Bats & Blooms

OF ECOSENSE FOR LIVING... OF A MAJOR CITY LIKE MIAMI.

THE UNITED STATES.

IF IT'S TROPICAL, DO NOT BUY.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: ZOO MIAMI IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE ZOO, THEY'RE PROTECTING EVEN MORE ANIMALS AND ECOSYSTEMS.

♪ ♪ >> SO I HAVE TO ADMIT WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PINE ROCKLANDS AND WHEN I PULLED INTO WORK THE VERY FIRST DAY, I KIND OF WAS LIKE, AH, YOU KNOW, "LOOK AT THIS SCRUBBY HABITAT AND I WONDER WHY THAT'S NOT DEVELOPED OR WHY IT HASN'T BEEN BUILT ON."

SO I STARTED ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND LEARNING ABOUT IT.

AND WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT HOW MUCH DIVERSITY IS HERE, I STARTED TO ABSORB ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE.

AND THEN, IN MY ROLE AS THE HEAD OF CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH, REALIZING THAT, IN THE ZOO, WE HAVE ABOUT 150 IMPERILED SPECIES THAT ARE THREATENED AND ENDANGERED, BUT JUST HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD, THERE'S ABOUT 110 IN THE WOODS SURROUNDING US.

THERE WAS PROBABLY AN ANCIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS FOREST, THE PINE ROCKLAND, THAT USED TO EXIST FROM NORTH MIAMI BEACH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLORIDA CITY.

IT WAS LIKE 160,000 ACRES, CONTINUOUS PINE FOREST.

AND, UH, THERE USED TO BE A WOODPECKER THAT WAS FOUND HERE CALLED THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER.

UH, AND THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER LOVES BIG MATURE PINE TREES, HUGE PINE TREES.

AND THEY WILL ACTUALLY MAKE A CAVITY IN THERE.

AND WE KNOW FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT REALLY LOVES THOSE CAVITIES THAT THAT PARTICULAR WOODPECKER MAKES.

RIGHT?

BUT THE PROBLEM WITH MIAMI IS THIS ECOSYSTEM HAS ALMOST DISAPPEARED FOR MOST OF THE AREA.

AND IT WAS LOGGED OUT.

THESE TREES, THESE SOUTH DADE SLASH PINES, THEY BUILT MIAMI.

AND SO ALL THOSE NINETY TO A HUNDRED YEAR OLD TREES ARE GONE.

SO WITH THAT, WE LOST A WOODPECKER.

AND WITH THAT, WE PROBABLY LOST THE NATURAL HOME FOR THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT THAT WE THINK THAT WAS HIGHLY ASSOCIATED WITH.

>> THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT IS THE LARGEST BAT IN ALL OF FLORIDA AND THE EARS - AND THIS IS WHERE THE NAME IS COMING FROM - IS IN THE SHAPE OF A BONNET.

THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT WAS LISTED BY THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IN 2013.

THIS IS HAPPENING FOR TWO MAJOR REASONS.

THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE'RE SEEING INCREASE IN STORMS AND IN INTENSITY OF THESE STORMS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY AND THAT'S AFFECTING THE FOREST WHERE THE BATS ARE ROOSTING.

THE SECOND ONE IS DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT DEVELOPMENT IS, IS AFFECTING ALL OF THOSE HABITATS THAT THE BATS NEED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE CAN FIND THE BATS IN URBAN SETTINGS.

>> WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, LIKE WITH THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT IN MIAMI, I SAY PICTURE LIKE ALL OF MIAMI AND ALL THE PEOPLE STILL HAD TO BE HERE, AND THEN SLOWLY START ELIMINATING LIKE ALL THE HOUSING, THEN BASICALLY PEOPLE BECOME HOMELESS AND ARE IMPROVISING HOUSING.

THAT'S WHAT THE BATS ARE DOING.

AND THEN START GETTING RID OF THE GROCERY STORES.

GET RID OF THE WHOLE FOODS, THE NICE ONES AND THE PUBLIX, AND THE WINNDIXIES.

