UF IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH

🐦 Meet the Green Heron: Florida's Tiny Fisher and Tool User 🌿

The Green Heron may be small and easy to overlook, but it's one of the few birds known to use tools. This stealthy wetland hunter sometimes drops insects or other objects onto the water's surface to lure fish within striking range.

Learn about its unique hunting behavior, distinctive ""kyow"" call, nesting habits, and where to spot this fascinating bird in Florida.

🔗 Read the full article: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/P56E910UZhkRp -heron

🌊 Family, Science, and Stewardship: Meet LAKEWATCH Volunteers John and Bella 🐬

What started as a way to support Bella's interest in science has become a meaningful family tradition. From collecting monthly water quality samples to unforgettable wildlife encounters, John and Bella are helping build the long-term datasets that support lake management and water quality decisions.

Their story is a great reminder that stewardship can start at any age.

🔗 Read the full article: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/P56E910UZhkRp -bella-michael

🤝 Stronger Together: Pasco County's LaMP and LAKEWATCH Partnership in Action 🌊

What happens when local governments and citizen scientists work together? Pasco County's Lake Management Program (LaMP) and Florida LAKEWATCH have expanded lake monitoring across the county, growing from about five to 25 lakes in just one year.

By combining community engagement with long-term lake data, the partnership is helping support lake management, resilience planning, and future restoration efforts.

🔗 Read the full article: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/P56E910UZhkRp -together

🧪 A Journey from Florida Lakes to Wisconsin Labs: Tracking Mercury Through the Food Web 🐟

How does mercury move through Florida's aquatic food webs? Florida LAKEWATCH and Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences PhD student Baylor Lynch traveled to the USGS Mercury, Metals, and Microplastics (M3) Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, to study how mercury accumulates from plankton and aquatic insects to forage fish and top predators.

Using samples collected from Lochloosa Lake, Lake Weir, Campbell Lake, and Lake Louisa in Florida, this research will improve our understanding of ecosystem health and help inform fish consumption guidance.

🔗 Read the full article: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/P56E910UZhkRp -journey-from-florida-lakes-to-wisconsin-labs

🌊 Sargassum: The Golden Tide is Back in the Florida Keys 🌊

Why is so much sargassum washing up across the Keys? Florida Sea Grant Agent Shelly Krueger explores what's driving the 2026 Sargassum Inundation Event, why the region is especially affected, and the impacts on beaches, waterways, and coastal ecosystems.

🔗 Read the full article: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/2026/06/17/2026-sargassum-inundation-event/

🌊 Florida’s lakes are places for recreation, wildlife viewing, fishing, boating, and making memories with family and friends.

This Lake Appreciation Month, take time to visit your favorite lake and appreciate all the ways these waters connect our communities across the state. 💧🐟🌿
Thank you to the LAKEWATCH volunteers who help collect long-term data on Florida lakes year-round.