Blog - St. Johns Riverkeeper https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/blog/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 12:20:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-SJR-Favicon-32x32.png Blog - St. Johns Riverkeeper https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/blog/ 32 32 Plan Your Own Cleanup https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2024-plan-your-own-cleanup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-plan-your-own-cleanup Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:37:55 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12379 The Great St. Johns River Cleanup is happening now through April 25, 2024. There are organized cleanups coming up throughout the watershed – but whether or not you can make it […]

The post Plan Your Own Cleanup first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Plan Your Own Cleanup appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
The Great St. Johns River Cleanup is happening now through April 25, 2024. There are organized cleanups coming up throughout the watershed – but whether or not you can make it to one of those, you can still clean on your own. Check out all of the upcoming cleanups you can join.

Here’s your easy step-by-step guide for cleaning on your own:

  1. Recruit your family/friends and pick a date. More hands will pick up more trash, and make it fun! But even one person (YOU) can make a difference.
  2. Decide where you want to clean, and figure out how it is connected to the St. Johns River. For example, there might be a tributary in your neighborhood that runs into the St. Johns or a nearby waterfront park on the river. Of course, trash can make its way to our river through storm drains, so you can also make a difference by cleaning up in your neighborhood, too. Just don’t go onto private property unless you have permission from the owner.
  3. Gather your supplies. We suggest having a bag(s) to collect your trash, gloves to protect your hands, and closed-toe shoes (rain boots or waders will help you get the good stuff!).
  4. Identify a location you can dispose of your trash when you’re done. For instance, plan to put it out with your household trash or use a public trash receptacle.
  5. Get to work! Make it fun for the group – give kudos for most trash collected and most interesting object found!
  6. Post a photo of your trash haul on social media! Use #StJohnsRiverCleanup and tag @sjriverkeeper on Instagram. Spread the word to your friends about the work you did, For the River and For Us All!
  7. Let us know how much trash you collected! We want to include your volunteer and trash bag counts in our grand totals for this year’s Great St. Johns River Cleanup. Fill out this form to let us know how much trash you collected!

Check out our video tutorial on Instagram!

 

All You Need to Know About the Great St. Johns River Cleanup

The post Plan Your Own Cleanup first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Plan Your Own Cleanup appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Great St. Johns River Cleanup https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/great-st-johns-river-cleanup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=great-st-johns-river-cleanup Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:14:48 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12723   Hey river lovers, it’s that time of the year again! Get ready to roll up your sleeves and join hands with St. Johns RIVERKEEPER, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses […]

The post Great St. Johns River Cleanup first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Great St. Johns River Cleanup appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>

 

Hey river lovers, it’s that time of the year again! Get ready to roll up your sleeves and join hands with St. Johns RIVERKEEPER, local governments, nonprofits, and businesses for the second-annual Great St. Johns River Cleanup. It’s not just a cleanup; it’s a movement to restore and protect the beautiful St. Johns River and its tributaries.

Between March 16 and April 25, we’re launching a series of coordinated cleanups across the St. Johns River watershed. With nearly 60 cleanup sites planned in Duval, Clay, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. From picking up trash along the riverbanks to navigating the waters in kayaks, there’s something for everyone to do.

Our mission is clear: to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of litter and debris on our waterways and communities. By uniting residents throughout the watershed in a collective effort, we can make a significant impact on preserving and restoring the St. Johns River.

Here’s the scoop on the cleanup dates:

Duval County: March 16
Clay County: April 20
Putnam County: April 13
Seminole County: April 20
Volusia County: April 20
St. Johns County: April 25

Dates and locations will be added as they become available!  Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or a first-timer, your contribution matters. Together, we can make a difference not just by picking up trash, but by building connections and fostering a sense of community. Each county and individual participating in the cleanup shares a connection to the same magnificent river. And every effort to clean and restore the river extends far beyond our own neighborhoods.