AND THEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH LIKE THE BODEGAS AND THE GAS STATIONS.

AND WE'RE LEFT WITH ALL THAT'S LEFT IN MIAMI, SO THESE BATS HAVE ENDURED A, BASICALLY A HOUSING CRISIS AND A FOOD SHORTAGE CRISIS.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE HOUSING.

THEY STILL NEED THE FOOD PART.

AND THERE'S ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT FOR THEM.

IF YOU THINK OF MOST SPECIES, IF THEIR ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM HAS MOSTLY BEEN LOST AND ALTERED TO WHAT IT NEEDS, THEY USUALLY DON'T SURVIVE WELL.

BUT THIS BAT IS FIGURING OUT HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR CITY LIKE MIAMI.

>> AND WE'RE WORKING HERE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BATS NEED, IN ORDER TO GIVE EVEN A LITTLE PUSH TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS KIND OF HABITAT.

>> SO A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WERE ABLE TO FORM THE MIAMI BAT LAB HERE AT ZOO MIAMI AND IN COOPERATION WITH BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AND FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT.

AND REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS LAB IS TO LOOK AT THIS VERY SPECIAL BAT.

WHAT DOES THIS BAT NEED TO CONTINUE TO KIND OF PERSIST IN THIS URBAN AREA USING PARKS LIKE THIS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR FOOD SOURCES FOR THIS BAT AND OPEN SPACES WHERE IT NEEDS TO FIND FOOD.

WE WANT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THOSE KEY THINGS THAT THEY REALLY NEED.

♪ ♪ >> WHEN WE THINK ABOUT PROTECTING NATURE, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PROTECT NATIONAL PARKS AND LARGE ECOSYSTEMS.

AND THAT IS A LOT OF WHAT WE DO AT NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION.

BUT OUR WORK REALLY DOES NOT START AND END AROUND NATIONAL PARK BORDERS BECAUSE THOSE BORDERS ARE MADE BY HUMANS, RIGHT?

AND NATURE EXTENDS BEYOND THAT AND THIS PINE ROCKLAND THAT WE'RE STANDING IN TODAY, IT'S AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PROTECT NOT ONLY NATIONAL PARKS, BUT ALL ECOSYSTEMS, WHEREVER WE FIND THEM.

PARKS LIKE THIS ONE, THAT IS IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF MIAMI.

WE HAVE URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS ALL AROUND US.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT MORE PEOPLE GET ACCESS TO THESE NATURAL AREAS.

THESE FOREST FRAGMENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY LIFEBOATS FOR BIODIVERSITY AND BECAUSE THEY ARE FRAGMENTED FORESTS, WHAT THAT MEANS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY ARE THERE THESE OVERARCHING THREATS FACING THEM, BUT YOU HAVE THIS CONSTANT THREAT OF ENCROACHMENT FROM INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES.

AND WE CAN SEE THAT, IF YOU LOOK BEHIND ME, PAST ALL OF THE PINE TREE TRUNKS, WE CAN KIND OF SEE THIS WALL OF THICKER GREEN.

AND WHAT THAT IS, IS INDEED INVASIVE PLANTS THAT ARE ENCROACHING.

AND BECAUSE THIS IS A SMALL FOREST FRAGMENT, EVERY SINGLE SQUARE FOOT OF AREA MATTERS.

A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK ABOUT NATURE, LIKE IT'S BEST LEFT ON ITS OWN, BUT BECAUSE HUMANS HAVE ALREADY MADE SO MANY MODIFICATIONS, NOT ONLY TO A SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT, BUT TO THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, WE REALLY NEED ACTIVE RESTORATION OF HABITATS SUCH AS PINE ROCKLANDS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR SURVIVAL.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO ACTIVELY MANAGE HABITATS, WHETHER THEY'RE LARGE, LIKE IN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, WHERE THE PARK SERVICE WORKS TO DO PRESCRIBED FIRES, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHETHER THEY'RE SMALL, LIKE IN THIS AMAZING, BUT RELATIVELY SMALL FOREST FRAGMENT.

