Funding for the Lagoon, Proper Palm Trimming, and More
- IRNA
- Aug 2
- 9 min read
August 2, 2025 Weekly Newsletter
Good News for Our Lagoon:
Federal Funding Leveraged
into $8+ Million for Restoration
There's excellent news for funding of our local Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (One Lagoon) for fiscal year 2026. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have included $850,000 per NEP in their draft budgets, though final passage is still pending. But because of smart stewardship and strategic partnerships, the National Estuary Program leverages that federal investment to become over $8 million for Indian River Lagoon restoration.
The Power of Leverage: $1 Becomes $10
NEPs are masters at multiplying federal dollars, and their 10-to-1 ratio proves it works. The IRL NEP's total FY2025 budget of $8.65 million shows how that base EPA funding leverages much larger investments from multiple sources.
Our Water Management Districts step up big, with the St. Johns River Water Management District and South Florida Water Management District both pledging $500,000 each to support the NEP. Every county shows up too, as all five counties along the lagoon (Brevard, Volusia, Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin) pledge $50,000 each in a unified commitment to our waterways.
State government puts money behind priorities as well, with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection pledging $250,000. Even grassroots support adds up significantly - over $125,000 annually comes from those specialty lagoon license plates. Brevard residents contribute the most at $75,000, but communities throughout the watershed are buying in as well.
The Game-Changer: NOAA Grant Success
One of the ways we can tackle the most ambitious projects is through competitive federal grants like the $5.2 million NOAA Habitat Restoration Grant. This is year one of a three-year, $9.4 million award supporting 15 restoration sites across the lagoon. It's separate from the EPA base funding but shows how consistent NEP operations help win these transformational competitive awards.
What the Money Accomplishes
So what does all this funding actually do? It supports seagrass and oyster restoration, septic-to-sewer conversions, muck removal and monitoring, citizen science programs, and youth environmental education. These are real projects improving water quality and habitat across our lagoon.
Why That $850K Federal Foundation Matters
That $850,000 federal contribution is truly the bedrock of the NEP, and it's wonderful that it will be maintained in this year's budget. The federal investment helps make everything else possible. It provides stability and credibility for attracting other funders, supports the core staff who coordinate all these partnerships, and enables grant-writing capacity for competitive awards. The NEP also offers grant support to other organizations applying for funding and ensures long-term planning that spans political cycles.
A Model That Works
This congressional consistency enables long-term partnerships. There's genuine bipartisan recognition that this is important work actually impacting the lives and livelihoods of people living along National Estuary Program designated waters.
And it's not just here - there are currently 28 NEPs across the country using this same successful model, with Pensacola & Perdido Bays recently added to the Clean Water Act and potentially becoming the 29th NEP as early as FY2026. The Indian River Lagoon NEP demonstrates what's possible when smart federal investment catalyzes local action for coastal conservation and restoration.
Take Action: Thank Rep. Haridopolos
If you're so inclined, please write a quick note to our Representative Haridopolos thanking him for his support of the NEP. He's co-sponsoring the ESTUARIES Act, which reauthorizes these funds through 2031 and ensures this successful program can continue its vital work. Representative Brian Mast has also been a longtime champion of Indian River Lagoon funding.
Your voice makes a difference in keeping this proven funding model strong.
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Protecting Our Palms:
Why Vero Beach's Anti-Hurricane
Pruning Law Matters
We recently witnessed a troubling scene in Vero Beach: a tree service company severely "candlesticking" a beautiful palm tree, stripping away most of its healthy green fronds despite this practice being explicitly illegal in the city. This unfortunate incident highlights why Vero Beach enacted strong palm protection laws, and why our county might want to consider similar protections.
Vero Beach Gets It Right
Vero Beach's Code Chapter 72.34 (a)(4) states clearly: "Palm pruning. Palms may be pruned periodically by removal of any brown fronds that hang below the 9 o'clock or 3 o'clock position. Palms shall not be over-pruned by subjecting them to hurricane pruning. The fruit stalks from certain palms may be removed for safety."
This science-based ordinance protects palms from the well-intentioned but harmful practice of "hurricane pruning," the misguided belief that removing healthy fronds prepares trees for storms.
