Seagrass survey volunteers needed by Sea Grant
A volunteer seagrass monitoring program through the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences needs volunteers to survey sites this summer.
The UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Charlotte County program will use information collected by volunteers to inform environmental health assessments and increase credibility within the scientific community.
State biologists at the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves monitor the sites, and participants are asked to form teams of at least three. Teams are responsible for transportation to their assigned sites via boat, kayak, canoe, paddleboard or wading. Individuals may also attend training but are not guaranteed to be placed on a team for sampling.
Teams will collect information on seagrass health, sediment, algae presence and water quality.
New volunteers are required to attend in-person training prior to the first outing. An online training option will be made available to repeat volunteers, or those who can’t attend training. Participants will be required to visit their assigned sites once between July 22 and August 5.
Participants can learn more and register online at https://bit.ly/3uZxV4z.
Training is on July 20 at Centennial Park Recreation Center
Contact Kate Rose at Kate.Rose0210@ufl.edu or 941-764-4346; or Cathy Tucker at tuckerc1@ufl.edu or 941-764-4349.