>> SO, THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT, ONE OF THE LIMITING FACTORS IS ROOST AVAILABILITY.

THE BATS NOW IN MIAMI ARE FOUND MOSTLY IN HOUSES, IN BUILDINGS.

AND THEY'RE ALWAYS A RISK BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO GET MAINTENANCE TO THE ROOF AND TO THEIR PROPERTIES, ARTIFICIAL ROOSTS.

IN GENERAL, WHEN YOU START ANY ARTIFICIAL ROOSTS FOR BATS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE YEARS TO THE BATS FIND THESE ROOSTS.

EACH TIME THAT WE SELL A BAT HOUSE, WE RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WAIT BETWEEN TWO TO THREE YEARS FOR THE BATS OF FIND THE ROOSTS AND START USING THOSE KINDS OF ROOSTS.

WE WERE REALLY SURPRISED THAT AFTER THREE WEEKS, THE FIRST BAT MOVING, ONE OF THE BAT HOUSES AND, VERY QUICK, ALL THE ROOSTS START TO BE OCCUPIED.

AND WE'RE REAL EXCITED RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE OVER 130 BATS IN HERE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE THE SECOND LARGEST POPULATION IN ALL THE RANGE OF THE SPECIES.

HERE AT ZOO MIAMI IN THE PROPERTY, WE HAVE, UH, OVER 90 INDIVIDUALS ROOSTING ON THE BAT HOUSES.

THE REASON FOR THAT HUGE NUMBERS IS BECAUSE ZOO MIAMI HAVE THE ONE OF THE LARGEST PATCH OF PINE ROCKLANDS IN ALL THIS AREA.

>> WE'RE STANDING IN ONE OF OUR RESTORATION SITES HERE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A LUNAR LANDSCAPE.

IF YOU SEE A PINE ROCKLAND AFTER IT'S BURNED, IT LOOKS VERY ALIEN BECAUSE IT GETS SCORCHED DOWN AND IT'S JUST ROCK.

AND THEN THE PLANTS START COMING BACK OUT OF THE ROCK SOMEHOW.

♪ ♪ >> THESE BATS, AS SOON AS THAT THE SUN GOES DOWN, THEY'RE GOING TO, THEY'RE STARVING, THEY'RE THIRSTY.

YOU KNOW, FLORIDA IS REALLY HOT AND IT'S REALLY WARM.

SO DEFINITELY THEY WANT TO DRINK SOME WATER AND DEFINITELY THEY WANT TO EAT.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO FLY OUT.

THEY'RE GOING TO FIND A WATER RESOURCE, YOU KNOW, REALLY OPEN A SPACE THERE WHERE IT CAN HAVE SOME DRINKS AND THEN GOING TO GO AND EAT.

SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, UH, WE HAVE WAS JUST ONE BAT THREE YEARS AGO.

NOW WE HAVE OVER 14 COLONIES ALL ACROSS THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND EVERY MONTH, THE NUMBER OF BATS IN THE ROOSTS ARE INCREASING.

NOW WE TEND TO SEE THE OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY BE INFLUENCING THE FUTURE OF THE BATS, LIKE LIGHT AND ACOUSTIC POLLUTION, TO SEE HOW WE CAN CREATE A MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT THE CITY AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE STATES CAN USE AS AN EXAMPLE, AND CAN HELP THE BATS LEARNING TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY THEY GET OFF OF THE LIST OF ENDANGERED SPECIES.

JENNIE: ALGAE BLOOMS ARE EVERYWHERE - BUT THE OUTBREAK OF RED TIDE IN FLORIDA HAS BEEN DEVASTATING FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.

>> RED TIDE IS THIS TINY LITTLE THING THAT MAKES A REALLY BIG MESS.

AND YOU, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU'RE IN A RED TIDE SITUATION, AT LEAST ONE THAT'S PRETTY DENSE.