The Hurricane Pruning Myth Debunked
University of Florida hurricane research spanning 15 years proves that severely pruned palms suffer MORE storm damage than properly maintained ones. Each frond serves as a food factory through photosynthesis, and healthy fronds bend and flex naturally during high winds, reducing drag without human intervention.
When we remove healthy green fronds, we force palms to drain stored energy reserves, weakening their ability to recover from stress and resist diseases. Every pruning cut also creates entry points for deadly pathogens like Thielaviopsis trunk rot and Fusarium wilt.
A Model for the County?
While Vero Beach protects its palms through clear regulations, our county and other municipalities currently lack similar protections. As we enter hurricane season, perhaps it's time to consider adopting science-based palm care standards that prevent harmful practices while promoting genuine tree health.
Proper palm care is simple: remove only completely brown fronds hanging below the horizontal line (see the above image), maintain the full 360-degree canopy, and trust in millions of years of evolutionary storm adaptation.
Proper trimming will make sure our palms look good AND stay healthy by working with nature, not against it.
Delray Beach developer approaches Sebastian about annexing 383 acres (TCPalm) - We are following this potential development carefully, but it is still very early days. They are currently applying for SJRWMD permits and have a ways to go before they are granted.
23-acre brush fire near Oslo Road fully contained (Vero News) - See more pictures here and here. A 23-acre brush fire near Oslo Road forced evacuations in southern Indian River County before being fully contained by evening, with no injuries or structural damage reported as officials continue to investigate the cause.
Boat speed limits may be raised in some Manatee Zones (Vero News) - Florida wildlife officials are considering raising boat speed limits in several Indian River County manatee zones, prompting a formal review process that will weigh potential risks to the endangered mammals against boating interests for the first time since 2002.
Have you seen this boat-car around the Treasure Coast? (TCPalm) - Port St. Lucie resident Dayne Oldenborg has turned heads with "Yacht Papi Dayne," a 2003 Toyota Camry modified with a boat bow, helping him gain traction as a micro-influencer on YouTube and Instagram.
Fort Pierce Inlet anchoring limitation areas approved by St. Lucie (TCPalm) - Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County have approved new anchoring rules limiting boats to 45 consecutive days in designated inlet zones, aiming to reduce derelict vessels and water pollution through daily patrols and shared enforcement.
Pelican Island Audubon plants eco-friendly garden at Vero Beach Post Office (TCPalm) - We covered this a while back, but again Kudos to Audubon! Pelican Island Audubon Society and the Florida Native Plant Society have planted a Florida native demonstration garden at the Vero Beach Post Office to showcase the environmental benefits of low-maintenance, chemical-free landscaping that conserves water and supports local wildlife.
Sea Turtle Nesting Strong So Far in 2025 in Indian River County
Sea turtle nesting season is in full swing in Indian River County, and the numbers are already impressive. As of July 25, volunteers and biologists have documented 5,401 loggerhead, 1,887 green, and 78 leatherback nests across the county’s beaches, a total of over 7,300 nests with more arriving every day.
Nesting season runs through October 31, so it’s too soon to say whether this year will rival 2023’s all-time high of 12,771 nests, but 2025 is clearly on pace to be another strong year. Green turtles, which tend to nest heavily every other year, are already ahead of where they were last year, more than doubling the 807 nests recorded in all of 2024. Loggerheads continue to dominate the shoreline, and leatherback numbers are solid, too.
It’s not just local beaches seeing a rebound. Across Florida, this season is shaping up to be a good one. The state has already logged a record 1,960 leatherback nests in 2025, and green turtles appear to be returning in large numbers following their usual biennial cycle.
The recovery is real—and hard-earned. Just a few decades ago, Florida’s green turtles numbered in the hundreds. The first green nest in IRC wasn’t even documented until 1957. Today, IRC’s 22 miles of shoreline have become a vital nesting ground, thanks to decades of conservation, lighting ordinances, and habitat protection.
Still, the work isn’t over. Rising sand temperatures from climate change are causing more female-only hatchlings, which could unbalance populations in the long term. Lighting, development, and pollution remain threats, and sea turtles are still federally listed as threatened or endangered.
But for now, there’s plenty to celebrate. With over 7,000 nests already counted and more still coming, 2025 is shaping up to be another successful year for sea turtles in Indian River County.
