Stephanie Byrne

Experts tell us a lack of nests could be a sign of a Southwest Florida environment’s water woes. And, if there’s not enough of one particular bird nesting, it can be a clue to water concerns. We looked into why researchers believe there are fewer wood stork nests at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier County […]

As sea levels rise, the question turns to, what needs to be saved: Natural resources, cultural spaces, buildings? Visitors on Sanibel Island will tell you they love things like walking the beaches, shelling, and bicycling. Ron Pfeiffer of Ohio said his parents came here when he was in college and he’s been coming ever since, “We […]

Do you know what’s in our water? Thursday afternoon, students got a hands-on lesson sampling our water right here in Southwest Florida. You’ve got a teacher and you’re taking notes, however, you’re far from school. But don’t mistake that for not being in class. “We come down to FGCU Vester Lab in Bonita Springs, take […]

Out of the classroom and into nature. “It’s the chance of a lifetime to bring an outdoor classroom back indoors to all of my kids,” said Gulf Elementary fourth grade teacher, Monica Baker. She’s getting hands-on experience sampling water. “The biggest thing I think was how much there is to learn and how all the […]

What are our state and local governments doing to protect us from harmful algal blooms? After the red tide and blue-green algae crisis of 2018, lots of us still have questions, and government health, environmental, and agricultural leaders are coming together in Collier County Tuesday night to tell you about those challenges. In the meeting […]

The heated debate over mining continues in DeSoto County. DeSoto County and The Mosaic Company reached a deal last year to educate the community about phosphate mining. Watch the full story above by WINK News Reporter Stephanie Byrne, who looks at the path of education the county is traveling.

Imagine driving and seeing a sign advertising a public health study on algae. Researchers want to check how the air from the algae outbreaks affect you. From the air to the people who breathe it, universities from both coasts work in tandem to find out how algal blooms affect our health. Florida Atlantic University researchers […]

Are we starting to see the beginnings of blue-green algae again? We took a sample of water from the Caloosahatchee River near the W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam in east Lee County to an FGCU researcher. This week’s Caloosahatchee condition report says samples showed sparse traces of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae. Dr. Barry Rosen, a […]

When you hear the name University of Florida, you may associate it with Gainesville, Florida; However, UF’s presence reaches down to our backyard here in Southwest Florida. Research and outreach at these facilities help combat the water quality crisis. Between its Extension offices and research facilities, UF/IFAS, IFAS standing for Institute of Food and Agricultural […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the purchase of two pieces of land through Florida Forever. One is north of Gainesville and the other is in Sarasota County – both are a win for the state conservation program. Kelly Vecere splits her time between her homes in Minnesota and Southwest Florida. “I bought a one-way ticket in […]