>> FLORIDA'S ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE MULTIFACETED, BUT THEY'VE REALLY BOILED DOWN TO TWO THINGS, FERTILIZER AND POOP.

AS OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN, WE'VE CREATED ISSUES WITH SEPTIC AND SEWERAGE WE'VE ALSO SEEN INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE.

WE'VE EVEN, WE'VE SEEN PROBLEMS WITH FERTILIZER THAT'S PUT ONTO PEOPLE'S YARDS.

WE'RE BEING BOMBARDED BY MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS.

SOME OF THEM ARE PRETTY BAD.

SOME OF THEM ARE REALLY BAD AND SOME OF THEM ARE OFF THE CHARTS BAD.

>> FLORIDA IS LIKE A ROTTEN BAG OF SKITTLES WHEN IT COMES TO ALGAE.

SO WE HAVE RED TIDE, WHICH IS THE MARINE SPECIES.

WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT VARIETY OF CYANOBACTERIA.

CYANOBACTERIA IS MORE BROAD TERM FOR THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF THIS MICROSCOPIC ALGAE.

SOME OF IT IS BENIGN.

SOME OF IT IS TOXIC AND THE TOXICITY DEPENDS ALSO ON THE SPECIES.

PEOPLE LIKE TO START OFF BY EXPLAINING RED TIDE IS NATURALLY OCCURRING.

SO ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOOD FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE, LIKE LEAD.

YEAH, LEAD IS NATURALLY OCCURRING.

SO YEAH, RED TIDE IS A, IS A ORGANISM THAT NATURALLY OCCURS IN MARINE ECOSYSTEMS.

AND IT ONLY BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN IT MOVES NEARSHORE AND DEVELOPS INTO THESE BLOOMS, WHICH MEANS IT'S AT A REALLY DENSE CONCENTRATION THAT IS FUELED BY, AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, POLLUTION THAT ENTERS THESE WATERWAYS.

>> NOT ALL ALGAE ARE BAD, BUT WHEN CERTAIN TYPES OF ALGAE PROLIFERATE IN HUGE NUMBERS, THEY END UP CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE START TO REFER TO A BLOOM AS A HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM.

>> SO YOU REACH A BLOOM CONDITION WHEN YOU GET ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND CELLS PER LITER OF RED TIDE.

AND THE REASON THIS IS SO CONCERNING FOR US IS BECAUSE IT'S TOXIC WHEN IT'S INHALED OR INGESTED, WHICH MEANS THAT BOTH HUMANS, AS WELL AS OUR MARINE WILDLIFE CAN BE REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.

>> YOU CAN GET INTO THIS AWFUL FEEDBACK LOOP WHERE THE RED TIDE KILLS MARINE WILDLIFE.

AND THEN AS THE MARINE WILDLIFE ITSELF IS DECAYING, IT RELEASES AMMONIA, WHICH IS ALSO A FERTILIZER, WHICH THEN FUELS ADDITIONAL RED TIDE.

SO YOU CAN GET STUCK IN A PRETTY NASTY CYCLE OF BIG, MASSIVE, WE CALL THEM FISH KILLS, WHEN YOU LOSE A LARGE VOLUME OF MARINE WILDLIFE, THAT THEN CONTINUES TO SUSTAIN THAT CYCLE OF RED TIDE.

THE SMELL CAN BE QUITE BRUTAL.

IT REALLY, FROM THE SCENT OF THE FISH THAT MIGHT BE ROTTING IN THOSE WATERS OR ON THE BEACH.

I WENT OUT AND VISITED SOME OF THE BEACHES THAT WERE EXPERIENCING PATCHY RED TIDE AFTER WE HAD THE VERY BAD BLOOM DURING SUMMER OF 2021 AND SAW TOURISTS IN THE WATER, TOURISTS IN THE WATER THAT WERE BATTING AWAY, DEAD FISH, THINKING LIKE, "WELL, I GUESS THEY HAVE NO FRAME OF REFERENCE THAT THIS ISN'T NORMAL."

