the Science! |
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- The UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping program promotes science-based, low-impact, sustainable, environmentally friendly landscaping practices that conserve water, reduce polluntants in our waterways, and protect our natural resources.
- Any yard can be Florida-Friendly! Follow these 9 principles to get started:
- Right plant, right place - Select plants that match a site's soil, light, water and climatic conditions.
- Water efficiently - No need to water until you see footprints on your grass!
- Fertilize appropriately - Or not at all!
- Mulch - Helps retain soil moisture, protects plants and inhibits weed growth.
- Attract wildlife - Select plants that provide food, water or habitat for native critters.
- Manage yard pests responsibly - Use natural methods to combat pests by releasing ladybugs, removing infected leaves, or picking insects off by hand.
- Recycle yard waste - Composting is a sustainable way to fertilize organically! Leave grass clippings on the lawn and use tree leaves for mulch.
- Reduce stormwater runoff - Create landscaping features to retain as much rain on your yard as possible. Install a rain barrel.
- Protect the waterfront - Create a buffer zone of native plants between your grass and the nearest body of water. Never apply fertilizer in the buffer zone.
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The Lagoon House is open to the public by appointment only
Call us at 321-725-7775 to schedule an appointment
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December 3 - Dub Yoga & Reggae Lagoon Benefit at Cocoa Beach Aquatic Center
December 3 - Ocean Reef Beach Festival
December 6 - Lunch & Learn - Right Whale Update
December 10 - Mangrove Workshop at the Lagoon House
December 23-26 - Lagoon House Closed for Christmas
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Marine Resources Council
3275 Dixie Hwy NE, Palm Bay, FL 3905 | (321) 725-7775 | www.SaveTheIRL.org
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