Ag Secretary visits Clewiston as Big Sugar billionaires get richer (VoteWater.org) - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ visit to Clewiston highlighted how recent federal policy changes, including increased loan rates and import limits, are further enriching Big Sugar billionaires while reinforcing the industry's entrenched political influence.
Sebastian to tear down historic waterfront building, replace with new structure (Vero News) -Sebastian will demolish the deteriorating, century-old Fisherman’s Landing building and replace it with a new $2.5 million structure, with potential future uses like a community center still open to public input.
Tour de Turtles' Ariel and Moana to share where they travel in the sea (TCPalm) - Ariel the green sea turtle and Moana the loggerhead were fitted with satellite transmitters and released into the ocean from Wabasso Beach during the 18th annual Tour de Turtles, allowing scientists and the public to track their migration and learn more about sea turtle behavior.
5 shipwrecks to explore on or near the Treasure Coast this summer (TCPalm) - Five historic shipwrecks off or near the Treasure Coast—including the S.S. Breconshire, Urca de Lima, Georges Valentine, Lofthus, and SS Copenhagen—offer shallow-water exploration opportunities for divers and snorkelers this summer.
Beat the heat: Proper hydration goes beyond “8 cups a day” (Indian River Guardian) - Proper hydration depends on individual factors like body size and activity level, often requiring more than the standard eight cups a day, with fluids from both food and drink playing key roles, and salty snacks or sports drinks aiding electrolyte balance during intense activity.
Water recycling is paramount for space stations and long-duration missions − an environmental engineer explains how the ISS does it (Yahoo News) - NASA’s advanced water recovery system on the International Space Station recycles up to 98% of water from sources like urine, sweat, and cabin air using microgravity-adapted filtration and purification processes, a crucial step toward supporting future long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
Florida Wildlife Federation
Announces 2025 Photo Contest Winners
The Florida Wildlife Federation's 2025 "Florida in Focus" Photo Contest has concluded with impressive entries showcasing Florida's wildlife and natural landscapes. Photographers from across the state submitted breathtaking images capturing everything from intimate wildlife moments to sweeping natural vistas.
The contest featured multiple award categories including judged winners, a People's Choice Award determined by thousands of public votes, and a Lucky Lens Prize. Each winning photograph tells a compelling story about Florida's biodiversity and the importance of protecting the state's natural treasures.
Beaver-based restoration (raincoast.org) - Beaver-based restoration, including the use of beaver dam analogues and strategic reintroduction, offers a powerful, ecologically grounded method to reduce wildfire, flood, and drought risks while restoring biodiversity and watershed resilience—especially when guided by Indigenous knowledge and collaborative, site-specific planning.
Study highlights dangers of declaring conservation success too soon (mongabay.com) - Prematurely downlisting species on the IUCN Red List can undermine conservation by reducing protections, funding, and support, as shown by cases like the woylie and red-crowned crane, prompting calls for cautious, well-communicated downlisting based on long-term ecosystem resilience rather than short-term population gains.
Can cutting rooftop solar costs make up for losing tax credits? (canarymedia.com) - With rooftop solar tax credits ending, the U.S. industry must urgently cut "soft costs" like permitting and customer acquisition—factors that make American solar systems far more expensive than in countries like Australia—by adopting tools like automated permitting to stay viable and competitive without subsidies.
The oceans are overheating—and scientists say a climate tipping point may be here (sciencedaily.com) - Record-breaking marine heatwaves in 2023—covering 96% of the global ocean surface and driven by regional atmospheric and oceanic anomalies—may signal an emerging climate tipping point with severe implications for marine ecosystems and global climate stability.
Could climate anxiety be a form of pre-traumatic stress disorder? A psychologist explains the research (theconversation.com) - Climate anxiety—marked by intense worry, sadness, and helplessness over climate change—may function like pre-traumatic stress disorder, with psychological impacts comparable to trauma from past events, and while it can drive activism, it also risks paralyzing individuals unless society validates and supports these emotional responses.
Satellites just revealed a hidden global water crisis—and it’s worse than melting ice (sciencedaily.com) - Satellites have revealed that Earth’s land masses are undergoing unprecedented freshwater loss—mainly from unsustainable groundwater use—at a rate now outpacing ice sheet melt and threatening global water security, agriculture, and sea level rise.
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