Erik Lovestrand

The Franklin County Extension office is located in the town of Apalachicola, a Florida Panhandle community about 65 miles SE of the capital city of Tallahassee. The area is best known for the incredible natural resources found in the Apalachicola River and Bay system, which produces more oysters than any other estuary in the state. The Apalachicola is the largest river in Florida, averaging 16 billion gallons of daily flow, and is part of a nearly 20,000 square mile watershed that begins about 90 miles above Atlanta, Georgia and includes parts of three southeastern states.

The Sea Grant Extension program here is involved in working with the seafood industry of the region to help maintain thriving, sustainable fishing communities, which give this portion of the Florida Gulf Coast such a unique character. Mr. Lovestrand’s background includes over 25 years of working in the area of natural resources outreach and education in Florida.

Education

MS, Wildlife Ecology, Purdue University, 1986
BS, Forest Resources and Conservation – Wildlife Ecology, University of Florida, 1983