The starvation of hundreds of manatees in the 150-mile-long Indian River Lagoon (IRL) along Florida’s Atlantic coast made global headlines in 2021. Our Foundation stepped in to feed manatees and stop starvation, thanks to donations from hundreds of you. But the long-term recovery of the IRL ecosystem and its manatees depends on additional significant reductions in nutrient runoff and restoration of its once-extensive eel- and seagrass beds. We’ve invested more than $2 million in restoring eight eelgrass sites within the IRL where the water quality is good in partnership with FWC, the St. Johns River Water Management District, and seagrass restoration companies Sea & Shoreline and Aquatech.
Our work began with 60,000 eelgrass seedlings planted in 2021 in the Loxahatchee River. These seedlings were protected initially by cages to allow them to take root and send out runners; one plant can spread up to seven feet in all directions in one year under ideal conditions. This year, we broke ground on a large new project along the Titusville Causeway in the central IRL, a popular viewing location for rocket launches. Restoration efforts include seagrass and mangrove planting along with shoreline erosion prevention.
