Environment

A worker unloads one of three million pounds worth of concrete culverts that created the Florida Coastal Corridor's second artifical reef this week off Fort Walton Beach

After dropping first artificial reef off Naples, Florida Coastal Corridor creates second off Fort Walton Beach in the Panhandle

Tom Bayles

Two weeks after the Florida Coastal Corridor created an artificial reef off Naples the nonprofit dropped a second one offshore of Fort Walton Beach

Even watering the grass can provide enough excesss water on a lawn to wash fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus into nearby waterways, which can feed outbreaks of blue-green algawe

Environment

Summer fertilizer restrictions remain in effect across much of Southwest Florida

Tom Bayles

Using fertilizer is best in moderation, but some people overdo it so communities throughout Southwest Florida have bans against using fertilizers during rain-prone summer,

For those with waterfront property or a favorite beach they visit frequently, shorelines and the barrier islands they're on are one of the areas that often need help to quickly recover from major storms with beach renourishment, or adding sand to the eroded shoreline, being a common tactic

Environment

SWFL summit focuses on helping nature bounce back after an environmental body blow

Tom Bayles

Planning for, and recovering from, things that pushed wetlands, beaches, rivers, and other natural systems beyond that ability to quickly bounce back is the focus of the sixth annual Southwest Florida Resiliency Summit Southwest Florida Resiliency Summit in Punta Gorda.

Hurricane Ian shown on Sept. 28, 2022, as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 150 mph, dropping from Category 5 strength just before making landfall near Cayo Costa

Environment

FGCU and NOAA team up to find best hurricane protection for specific barrier islands

Tom Bayles

Florida Gulf Coast University researchers are investigating why nearby barrier islands can respond differently to the same storm to give those communities a blueprint for best hurricane protection

Environment

Admission to environmental attraction Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is free on Sept. 19

Tom Bayles

Audubon Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary draws visitors from around the world for its top attractions

Tropical Storm Gustav off the coast of North Carolina and Virginia from September 10, 2002. Gustav kicked up high surf and brought heavy rains to the region, but the eye of the storm did not continue inland and it strengthened to a Category One hurricane the next day

Environment

2026 Atlantic hurricane season likely to set record for latest first hurricane of the season

Tom Bayles

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is poised to take the record for the furthest into the season before a hurricane formed.

Mangroves are established as a first line of defense against floodwaters coming ashore

Environment

Nonprofit believes nature's defenses can thwart coastal flooding when added to seawalls

Tom Bayles

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida believes successful flood prevention does not equal lining the coast with increasingly taller seawalls

Sea level rise can do more than cause higher tides than normal: A new study found rising oceans can ruin job prospects in communities along the Gulf Coast experiencing a rise in ocean levels

Environment

Study: Rising seas can dampen job opportunities throughout Gulf Coast including Southwest Florida

Tom Bayles

Researchers found sea-level rise can cause fewer jobs, fewer businesses, and slower job growth.

Lee County Mosquito Control has a new tool in its toolbox for mosquito control that aims to improve treatment precision and reduce unnecessary larvicide applications.

Environment

Lee County Mosquito Control pioneers LiDAR technology to improve treatment precision

Jorge Murillo

Lee County Mosquito Control has a new tool in its toolbox for mosquito control.

Environment

Marine biologists seek public help to learn about smalltooth sawfish in SWFL waters

Tom Bayles

Sawfish, members of the stingray family, were once a common sight off Florida's coastline, but they have been unintentionally overfished. State scientists are working to learn more about the elusive fish.