Visit StJohnsRiverCleanup.com to find event dates and cleanup locations in your county. Can’t make it to an official cleanup event? No problem! You can still participate by picking up trash in your own neighborhood or local park.

Share your cleanup journey on Instagram between March 16 and April 25 using #StJohnsRiverCleanUp and tag @sjriverkeeper to join the movement online.

Let’s come together to protect and preserve the heart of Florida – the magnificent St. Johns River.

The post Great St. Johns River Cleanup first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Great St. Johns River Cleanup appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Legal Win for Wetlands https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/legal-win-for-wetlands/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=legal-win-for-wetlands Wed, 21 Feb 2024 20:15:59 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12630 On February 16, a federal judge sided with St. Johns RIVERKEEPER and our co-plaintiffs, stating that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) breached […]

The post Legal Win for Wetlands first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Legal Win for Wetlands appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
On February 16, a federal judge sided with St. Johns RIVERKEEPER and our co-plaintiffs, stating that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) breached federal law by delegating the Clean Water Act wetland permitting program to the state of Florida. 

In December 2020, the state was granted the authority to take over the federal program that issues permits to developers and others who want to fill sensitive wetlands. Florida developers have long referred to the local delegation of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act as the “the Holy Grail.” St. Johns RIVERKEEPER and environmental organizations throughout the state opposed the delegation due to concerns that a resulting lack of oversight, federal protections and due diligence would result in the potential losses of crucial wetlands and habitats for protected species. 

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) fast-tracked its request for delegation and as a result, its proposal to take over Section 404 of the Clean Water Act was incomplete, full of uncertainty, and created loopholes in wetlands protections that were already failing to protect our waterways.

In January 2021, seven nonprofit organizations – Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, the Florida Wildlife Federation, Miami Waterkeeper, and St. Johns Riverkeeper, filed a lawsuit against the EPA, challenging the transfer of federal wetland permitting authority to Florida. Our legal team, Earthjustice, contended that the 404 delegation violates several of our bedrock environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act, and lets developers avoid the National Environmental Policy Act, also known as “the people’s environmental law.” The EPA essentially lowered the bar to allow a state for the first time to administer the federal wetlands program without meeting federal standards. 

The judge ruled that the EPA and FWS violated the Endangered Species Act when it turned over the permitting program to Florida, thus vacating the delegation and shifting the permitting process back to the federal government.  

While the remainder of the lawsuit is ongoing, this ruling is a huge first step in reestablishing a wetland permitting program that is more protective and complies with federal laws.

The post Legal Win for Wetlands first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Legal Win for Wetlands appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Sedimentation Runoff https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/sedimentation-runoff/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sedimentation-runoff Wed, 07 Feb 2024 20:22:46 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12601 In January, St. Johns RIVERKEEPER was alerted by several concerned citizens about a muddy plume or sedimentation runoff adjacent to the Southbank Riverwalk in Downtown Jacksonville.  The photo, a screenshot […]

The post Sedimentation Runoff first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Sedimentation Runoff appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
In January, St. Johns RIVERKEEPER was alerted by several concerned citizens about a muddy plume or sedimentation runoff adjacent to the Southbank Riverwalk in Downtown Jacksonville. 

Photo taken at the Southbank. The Peninsula of Jacksonville Building, 1431 Riverplace Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207

The photo, a screenshot from a video, provided St. Johns Riverkeeper a birds eye view to visually understand the full magnitude of the sedimentation runoff. The video was also helpful in that it displayed the direction in which the plume was moving:

The blue pin in the map above indicates the building from where the video was sent and the blue arrow shows the direction the sediment was moving.

After receiving the video, St. Johns Riverkeeper immediately contacted the City of Jacksonville Environmental Quality Division (EQD) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Potential sources have been identified by both EQD, FDEP, and the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). While the complaint and video were both received on January 24, Riverkeeper staff is maintaining communication with the agencies to identify the source of the contamination and to ensure appropriate measures are being taken to prevent additional muddy runoff.

