One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast

Muck has been piling up on the Indian River Lagoon floor since the 1960s. This soft, nutrient-rich sediment goes by an unglamorous nickname here in Florida: “black mayonnaise.” Decades of development, ditching, and draining pushed sediment and organic material into the estuary.

Even if every new source of pollution stopped tomorrow, that legacy muck would stick around — feeding algal blooms and smothering the seagrass habitats fish and wildlife depend on.

In this episode, two AECOM environmental engineers explain an alternative to dredging called muck capping: covering muck with a layer of clean material to cut it off from the water above, sometimes reinforced with amendments like biochar or activated carbon.

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👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

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One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#muckcapping #dredging #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In 2016, algae outbreaks hit Martin County hard here in Florida. Nerissa Okiye, the county’s tourism director, calls it the “lost summer.” National news crews arrived for the Fourth of July, and many outfitters couldn’t keep their businesses going due to toxic algae ruining outdoor recreation.

Today, the county runs a free, award-winning ecotourism program that puts visitors and residents on its beaches, preserves and trails.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott sits down with Nerissa and Emily Dark, Martin County’s Senior Environmental Resources and Ecotourism Program Manager. They discuss how Explore Natural Martin works, who pays for it and whether getting more people outside is one of the best ways to protect the Indian River Lagoon (IRL).

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👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

_________________________

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #ecotourism #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Florida's mosquito control districts built earthen dikes around coastal wetlands starting in the mid-1950s. Flooding marshes with water interrupted the breeding cycle of salt marsh mosquitoes, which lay eggs on moist — but not wet — mud.

Flooding impounded marshes worked … but it also cut those wetlands off from the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). Today, restoration scientists are reconnecting them, letting water move the way nature intended.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, IRLNEP GIS Data Scientist KJ Ayres-Guerra speaks with Ron Brockmeyer, environmental scientist at the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

Ron’s a 2012 National Wetlands Awards winner, an honor the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C. gives for exemplary efforts. He’s spent more than 30 years reconnecting and restoring lagoon wetlands.

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👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

_________________________

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #wetlands #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Every time it rains, stormwater carries trash, sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus into the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). But underground sits a growing network of concrete boxes that most Floridians will never notice. Those boxes are silently cleaning stormwater runoff before it arrives in the lagoon.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Heather Stapleton chats with Dani Straub, Assistant City Engineer for the City of Melbourne, Florida. They cover how a technology invented decades ago evolved into one of the city's most effective stormwater tools.

They also discuss why Melbourne is now home to one of the largest baffle boxes in the world, once parties resolve construction delays.

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👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

_________________________

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #stormwatermanagement #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Every fishing regulation in Florida (every bag limit, every closed season) traces back to data. Biologists at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have been collecting it in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) for 36 years. They use the same standardized, rigorous methods, time after time.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, IRLNEP Chief Operating Officer Dan Kolodny talks with Derek Tremain, research administrator for the FWC's Fisheries-Independent Monitoring Program at the Indian River Field Lab in Melbourne.

They cover how that long-term dataset influences fishing rules statewide and what it reveals about a question many anglers ask: Now that seagrass is bouncing back in parts of the IRL, are the fish returning with it?

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

_________________________

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #Fishing #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

For over a decade, persistent algal blooms clouded the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), blocking the sunlight seagrass needs to survive. Since 2011, that loss has rippled through the food web: fewer fish, fewer manatees, a lagoon under stress.

The latest seagrass surveys tell a fresh tale. After years of decline, seagrass is rebounding in five of the six lagoon sub-basins. Part of the answer may have been sitting in the sediment all this time.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, Deputy Director of the IRL National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) Kathy Hill talks to Lauren Hall, environmental scientist at the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).

They discuss a discovery about the lagoon's dominant seagrass species, what today’s maps show and why one stretch of the lagoon still isn't recovering.

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👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

_________________________

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #Seagrass #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

About 1,000 bottlenose dolphins call the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) home for most of their lives. Researchers have tracked this resident population for 18 years, photo-identifying around 2,000 individual dolphins, and know many by name.

But research shows a disturbing pattern. Most dolphins are thin, some dangerously so. The reasons trace straight back to the lagoon’s health.

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Jessy Wayles talks with Wendy Noke, Senior Research Scientist at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. They discuss what nearly two decades of data reveal about IRL dolphins, why entanglement has become their primary cause of death and what gives Wendy hope after 13 years without a mass mortality event.

_________________________

👉 DIVE DEEPER:

From dolphin health to seagrass restoration, there's a lot more to discover. Browse the full episode archive here:

https://onelagoon.org/resources/podcast/

_________________________

👉 HELP US GROW:

The best way to support One Lagoon, One Voice is simple. Subscribe on Youtube, Apple and Spotify. Share this episode with someone who cares about the lagoon. Every listen, follow, and share helps us reach more people who need to hear these conversations.