WE'VE SEEN, UNFORTUNATELY IN FLORIDA, A FEW PETS, PEOPLE'S DOGS THAT GO DOWN AND RETRIEVE THE BALL OUT OF THE WATER AND GET A MOUTHFUL OF CYANOBACTERIA, DIE WITHIN HOURS OR A DAY.

LONGER-TERM EFFECTS ARE PRETTY FRIGHTENING, ALSO.

THERE WERE STUDIES THAT LOOKED AT FOLKS THAT LIVE OUT IN THE PACIFIC AND FOUND THAT THIS PROTEIN THAT'S FOUND IN CYANOBACTERIA, CAN LEAD TO A NEURODEGENERATIVE EFFECTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO PARKINSON'S.

IT'S TRAGIC FOR THE PEOPLE.

IT'S TRAGIC FOR THE WILDLIFE THAT USE THESE WATERS, THAT IT SEEMS THAT IN RECENT MEMORY, WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS HAVE JUST DEGRADED TO A PLACE NOW WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT HARMFUL ALGAE AND, MEASURES TO CLEAN UP THE WATER AND TO KEEP PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE SAFE.

IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY, THIS ISN'T NORMAL.

AND I HOPE WE DON'T GET USED TO IT.

THAT WOULD BE THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, BECOME COMPLACENT WITH THE STATUS QUO.

♪ ♪ >> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF MANATEES COME IN DUE TO RED TIDE POISONING, RED TIDE IS A TOXIC ALGAE BLOOM.

AND FOR PEOPLE, IT AFFECTS OUR BREATHING - YOU MIGHT GO INTO KIND OF A COUGHING FIT.

AND FOR MANATEES THEY'RE MARINE MAMMALS, SO THEY BREATHE AIR.

SO THEY'RE GONNA BE AFFECTED THE SAME WAY, BUT IT ALSO AFFECTS THEM NEUROLOGICALLY.

SO THEY'RE BREATHING IT IN, THEY'RE INGESTING IT AND THEIR BODY CAN GO INTO INVOLUNTARY SEIZURES.

WE ARE TAKING CARE OF FOUR ORPHAN CALVES.

TYPICALLY MANATEE MOMS ARE EXCELLENT MOTHERS.

THEY STAY WITH THEIR CALVES SO WE HAVE TO THINK THAT SOMETHING MAYBE HAPPENED TO MOM.

FOR ORPHAN CALVES, WHEN WE GET THEM IN HERE AT OUR CRITICAL CARE CENTER, THEY'RE TYPICALLY HERE WITH US FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS, JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT STAGE, AGE-STAGE THEY CAME IN.

OUR GOAL IS TO ALWAYS TAKE IN PATIENTS, HELP THEM GET BETTER AND RELEASE THEM BACK INTO NATIVE FLORIDA WATERS.

THIS YEAR WITH THE RED TIDE CASES THAT WE'VE HAD IN WHICH HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OR SO NOW, THEIR KIND OF THEIR RELEASE DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK JUST BECAUSE OF THE NONSTOP BLOOMING AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

>> DURING SOME ALGAE BLOOMS, THE WATER GETS SO OPAQUE AND CLOUDY, LIKE PEA SOUP, THAT SUNLIGHT CAN NO LONGER REACH THE BOTTOM OF THE ESTUARY.

IN SOME CASES THAT LACK OF SUNLIGHT LEADS TO LARGE-SCALE SEAGRASS DECLINES.

THIS IS A BIG PART OF WHY MANATEES ARE DYING IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

AND THAT FOUND THAT DISCHARGES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE WERE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE PERSISTENCE, SO THE DURATION AND THE INTENSITY OF RED TIDE THAT WAS EXPERIENCED, JUST FOLLOWING SOME MASSIVE DISCHARGES FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

LAKE OKEECHOBEE IS A REALLY LARGE LAKE IN FLORIDA.

IT'S ACTUALLY THE SECOND LARGEST LAKE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS MANAGES IT WITH THE STATE IS, IT KEEPS IT AT VARIOUS LAKE LEVELS.

