healthy seagrass bed

Over 1,600 Boaters in Florida Have Pledged To Be Seagrass Safe—Will You?

Over 28 ‘Scars Hurt’ outreach signs are placed at boat ramps around Florida and internationally in Tasmania, Australia and the Seychelles. Interested in sponsoring a sign in your community? Email beseagrasssafe@gmail.com. Since 2015, Florida Sea Grant and UF/IFAS Extension’s Be Seagrass Safe campaign has educated Florida’s boaters and coastal communities alike about the devastating impact…

Carolyn Kovacs teaching students in Panama

Carolyn Kovacs Named Sea Grant Agent in Flagler and Volusia Counties

Carolyn Kovacs, a former resident lecturer of tropical coastal ecology at The School for Field Studies, has been named the new Florida Sea Grant agent with UF/IFAS Extension for Flagler and Volusia Counties. In her new role, Kovacs will develop and lead a marine and coastal resources education and outreach program that will work to…

florida red tide leads to empty beaches

Economic Study Examines 2018 Red Tide Impacts Through Shock to Airbnb Market

Natural disasters, like red tide events, disrupt normal daily life within communities and reduce the attractiveness of a destination for tourists. An uptick in the occurrence or severity of such hazardous and disruptive events can have very distinct and catastrophic socioeconomic impacts. From October 2017 to January 2019, a significant red tide event limited access…

Evan B. Forde working in a deep-sea submersible. Photo: NOAA AOML

Influential Black Figures Who Pioneered Coastal Science & Education

From stewarding healthier waterways to creating representation and pioneering new discoveries, Black marine scientists and educators throughout history have made Florida and coastal environments everywhere a better place for all. Read on to discover some key leaders whose work shaped different spheres of science and environmentalism in the Sunshine State. Consider following (on Twitter, follow…