➜ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-lagoon-one-voice-the-podcast/id1656092452
➜ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5PhxxX6plfMOLQZpT1RdC9
➜ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndianRiverLagoon

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About the Podcast:

One Lagoon, One Voice is a podcast where members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program sit down with scientists, researchers, and community leaders to discuss important issues facing the 156-mile-long estuary on Florida’s east coast. Learn more about hot topics like seagrass restoration, manatee populations, and much more on the only show that brings both the wondrous and worrisome aspects of the Indian River Lagoon into focus.

#OneLagoon #Dolphins #IndianRiverLagoon

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, we dive into the fascinating world of oyster farming with Sam Walsh of SharkBite Oysters and Nicolette Mariano of Treasure Coast Shellfish. Jessy chats with the farmers about how they grow oysters in floating gear on the Indian River Lagoon, what makes Florida oysters unique, and why eating farmed oysters is actually good for the environment.

You’ll learn how local genetics make oysters stronger and better suited for Florida’s hot, salty waters, how farms create habitat for crabs, fish, and other marine life, and what challenges farmers face from predators like stone crabs and barnacle overgrowth. Sam and Nicolette also share their favorite ways to enjoy fresh oysters and how consumers can support lagoon health—starting with what’s on their plate.

👉 Learn about Sharkbite Oysters and Treasure Coast Shellfish.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

This episode of One Lagoon, One Voice explores how music, dance, and storytelling can turn environmental education into an unforgettable experience. Host Heather Stapleton is joined by Adam Schnell, Artistic Director of Ballet Vero Beach, and Daniel Flick, Senior Lecturer at Rollins College and Creative Mentor for the Indian River Lagoon Estuary In Concert.

Together, they share how their performances bring the lagoon to life — from dancing manatees and land crabs in Nutcracker on the Indian River to student-composed music and spoken word performances that give the lagoon its own voice. Their work shows how creative interpretation can reach audiences who might never attend a lecture or read a report, sparking curiosity and emotional connection to the estuary.

When difficult topics like water quality and habitat loss are told through performance, they become more relatable and memorable. This episode is a reminder that protecting the Indian River Lagoon isn’t just about data — it’s also about storytelling, community, and inspiring the next generation to care for this unique ecosystem.

👉 Learn about Ballet Vero Beach and their upcoming performances.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

The Indian River Lagoon is a biodiversity hot spot with over 4,000 documented species but decades of habitat loss, pollution, and climate change have taken a toll. With 89% of its seagrass cover reduced since 2011, oyster reefs degraded, and wetlands diminished, restoring this fragile ecosystem requires bold action and collaboration.

That’s exactly what the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) is tackling through a $9.4 million NOAA Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant.

In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, host Jessy Wayles sits down with Dr. Duane De Freese, IRLNEP’s executive director, and Kevin Walker, project manager for the grant, to discuss how this ambitious, multi-year restoration effort is unfolding.

Projects are already underway throughout the 156-mile estuary, including seagrass restoration, oyster reef recovery, living shorelines and wetland restoration.

The NOAA grant runs for three years, but as Dr. De Freese emphasizes, this is just the beginning. Lasting restoration depends on continued investment, collaborative governance, and community engagement. “We have the right people in the right places with the right expertise,” he says. “We need to keep working together for that common goal — a healthy lagoon.”

👉 Learn more about the NOAA grant.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In this episode of the One Lagoon Podcast, Heather Stapleton sits down with two passionate conservation leaders — Tori White, Buffer Zone Coordinator with Brevard Zoo’s Restore Our Shores, and Bill DeLuccia, with the Space Coast Surfrider Foundation — to talk about how buffer zones and bioswales are transforming the Indian River Lagoon and inspiring communities across Florida’s Space Coast.

Buffer zones are vegetated areas between land and water that filter pollutants, reduce stormwater runoff, and provide essential habitat for birds, pollinators, and marine life. Bioswales serve a similar role but are designed for areas with different elevations and flooding patterns. Together, these nature-based solutions protect the lagoon while adding beauty and biodiversity to local parks and neighborhoods.

Tori and Bill share stories from projects at Ballard Park, Kelly Park East, Fisherman’s Landing, Pineapple Park, and other community spaces, highlighting the creativity and collaboration it takes to succeed. From choosing drought- and flood-tolerant native plants, to designing buffers that preserve water views for residents, to tackling challenges like heat stress and maintenance, every project offers valuable lessons for future restoration.

👉 Volunteer with Restore Our Shores.

👉 Learn more about Space Coast Surfrider.

👉 Learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home at https://onelagoon.org/.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott speaks with Dan Burdett, Natural Resources Manager, and Jenny Tomes, Assistant Manager of Community Outreach for the City of Port St. Lucie.

Together, they explain how the St. Lucie River C-23 Water Quality Project at McCarty Ranch Preserve and Extension is reducing excess freshwater discharges, capturing stormwater, and preventing nutrient pollution in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. The project also recharges aquifers and safeguards future drinking water supplies.

Beyond water management, the preserve offers camping, RV sites, disc golf, Bonfire Hayrides, and nature trails. Jenny’s creative “Water Woman” outreach initiative helps teach kids and adults why protecting local waterways matters.

