National Estuaries Day

Saturday, September 30, 2017
Enjoy a day of lagoon learning, rain barrel building, mangrove farming, and celebrate the Indian River Lagoon with MRC, at the Ted Moorhead Lagoon House on Saturday, September 30. Marine Resources Council has assembled a panel of the lagoon’s leading experts, to speak about lagoon research and restoration plans, and to answer questions from attendees. The panel includes Dr. Duane DeFreese of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, MRC’s Executive Director Dr. Leesa Souto, Dr. John Windsor, Dr. John Trefry, Dr. Kelli Hunsucker, and Dr. Robert Weaver of Florida Institute of Technology. After a brief introduction… of the panel, the afternoon will focus on audience participation, facilitating questions and concerns, as well as presenting ideas of potential problems and solutions for our lagoon. The event is free and open to the public, attendees must register. Rain Barrel Workshop attendees can register to build and take home their very own water saving barrel, at the event for a $50.00 fee. Register for the Rain Barrel Workshop, which will begin at 12pm. For more information on the event please contact Shannon at shannon@mrcirl.org or call 321-725-7775.
MRC’s National Estuaries Day Celebration! Saturday September 30th (12pm – 6pm).
Admission is FREE. Attendees must register. Register Now @
https://mrccelebration.eventbrite.com/?aff=fb
Rain Barrel Workshop is $50. ($50 includes all materials needed to construct your very own 55 gallon water saving rain barrel to take home!)
Location:
MRC’s Ted Moorhead Lagoon House
3275 Dixie Hwy NE Palm Bay, Florida, FL 32905
Event Lineup:
12pm – 12:45pm – Rain Barrel Workshop ($50 fee)
1pm – 1:45pm Mangrove Farming Workshop
2pm – 2:45pm Lagoon House Grounds Tour 3
3 pm – 4:45 pm Panel Introductions & Open Forum
5pm – 5:45 pm Live Music
Please join us for an open forum with the experts who are saving our lagoon! The MRC, a phenomenal group of F.I.T. professors (The IRLRI), along with the NEP Director, have decades of scientific research experience related to the Indian River Lagoon, and have come together to answer all questions you might have on our lagoon. Collectively, these scientists and engineers are developing solutions to the major issues plaguing the health of the lagoon, including muck and nutrients, lagoon flow, nutrient reduction, sediment loading, ecosystem recovery, policy and management, monitoring and reporting, and engineering technologies. This is a fantastic community outreach and education open forum, to help the community and lagoon stakeholders understand the problems of the IRL, and our role in creating solutions to reverse the negative impact we have on the lagoon. If you have questions and concerns about improving the lagoon’s eco-system, you don’t want to miss this event!
Panel Participants:
Dr. Duane DeFreese, Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program and Indian River Lagoon Council Executive Director: Topic – Overview of IRL Status & Restoration Efforts
Dr. Kelli Hunsucker, Research Assistant Professor at Florida Institute of Technology: Topic – Living Docks
Dr. Leesa Souto, Marine Resources Council Executive Director & Florida Institute of Technology Professor: Topic – Lagoon Monitoring, Education, & Community Engagement
Dr. John Trefry, Florida Institute of Technology Professor of Marine and Environmental Systems: Topic – Muck Management and Dredging
Dr. Robert Weaver, Engineering solutions Associate Professor of Ocean Engineering and Sciences: Topic – Lagoon Engineering Solutions
Dr. John Windsor, Professor Emeritus Oceanography and Environmental Science at Florida Institute of Technology: Topic – Save Our Lagoon Project Plan
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Water Saving Rain Barrel Work Shop! (12pm)
Registration for the workshop is $50. The fee includes all materials to construct your very own 55 gallon rain barrel to take home!
One barrel used properly can reduce 50,000 gallons of polluted storm water from entering our lagoon! Do your part, help save our lagoon by installing a rain barrel into the gutter system at your house! Sign up now!
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Mangrove Farming Workshop (1pm)
Adopt a Mangrove or become an MRC Mangrove Farmer! At this workshop you will learn about the magic of mangroves! You will also be able to register and learn how to grow mangroves at your home, for MRC’s future shoreline restoration projects. (If able, we ask all mangrove farmers to donate $12 to help fund this program.)
*Join our mangrove propagule collection contest! Propagules are starting to fall. The attendee that brings the most mangrove seeds and propagules to the event, will win a 55 gallon Rain Barrel Kit and a Save Our Lagoon Red Fish shirt, designed by would famous fishing artist Mark Susinno. (Propagules must be presented from 12pm – 12:45pm to enter the contest.) Winner will be announced at 3pm.
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Lagoon House Grounds Plant Tour: Good, Bad, & Ugly! (2pm)
Join us for a guided educational tour of MRC’s Lagoon House property, to learn about the importance of our beautiful native plants, & the hazards of our ugly invasive’s.
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MRC’s National Estuaries Day Celebration is an educational opportunity open to the public. Admission is FREE. Attendees must register. (Rain Barrel Workshop is $50, to take home a barrel.)
We hope you will be able to join us at this great event! The Marine Resources Council is a multi-faceted charitable organization, committed to engaging the community in actions to save the Indian River Lagoon.
Register Now @
https://mrccelebration.eventbrite.com/?aff=fb
For more information on National Estuaries Day please visit our website, SaveTheIRL.org, or contact MRC’s Education Coordinator Shannon @ shannon@mrcirl.org or call 321-725-7775. For vending booth space, sponsorship, silent auction and raffle submissions, or musician submissions please contact Steve at SharkeyMRC@gmail.com