AND WHEN THE LAKE GETS TOO HIGH, IT NEEDS TO RELEASE THE WATER DOWN THE CALOOSAHATCHEE, WHICH GOES OUT INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO OR OUT THE ST. LUCIE, WHICH GOES INTO THE ATLANTIC OR SOUTH TOWARDS THE EVERGLADES, WHICH IS IDEALLY WHERE WE WANT THE WATER TO GO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT HISTORICALLY TRAVELED.

THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T NEED TO PASS A BUNCH OF NEW LAWS.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE CLEAN WATER ACT, WHICH IS OUR NATION'S VERY STRONG LAW FOR PROTECTING THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF OUR WATERS.

WHAT WE NEED IS THE POLITICAL WILL TO IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE IT.

AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT IN PART, BECAUSE OF ALL THESE DISASTERS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT HAVE LED TO THESE BAD ALGAE BLOOMS, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A UNIFYING ISSUE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHO GETS ELECTED NEXT, THEY'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE WATER QUALITY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, WHICH DOES MEAN HOLDING POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE, KEEPING POLLUTION ON LAND, NOT LETTING IT GET INTO THE WATER AND, UM, JUST USING THE TOOLS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO THEIR FULLEST IN ORDER TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY.

IS A UNIFYING ISSUE.

REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, MOST FOLKS AGREE THAT WE NEED CLEAN WATER AND WE WANT TO BE OUTDOORS ENJOYING IT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS WE DON'T NEED TO PASS A BUNCH OF NEW LAWS.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE CLEAN WATER ACT, WHICH IS OUR NATION'S VERY STRONG LAW FOR PROTECTING I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED HERE IN FLORIDA WILL THEN BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER AREAS WHERE ALGAE BLOOMS ARE PRESENT.

AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT IN PART, BECAUSE OF ALL THESE DISASTERS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT HAVE LED TO THESE BAD ALGAE BLOOMS, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A UNIFYING ISSUE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHO GETS ELECTED NEXT, THEY'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE WATER QUALITY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY, WHICH DOES MEAN HOLDING POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE, KEEPING POLLUTION ON LAND, NOT LETTING IT GET INTO THE WATER AND, UM, JUST USING THE TOOLS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE TO THEIR FULLEST IN ORDER TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY.

>> FLORIDA'S ALGAE ISSUES ARE NOT UNIQUE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FLORIDA STORY TODAY, BUT THESE SAME ISSUES ARE POPPING UP THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

WE'VE SEEN MASSIVE ALGAE BLOOMS OCCURRING IN LAKES ALL AROUND OUR COUNTRY, HAVING VERY DIFFERENT IMPACTS THAN THEY DO HERE IN FLORIDA, BUT IMPACTS NONETHELESS.

I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED HERE IN FLORIDA WILL THEN BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER AREAS WHERE ALGAE BLOOMS ARE PRESENT.

IN OTHER ESTUARIES IN THE UNITED STATES, RESTORATION EFFORTS HAVE WORKED.

WE'VE SEEN THE POSITIVE OUTCOME OF CONCERTED RESTORATION EFFORTS.

CHESAPEAKE BAY, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS SEEN A MAJOR TURNAROUND IN WATER QUALITY, HABITAT HEALTH, AND FISH HEALTH.

AND IF ANYTHING, CHESAPEAKE BAY IS FAR MORE COMPLICATED THAN FLORIDA'S WATER ISSUES, BECAUSE IT INVOLVES MULTIPLE STATES AND MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.

IF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED CAN CLEAN UP ITS ACT, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN FIX THINGS HERE WITHIN THE SUNSHINE STATE.

JENNIE: IN MANY STATES, PLANT NURSERIES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO SELL YOU PLANTS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO YOUR NATIVE HABITAT, BUT TO MAKE SURE, YOU MIGHT NEED TO DO A LITTLE DIGGING YOURSELF.