This forward-thinking project shows how Port St. Lucie is balancing community growth with environmental stewardship.

Learn more about the St. Lucie River C23 Water Quality Project.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In Episode 23 of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott talks with Mike Martin from Fort Pierce Utilities Authority about Fort Pierce’s plan to relocate its waterfront wastewater treatment plant away from the Indian River Lagoon. They discuss the project’s advanced water treatment technology, funding milestones, and how it’s designed to improve lagoon water quality while supporting the city’s future growth.

The episode also looks ahead to redevelopment possibilities for the current plant site, from mixed-use projects to potential public spaces—always with an eye on balancing economic progress with lagoon conservation.

Follow Mike and the FPUA team on the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Facebook.

For wastewater updates from FPUA including Wastewater Wednesday vlogs, septic to sewer conversion information and updates on the new treatment facility visit https://www.sustainablesewer.net/

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever else you listen to podcasts to catch a new episode every Tuesday!

Dive into Episode 22 of One Lagoon, One Voice as Daniel Kolodny, COO of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, sits down with Dr. Holly Sweat of the Smithsonian Marine Station. Together, they explore the hidden world of infauna — the tiny bottom-dwelling organisms that play a massive role in the health of the Indian River Lagoon’s sediments and ecosystems. From burrowing worms to microscopic flatworms, discover how these unsung creatures oxygenate the seafloor, recycle nutrients, and pave the way for seagrass recovery and healthier waters.

Dr. Sweat shares fascinating insights into newly discovered species, the surprising resilience of infauna in challenging conditions, and why these organisms are critical indicators of environmental health. Whether you’re passionate about marine biology, lagoon restoration, or biodiversity conservation, this episode will change the way you see the lagoon — starting from the ground up.

Follow Dr. Holly Sweat and her lab’s work on Instagram at @SmithsonianBenthicEcology or visit the Smithsonian Marine Station website.

Check out the Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! New episodes every Tuesday.

➜ Follow on Spotify, Apple, Youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts: https://onelagoon.org/podcast/

In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, host KJ Ayers-Guerra sits down with Melissa Meisenberg, Senior Environmental Specialist for Indian River County’s Lagoon Division, to explore the county’s bold Lagoon Management Plan. From tackling harmful algal blooms and stormwater runoff to restoring oyster habitats and seagrass beds, Melissa shares how science, community partnerships, and innovative projects are working together to heal one of Florida’s most vital ecosystems.

Listeners will get an inside look at current restoration efforts like the Living Docks program, the challenges of coordinating across multiple county departments, and the importance of community involvement. Tune in to learn how Indian River County is building a more resilient future for the lagoon and the wildlife that call it home.

To learn more about Melissa Meisenberg’s work, visit the Indian River County, Florida website:
➜ https://indianriver.gov/

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In our 20th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. Melinda Donnelly and Dr. Linda Walters, professors at the University of Central Florida who work in the Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab.

We discuss how more than 15 years of funding has restored the oyster reefs and shorelines of the Canaveral National Seashore in the Mosquito Lagoon. Additionally, how the reduced use of plastic materials used in the restoration process has led to the development of new and improved restoration materials. We also discuss the Virtual Reality Education Project and other opportunities for volunteers to get involved.

To learn more about Dr. Walters’ and Dr. Donnelly’s restoration work, visit Stabilizing the Shoreline One Oyster at a Time or the Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab FaceBook (Meta) page.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In our 19th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. J. Cho, professor of environmental sciences at Bethune-Cookman University, Dave Fuss, director of land stewardship at the Indian River Land Trust, and Dr. Jon Shenker, professor emeritus at the Florida Institute of Technology.

We talk all about mosquito impoundments and how they contribute to mosquito control, water quality, water connectivity and improved fish habitats. We even discuss how they can serve as seagrass nurseries — all in the Indian River Lagoon.

To learn more about Dr. J. Cho’s work, visit the Coastal Habitat Integrated Mapping and Monitoring Program Report: Florida 137. To learn more about mosquito impoundments via the Indian River Land Trust, visit Research on IRLT properties. And to learn more about Dr. Jon Shenker’s work, visit Florida Tech’s Evans Library.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
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In our 18th episode of One Voice, we chat with Dr. Austin Fox from the Florida Institute of Technology about all things muck — and why removing it from the Indian River Lagoon is so important.

To learn more about the Florida Institute’s muck removal project and process, visit Florida Tech’s Indian River Lagoon Research Institute and the muck dredging final reports.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Our 17th episode of One Voice features Judy Orcutt, President of the Clean Water Coalition (CWC) of Indian River County, and Matt Mitts, Director of Public Works at Vero Beach. We discuss the CWC’s project to convert working families’ homes and properties in ALICE communities in Vero Beach into the city's STEP sewer system.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In our 16th episode of One Voice, we speak with project manager, Scott Tedford, from the environmental resources division at Martin County Public Works. We explore various stormwater treatments such as floating wetlands that reduce pollution in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL).

To learn more about stormwater treatment areas and Martin County’s water quality projects, visit Martin County Public Works.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/