Environment

The Picayune Strand Restoration Project repaired 85-square-miles of distorted and drained wetlands in western Collier County as 260 miles of crumbling roads were removed and 48 miles of canals were filled

Six million pounds of ancient oyster shells from a Charlotte County mine are now a thriving 3-acre reef in the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River. It is among the latest oyster reefs restored by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.

Hazardous condition is being cited for closure of the boardwalk at the CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail in Collier County. The trail parking lot on Shady Hollow Boulevard West is also closed.

The slender relatives of hawks and eagles have had a bad-news, good-news, bad-news existence since 1967, when the bird landed on the Endangered Species List after many decades of draining, ditching, and channel-digging in the Everglades

A new study verified something most people who live in Florida already know: mold is a problem here. Mold is a persistent problem across Florida, driven by the state's humid subtropical climate and frequent rainfall. Indoor mold can damage walls and ceilings, reduce property values, and create health problems in people, particularly those with respiratory conditions or weakened immune systems. The problem is worse during Florida's summer rainy season when heavy showers and localized flooding can saturate structures.

The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a design and permitting contract for a project at Kiker and Flint Pen Strand preserves. The project in question is targeted to improve regional flood control, restore flow ways, protect habitat, improve water quality and enhance aquifer recharge.

Collier County leaders are refusing to approve hundreds of new homes on farmland east of Collier Boulevard. Commissioners voted Tuesday to continue an item for the approval to build 423 homes on 170 acres along Sabal Palm Road.

Water-quality testing in Southwest Florida occasionally reports high concentrations of enterococcus bacteria, which are found inside the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, similar to the spike in the bacteria discovered off Fort Myers Beach this week. New testing found the levels dropped and an advisory lifted.

UF’s master naturalist training is designed to help people to better understand the Sunshine State’s unique ecosystems — focusing on coastal environments, freshwater wetlands, and upland habitats

Rapid development in Cape Coral is putting pressure on wildlife habitats, prompting concern from conservation groups, city leaders and residents about the future of native species.