♪ ♪ JENNIE: DO PEOPLE SEEM TO BE CONCERNED WITH NON-NATIVE SPECIES AND INVASIVES?

>> YEAH.

PART OF THE RESILIENCE OF OUR LANDSCAPE TO OUR NATIVE ECOSYSTEM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME PLANTS HERE THAT WE CAN CHECK OUT THAT ARE REALLY DOING SOME DAMAGING THINGS TO SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND RESILIENT NATIVE PLANTS TO OUR ECOSYSTEM.

BE INTENTIONAL WITH WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON YOUR PROPERTY.

IS IT A SONGBIRD?

IS IT A PARTICULAR ANIMAL?

THE FLORA AND FAUNA, IT CAN BE A CHOICE.

AND SO THINK OF IT LIKE A FOOD SYSTEM, LIKE WHAT TYPE OF FOOD ARE YOU GOING TO CREATE?

AND THEN WHAT SORT OF CHAIN OF EVENTS COULD THAT ENCOURAGE TO REALLY CREATE A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM AND TOTALLY TRANSFORM WHAT THE LAND IS PROVIDING, NOT JUST FOR YOU AND YOUR ENJOYMENT, BUT FOR ITSELF.

JENNIE: SO IF YOU'RE IN YOUR YARD OR WHEREVER YOU HAVE YOUR GREEN SPACES AND YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S A WEED, I'M GOING TO CUT IT DOWN.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT ARE THE GOOD NATIVES AND THEN THE NOT SO GOOD?

THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST INVASIVE PLANTS THAT YOU CAN STILL FIND SOME OF THESE PLANTS AT YOUR BIG BOX RETAIL NURSERY.

SO THIS SCRAGGLY SHRUB IS ELAEAGNUS PUNGENS.

I LIKE TO CALL IT UGLY AGNES.

IT'S GOT A REALLY THICK THORN ON THIS BRANCH, NOT MUCH OF LEAF COLOR, AND THIS IS A PROLIFIC GROWER, SO IT CAN TAKE OVER A WHOLE BACKYARD.

NOT A LOT OF POLLINATING, YOU KNOW, GOING ON HERE AND IT'S REALLY NOT A VALUABLE PLANT FOR THE ECOSYSTEM IN YOUR BACKYARD.

THIS IS NANDINA DOMESTICA - CAME OVER FROM CHINA AND THIS IS NOT DOING WELL IN OUR NATIVE ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE THE BIRDS WILL EAT THIS LITTLE BERRY AND THEN PROPAGATE THIS PLANT IN OUR NATIVE ECOSYSTEM.

IF YOU REALLY SEE THIS PLANT AND THE BERRIES LOOK BEAUTIFUL, CUT THEM OFF, CLIP THEM, BRING THEM INSIDE, USE THEM, ENJOY THEM.

DON'T LET THE BIRDS GET THEM BECAUSE THIS IS SENDING OUT NEW PLANTS ALL THROUGHOUT OUR NATIVE FORESTS.

RIGHT BEHIND YOU IS A GIANT STAND OF PRIVET THAT IS BLOCKING OUT THE SUNLIGHT SO NATIVE FERNS AND PERENNIALS CANNOT THRIVE.

JENNIE: SO, HOW WOULD YOU GET RID OF THIS PRIVET?

>> SO THERE'S MANY WAYS.

I LIKE TO SAY DON'T DO IT ALONE.

ORGANIZE, GRAB A GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT REALLY WANT TO TAKE BACK A CERTAIN AREA.

DEVELOP A SMALL PROJECT AREA, WHITE FLAG IT, TAKE SOME PHOTOS OF WHAT IT IS EXISTING.

GET OUT THERE WITH SOME TOOLS AND SAFELY REMOVE WHAT YOU CAN.

THERE ARE SOME WAYS TO SPRAY SOME BASICALLY INOCULANTS ON THE ROOTS, BASICALLY THE STEMS, SO THAT IT WON'T COME BACK.

AND, IF YOU CAN PULL IT BY THE ROOTS, IT'S BEST TO PULL UP BY THE ROOTS.

