PORT ST. LUCIE – The Oxbow Eco-Center is hosting the St. Lucie Water Champions series through the summer months for anyone interested in supporting a clean, healthy St. Lucie watershed. The program aims to educate participants on the important, complex role that water plays in our environment. Join the initiative and experience insightful wetland explorations, seagrass science investigations, kayak adventures and more.

St. Lucie Water Champions is a free, action-based program series for adults (ages 16 and older), designed to encourage St. Lucie County residents to take part in monitoring and service projects benefiting the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. The program consists of a blend of digital resources and unique in-person field experiences centered around water in the local environment.

Summer events include:

• Saturday, June 13 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Richard E. Becker Preserve: Navigating Harmful Algal Blooms with Jordan Skaggs, current St. Lucie County Environmental Resources Department outreach coordinator and former environmental specialist with the Department of Environmental Protection.
  • High temperatures and consistent rainfall can lead to an increase in algae blooms in our waterways over the summer months. Find out how to navigate the information presented by the media and learn how to interpret the facts on your own. We’ll discuss the science of nutrient overloading and the impacts of algae blooms on our waterways and human health. Stay for a further in-depth discussion as we take to the river and go on a kayaking adventure. Optional transportation from Oxbow Eco-Center to and from the preserve will be provided.
• Saturday, Aug. 8 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Bear Point Sanctuary: Eyes on Seagrass Citizen Science with Vincent Encomio of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).
  • Join in on seagrass monitoring in the Indian River Lagoon. Seagrasses are both ecologically and economically important in Florida; they act as a food source and habitat for many commercially and recreationally important fishery species, enhance water clarity, stabilize shorelines and capture carbon and nitrogen. Seagrass populations have been declining worldwide for a variety of reasons, the primary being increased nutrient levels in water bodies. Eyes on Seagrass is a citizen science monitoring program that engages volunteers to survey seagrass. Kayaks and/or paddleboards will be available for this immersive session. For those who want to go all in, BYOS (bring your own snorkel). The meeting location for this field experience will be Bear Point Sanctuary. Optional transportation from Oxbow Eco-Center to and from the preserve will be provided.

Oxbow Eco-Center will serve as the base site, and transportation will be available for off-site field experiences. Registration is now open: Sign up by visiting the St. Lucie County Oxbow Eco-Center & Preserve and clicking on “St. Lucie Water Champions Initiative” or call 772-785-5833.

Whether you’re a college student looking for professional experience, a new resident of the area or a community member with a desire to get involved, the Water Champions program is for you!

Located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive in Port St. Lucie, the Oxbow Eco-Center houses the Environmental Education and Community Outreach Division of St. Lucie County’s Environmental Resources Department. The Oxbow is both an environmental learning center and nature preserve, encompassing 225 acres along the St. Lucie River. For more information, visit the St. Lucie County Oxbow Eco-Center & Preserve site.