Stephanie Byrne

New aerials show what is believed to be red tide in the Gulf of Mexico off the Southwest Florida coast. Pilot and photographer Ralph Arwood, who works with the Calusa Waterkeeper organization, shared photos he took over the Gulf on Monday. In the images above, you can see a brownish tint suspected to be red […]

Leaders are working to improve Southwest Florida’s resiliency against climate change impacts while planning for a changing future, across our area. The sun, sand, and shore are all good reasons why people live, work, and play in Southwest Florida. So how do we make sure our slice of paradise stays intact? Dr. Greg Tolley, the […]

Two big holes have opened up in the ground in recent days, but neither were from natural causes. From a fireline break in Harbor Isle to a water main break in Collier County, it begs the question; how do we know if we’re dealing with a sinkhole or something man-made? The short answer is any […]

There’s a new man on a mission on the job to protect Southwest Florida’s water quality. From the beautiful beach to wondrous wetlands, the area will become the backdrop of K.C. Schulberg’s work as the new Collier County Waterkeeper. After serving as the executive director of the Calusa Waterkeeper organization in Lee County, K.C. Schulberg […]

It’s a gross sight, thick, green algae in canals, but now cleanup efforts are underway to get rid of it in Cape Coral’s Rubicon canal system. Tuesday marked the first day the City of Cape Coral teamed up with a company to mechanically harvest that thick, green algae in the Rubicon canal system. During cleanup […]

The endangered species list could be shrinking but not for a good reason. The ivory-billed woodpecker and the yellow-blossom pearly mussel are among the nearly two dozen species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will soon officially declare extinct. “It is very disheartening to see,” said Matthew Metcalf, a visiting instructor at FGCU. It’s […]

People living along County Club Boulevard in Cape Coral are plagued with algae along a canal near them. Cindy Smith said she has never seen the canal get this bad. But she is not just worried about her family, she is also worried about the animals that live in the canal. “We actually have manatee […]

Cape Coral’s newest project may look like a beautification effort but is designed to help protect the City’s water quality. The City of Cape Coral has decided to take a more natural approach to fight harmful algal blooms. The City is looking at planting where those algal blooms could appear. Cape Coral is teaming up […]

You’ve heard of farmers growing fruits and vegetables, but what about clams? These farmers have been growing them for more than two decades.   Clam farms and nurseries like Cutthroat Clams on Pine Island are facing hardship. Despite this, a small group of farmers is hoping to use their clam farms to help fight red […]

Coral reefs in the Florida Keys are in danger of destruction, but restoring our underwater community isn’t your average college program. Makayla Davies and Gracia Rojas are both helping with the mission: Iconic Reefs Site Maintenance Pilot program in the Eastern Dry Rocks Reef, about seven miles southwest of Key West. Davies participates in the […]