Refuge provides highlights of monthly biology activities
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge biological science technician Avery Renshaw recently reported on the Sanibel refuge’s biology activities for the month of February.
Every week, she participates in a collaborative stakeholder group to report on water quality conditions in the Caloosahatchee River and estuary, including the refuge complex. The local group includes the refuge, city of Sanibel, Lee County, city of Cape Coral and Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. The report goes to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and South Florida Water Management District, which manage the input of freshwater flows from Lake Okeechobee into the river and estuary. As each report states, its purpose is to “(provide) a scientific assessment of Caloosahatchee River and Estuary conditions and how these conditions affect the health, productivity, and function of the system.”
Renshaw explained that the report includes a recommendation from the group on water management and policy decisions. The group is part of a longstanding effort between local conservation partners to provide a unified and scientifically informed voice advocating for the improvement of water quality in the estuary, which is strongly impacted by freshwater releases from the lake.
She added that the reported water quality data from the refuge is in part collected by automated, solar-powered water quality sondes purchased and sustained by the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge. They further help the refuge to monitor water quality conditions on the impounded and estuary sides of Wildlife Drive, which is important for any potential future habitat restoration efforts.