Jason Gulley, a photographer and geologist, had an awe-inspiring experience with a manatee during a dive at one of Florida’s freshwater springs.
“One of the younger manatees starts running up toward me on the bottom of his flippers,” he recalled. “Five minutes later, he’s smearing his face on the front of the camera. I had never seen pictures of manatees doing anything like that.”
A few months later, Florida’s beloved sea cows began experiencing a massive die-off amid a shortage of eelgrass in the 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon, one of the most biologically diverse estuaries in North America with more than 4,000 plant and animal species.
“After a couple of days of photographing dead manatees, I thought, ‘This is really depressing,’” he said. “For my own sanity, I needed to figure out what other people were doing to fix the situation.”
During World Water Day on March 22, it’s worth highlighting the progress that the imperiled ecosystem has made toward recovery in recent years and the steps that must be taken to ensure its future success.
Gulley’s experience with manatees led him to a new statewide photographic project that combined his scientific and visual background to show the impacts of stormwater visually.
“When I went to Indian River Lagoon, I wanted to meet the people who grew up there and grew their businesses based on having clean water,” he said. “I wanted to understand more about how the lack of clean water and some of the development in the area has been impacting their bottom lines.”
Greg Knecht, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Florida, said the main problems plaguing the Indian River Lagoon stem from leaking septic tanks, wastewater spills and nutrient pollution from stormwater runoff and over-fertilization of lawns.
“High nutrients cause algal growth. Algae shade out the sea grass and causes it to die,” he said. “We know that nutrients and algae and shading and all of this is connected. For Indian River Lagoon, if we can deal with the nutrients, we will indeed restore the Indian River Lagoon.”
Knecht gave kudos to the Florida Legislature, which made improvements to the Clean Waterways Act last year by dedicating money to the state’s water quality and increasing standards for dealing with stormwater.
Occupying more than 40 percent of Florida’s eastern coast, the Indian River Lagoon offers a variety of ways to interact with the outdoor environment. Many volunteer opportunities are also available for people wishing to give back. Here are a few ideas.
1. Take a boat or kayak tour with the Marine Discovery Center in New Smyrna Beach.
One of the easiest ways for locals and tourists to become immersed in the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem is through a boat or kayak tour with the Marine Discovery Center. Through its tours, the New Smyrna Beach nonprofit informs visitors about the flora and fauna found within the estuary, plus the problems plaguing the ecosystem and ongoing recovery efforts. On a dolphin discovery tour, guests can see dolphins, egrets, pelicans, gulls, herons, cormorants and the occasional sea turtle.
“You have to fall in love with something before you really start taking care of it with all your heart,” said tour guide Patrick Schill. “You can take that relationship and that love of the outdoors back home and use that to really take care of the outdoors so that future generations can enjoy.”
The Marine Discovery Center, which was founded in 1997, offers free monthly lectures, field trips, camps for school-aged children, lectures and workshops focusing on conservation. In addition, the organization offers volunteer opportunities, especially in the realm of shoreline restoration and community science.
The “Shuck & Share” oyster recycling program is facilitated by the center, helping to collect tens of thousands of pounds of shells from restaurants each year. These are then placed back into the Indian River Lagoon, where they can become home to oyster larvae and other species that rely on oyster reefs.
“One of the beautiful things about what we do is we focus on community-based restoration,” said Tess Sailor-Tynes, the center’s conservation science coordinator. “That can mean people getting hands-on with the work that we do.”
More information: marinediscoverycenter.org
2. Feast on Indian River Lagoon rock shrimp at Dixie Crossroads.
Anyone who has driven near Florida’s Atlantic Coast has likely seen billboards for Dixie Crossroads, a restaurant serving up locally sourced seafood, steaks, chicken and corn fritters since 1983. The restaurant’s co-owner Laurilee Thompson, a fifth-generation Floridian, has made it her life’s work to give back to the natural ecosystem that sustains her restaurant and community.
One of the restaurant’s specialties is rock shrimp, which is sourced from the waterways near Titusville. Though these prawns have spiny shells that are difficult to peel, the meat has a sweet taste like lobster, making this entree one of the eatery’s main attractions.
More information: dixiecrossroads.com
3. Explore outdoors at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge or Canaveral National Seashore.
It’s worth visiting the public lands that protect the Indian River Lagoon and help to preserve the ecosystem that sustains manatees, flamingos, Florida scrub jays, sea turtles and migratory birds. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge provides opportunities for paddling, boating, fishing, birding, hiking and wildlife watching.
Canaveral National Seashore houses the longest stretch of undeveloped Atlantic coastline in Florida. While visiting, it’s easy to picture a time before beachfront condos and hotels littered the East Coast. Ranger-led programs and beach cleanups give visitors additional ways to get involved with the natural space.
More information: fws.gov, nps.gov
4. Dive into aquaculture with the Indian River Oyster Company.
Oysters, by their very nature, are beneficial for the natural environment. The briny bivalves help filter particulate matter from their ecosystem to improve water quality, with each oyster filtering 20-50 gallons of water per day. In addition, oysters help remove nitrogen from the water and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The Indian River Oyster Company provides “tide to table” oysters grown in New Smyrna Beach and the Indian River Lagoon, both to restaurants and individuals to shuck at home. Boat tours are available periodically through Turtle Mound River Tours, giving visitors a chance to get up close with the oyster farm’s operation (the next one is scheduled for March 29). For seafood lovers, oysters are packed with protein, vitamins D and B12, minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids. For the environment and shellfish enthusiasts, that’s a win-win.
More information: irocoysters.com
Marine Turtle Research Group / Orlando Sentinel
A UCF researcher works to measure a sea turtle while doing permitted research at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in 2018. The Sea Turtle Preservation Society offers nighttime turtle walks during the summer months. (Marine Turtle Research Group)
5. Pitch in for beach cleanups and learn about ancient reptiles with the Sea Turtle Preservation Society.
The Sea Turtle Preservation Society was founded in 1986 in Brevard County with the mission of “helping sea turtles survive.” The nonprofit reaches out to the community through educational programs and volunteer opportunities concentrated in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and Indian River Lagoon.
Those looking to learn more about these ancient reptiles can join for monthly turtle talks on Zoom and weekend beach clean ups in Cape Canaveral and Melbourne Beach. During the summer, visitors can join for nighttime turtle walks to see nesting sea turtles laying eggs.
More information: seaturtlespacecoast.org
Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.
Originally Published: March 21, 2025 at 12:00 AM EDT
