ProjectH2O

Lagoon Lecture tomorrow at 1:00 PM at the Riverside Conservancy Center.

Megan Gannon, a graduate student at Bethune-Cookman University, will kick off Riverside Conservancy’s 2026 Lagoon Lecture series on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 1 p.m., at Riverside Conservancy.

Studying in BCU’s Department of Integrated Environmental Science, Gannon will discuss current research in her topic, “Estuarine Restoration: From Reproductive Biology to Applied Ecology of Ruppia Maritima.”

Ruppia maritima is a seagrass commonly known as “Widgeon Grass,” which is being used in the Indian River Lagoon to help re-establish other seagrasses following massive seagrass loss in recent years.

Gannon is a first-year master’s student studying Ruppia maritima, one of the seven seagrass species present in the lagoon. She chose this species for her research due to its broad range of habitat tolerances in the lagoon.

Gannon’s research is focused on addressing three key areas: understanding seed banks and the reproductive life cycle of Ruppia maritima; developing and testing restoration strategies using natural materials; and assessing the ecological role of Ruppia maritima.

The January lecture is free and open to the public and will be hosted at Riverside Conservancy, located at 1413 South Riverside Drive in Edgewater.

The Lagoon Lectures will return on Feb. 19, to the Edgewater Public Library, located at 103 West Indian River Road, Edgewater. Admission to all lectures is free and open to the public.

TOMORROW!! Join Fred Cleveland, Mayor of New Smyrna Beach for an EcoNSB Panel Discussion featuring MDC's Executive Director, Chad Truxall, and Kelli McGee of Riverside Conservancy as well as additional guest panelists from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Brannon Center at 105 S. Riverside Dr.

The conversation will highlight local conservation efforts, how organizations like MDC protect our coastal ecosystems, and practical steps individuals and communities can take to support the Indian River Lagoon.

Panelists will also discuss how the City of New Smyrna Beach can continue partnering with MDC, Riverside Conservancy, and Canaveral National Seashore to strengthen environmental protection and restoration efforts.

This panel is FREE to attend! RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/4m3t4ed9

Come join us on Thursday (Nov. 20) when Danny Young leads Riverside Conservancy’s concluding Lagoon Lecture series presentation. His talk will be held at 1 p.m., at the Edgewater Public Library.

Owner and lead consultant of Young Bear Environmental Consulting, Young will present on the topic, “By Yards and Waves: An Introduction to Living Shoreline Techniques in Residential Settings.”

The presentation will discuss how homeowners can install native plants to make their property more resilient. As a botanist, Young has more than 30 years of environmental consulting knowledge in native plants, permitting and habitat restoration. He has worked extensively with area property owners redesign and replant sustainable shorelines.

Young has a degree in botany from the University of Central Florida and has been a member of the Florida Native Plant Society’s Pawpaw Chapter since the early 1990s. He has worked as an environmental consultant and as a high school biology teacher.

The library is located at 103 West Indian River Road, Edgewater. Admission is free and open to the public.

Rain Barrel Workshop
Saturday, May 10th 10:00 – 11:00 am

Lyonia Environmental Center 2150 Eustace Ave. Deltona, FL 32720 386-789-7207, ext. #21028

Discover the importance of using rain barrels to conserve water. Learn how to assemble and properly place your rain barrel for water collection. Participants will be entered into a drawing to win a free rain barrel.

A limited number of rain barrels will be available to purchase as a fundraiser for The Friends of Lyonia Environmental Center. This program is recommended for adults.

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rain-barrel-workshop-tickets-1331561388959?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Eyes on Seagrass in the IRL! 🥽🌱

Participate in voluntary seagrass reporting in the month of May to help researchers understand the state of seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon! Whether you are a kayaker, boater, or fisher you can contribute.

Everything you need to know: https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/eyes-on-seagrass/eyes-on-seagrass-in-the-indian-river-lagoon-blitz-spring-2025/

Just a reminder that Riverside Conservancy will restart its Lagoon Lectures on Thursday, March 6 at the Edgewater Public Library. The lecture will begin at 1 p.m.

Kicking off the 2025 Lecture Series will be Dr. Wendy Anderson of Stetson University, who will present on the topic, “The Sponge: Low-Impact Development Strategies to Mitigate Flooding, Recharge the Aquifer and Protect the Indian River Lagoon.”

The discussion will focus on how decisions made about land use can have far-reaching impacts. She will introduce concepts used in the Low-Impact Development tool-kit that can cost-effectively address many of the most pressing concerns about flooding, aquifer depletion, and nutrient loading into the Indian River Lagoon.

Dr. Anderson is an elected member of the Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, and an appointed member of the Volusia County Council's Environmental and Natural Resource Advisory Committee.

The Edgewater Public Library is located at 103 West Indian River Road in Edgewater, Fla. Lagoon Lectures are free and open to the public.

Riverside Conservancy of Edgewater will restart its Lagoon Lecture Series in March with a guest presentation by Dr. Wendy Anderson of Stetson University.

Dr. Anderson will present on the topic, “The Sponge: Low-Impact Development Strategies to Mitigate Flooding, Recharge the Aquifer and Protect the Indian River Lagoon” on Thursday, March 6, at 1 p.m. at the Edgewater Public Library.

The library is located at 103 West Indian River Road, Edgewater. Admission is free and open to the public.

The discussion will focus on how decisions made about land use can have far-reaching impacts. She will introduce concepts used in the Low-Impact Development tool-kit that can cost-effectively address many of the most pressing concerns about flooding, aquifer depletion, and nutrient loading into the Indian River Lagoon.

Dr. Anderson is a professor and department chair of environmental science and studies at Stetson University. Her research has studied the physical and biological movements of materials across ecosystem boundaries. Since 1995, she has focused her research on marine impacts of terrestrial soils, plants and animals.

Her other scholarly interests include climate change, sustainable design, conservation biology and nature writing. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology at Baylor University and her Ph.D. in biology at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Anderson also is an elected member of the Volusia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, and an appointed member of the Volusia County Council's Environmental and Natural Resource Advisory Committee.

Riverside Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on conserving and protecting shorelines through educational outreach, restoration and research. For more information, visit https://www.riversideconservancy.org.

Riverside Conservancy We are a fast growing non-profit organization with a passion for conservation. Like the budding mangrove of our logo we are spreading out and taking action to preserve our beloved Florida shoreline.