Estero Bay was Florida's first aquatic preserve. The bay and its nine tributaries are magnificent bodies of water that are now imperiled and need our help. Everything we do here in Southwest Florida is dependent on the quality of our waterways: our economy, our tourism, our recreation and even our physical health. Eternal Vigilance is a 25 minute documentary that showcases the imperiled status of Estero Bay, its nine tributaries and the people who have been working to preserve and restore these vital waterways over the last 30 years. On any given day, Calusa Waterkeeper Rangers might be flying over the Caloosahatchee scanning for algae, sampling its urban tributary creeks for fecal bacteria, crunching over water quality numbers or screening a documentary about local water health. The mission of this nearly all-volunteer corps is to protect the expansive region that includes the Caloosahatchee from Lake Okeechobee and all its tributaries, an area that encompasses more than 1,000 square miles. The short film tells the story of Estero Bay and the fight to protect its waters during a time of increasing development pressures which have led to the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay being fed storm runoff and releases from Lake Okeechobee which threaten water quality, wildlife and even public health. Following the viewing, Chris and Ed Shinouskis, Calusa Waterkeeper Rangers, will discuss what they do for the Calusa Waterkeeper organization and what they've promoted at Pelican Sound to combat Estero Bay's pollution.
Purpose: Screen the film Eternal Vigilance and participate in a group discussion about the film and about local water conservation efforts
Facilitators: Terri Socol, Chris & Ed Shinouskis (Guest Presenters - Pelican Landing) |
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