ENCOURAGE NEW PLANTINGS OF NATIVE FERNS AND WOODY PERENNIALS, AND SHRUBS THAT ARE GOING TO BRING MORE BUTTERFLIES AND BEES.

THAT WAY YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO WANT TO PROTECT THAT AREA EVEN MORE.

JENNIE: SO SHOW ME SOME PLANTS THAT WE WANT IN OUR GARDEN.

>> WELL, HERE'S A GREAT ONE THAT'S TOUGH TO FIND AT A BIG BOX RETAILER, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT.

SOME OF THE LOCAL HORTICULTURALISTS ARE GROWING.

HOLY BASIL.

AND YOU SEE BASICALLY JUST THE CONGREGATION OF BEES ON THIS PLANT.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT LASTS ALL SUMMER.

THIS IS A PERENNIAL.

SO IT WILL DIE BACK, BUT IT'S GOING TO STAY WITH THE SUNLIGHT AND REALLY HOLD ON UNTIL ALMOST THE BEGINNING OF WINTER.

JENNIE: TELL ME ABOUT MILKWEED.

DOES THAT HELP PROMOTE POLLINATORS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY DEPENDS ON IT.

AND ALSO OTHER BUTTERFLIES LIKE THE QUEEN BUTTERFLY.

SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COMMON MILKWEED, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE NATIVE MILKWEED AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ASK - THAT ANYWHERE YOU SEE MILKWEED SOLD, ASK WHETHER IT'S THE TROPICAL OR COMMON OR NATIVE MILKWEED.

IF IT'S TROPICAL, DO NOT BUY.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF THIS PARASITE THAT STAYS YEAR-ROUND WITH THE TROPICAL ONE.

THE TROPICAL ONE WILL BE LIVING ALL YEAR ROUND.

AND THE NATIVE ONE DIES BACK IN THE WINTER AND COMES BACK EVERY SPRING.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO PLANT.

>> SO THIS IS GOLDENROD.

SOLIDAGO.

WE JUST SAW A BABY MONARCH JUST FLY RIGHT BY.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE, BASICALLY, POLLINATION FOR MANY, MANY NATIVE BIRDS & BUTTERFLIES.

JENNIE: SO HOW WOULD I KNOW THIS WAS A NATIVE, IS THERE A WAY TO FIND THAT OUT?

WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES ONLINE THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT.

YOUR STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN PROBABLY IS A GOOD RESOURCE.

>> CHECK OUT THE MASTER GARDENERS IN YOUR AREA AND ALLOW THEM TO DEVELOP A CALENDAR FOR YOU TO MATCH YOUR GOALS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO PROMOTE AND CREATE AND POLLINATE IN YOUR BACKYARD.

THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN LEAN ON TO SUPPORT A BEAUTIFUL AND RESILIENT LANDSCAPE.

JENNIE: SO TELL ME ABOUT THIS BOX, WHERE IT'S FROM AND WHAT'S IN IT?

>> THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION HAS PLANTS WITH A PURPOSE, AND HERE ARE THREE BUTTERFLY WEEDS THAT YOU CAN TAKE, PLANT IN YOUR BACKYARD THAT'S GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE.

JENNIE: PERENNIAL.

>> PERENNIAL.

JENNIE: THAT'S WHAT WE LOVE.

>> LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE.

THIS LOOKS LIKE COREOPSIS.

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL YELLOW BLOOM, AND ATTRACTS BUTTERFLIES AND BEES.

JENNIE: IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO TAKE A STAND ON NURSERIES AND SOME OF THE BIG BOX PLACES TO STOP SELLING NON-NATIVES?

>> REALLY RALLY YOUR LOCAL MUNICIPAL LEADERS.

PUT IT INTO THE CODE OF YOUR MUNICIPALITY, THAT YOU DO NOT WANT SOME OF THESE NOXIOUS INVASIVE PLANTS - WRITE IT INTO THE LAW FOR YOUR PLACE.

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