Water polluted with sediment can prevent natural submerged aquatic vegetation from growing, threatening the food source of commercially and recreationally important wildlife. Sediment polluted water can also become a contributing factor in fish deaths. Runoff can pick up fertilizer, oil, pesticides, dirt, bacteria, and other pollutants that are harmful to the river and the organisms which call it home. There are also economic consequences associated with sediment runoff. Waterways clogged with sediment can reduce property values and property taxes by limiting access for boating. In addition, dredging and restoration projects to fix sedimentation problems can cost millions of dollars to complete.

Construction site runoff is a significant threat to the ecological health of the St. Johns River and its tributaries. When contractors don’t install or properly maintain required erosion controls, or BMPs (Best Management Practices), muddy water can run off into our waterways during rainfall events. Have you ever seen those black screens or fences that surround a construction site?  This is an example of a BMP installed to prevent dirt from leaving the site:

✓ Properly Maintained Silt Fence

✖ Not Properly Maintained Silt Fence

In some instances, standing water on a construction site is intentionally pumped into nearby gutters, storm drains, and creeks. In either case, these are illegal stormwater violations that can and should result in enforcement actions by our regulatory agencies. 

Ongoing construction and development projects, while important in sustaining a growing Jacksonville, have the potential to result in similar events. So, keep your eyes open for muddy water flowing into nearby storm drains or waterways and construction sites without proper erosion control BMPs installed.  If you see a potential violation, contact St. Johns RIVERKEEPER and report to the appropriate environmental agencies. Click here for a list of agency contacts. As evidenced by the Southbank Sedimentation event, concerned and engaged citizens can make a difference for our St. Johns River and its tributaries!

The post Sedimentation Runoff first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Sedimentation Runoff appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Bad Bill Alert: SB 1126/HB 1641 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/bad-bill-alert-sb-1126-hb-1641/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bad-bill-alert-sb-1126-hb-1641 Fri, 02 Feb 2024 22:04:04 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12577 St. Johns Riverkeeper is teaming up with Waterkeepers Florida to bring you an action alert for Florida’s waters. Plastic is one of the fastest growing types of pollution in our […]

The post Bad Bill Alert: SB 1126/HB 1641 first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Bad Bill Alert: SB 1126/HB 1641 appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
St. Johns Riverkeeper is teaming up with Waterkeepers Florida to bring you an action alert for Florida’s waters.

Plastic is one of the fastest growing types of pollution in our waterways. Plastic debris can choke and entangle wildlife and leach harmful chemicals into our water. Despite the overwhelming volume of plastic pollution in natural areas, the state of Florida has preempted local governments from regulating many types of single-use plastics for years. Now, the legislature wants to take it even further.

SB 1126 and HB 1641 would prevent local governments from regulating what they call “auxiliary containers” including reusable or single-use bags, cups, bottles, or other packaging. This would effectively quash local governments’ ability to enforce policies regarding these containers, including in their public facilities or in their parks or beaches.

Bottom Line: These bills would lead to more plastic pollution in our waterways. 

Call your representative on the Senate Community Affairs Committee, who is voting on it this coming Tuesday, February 6, and ask them to vote NO on SB 1126 and HB 1641.

 

Take Action by Contacting Your Legislators Today

The post Bad Bill Alert: SB 1126/HB 1641 first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Bad Bill Alert: SB 1126/HB 1641 appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Bad Bill: Contact Your Legislators https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2024-01-bad-bill-contact-your-legislators/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2024-01-bad-bill-contact-your-legislators Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:13:00 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12493 St. Johns Riverkeeper is teaming up with Waterkeepers Florida to bring you an action alert for Florida’s waters. We need your help to protect access to legal action for Florida’s […]

The post Bad Bill: Contact Your Legislators first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Bad Bill: Contact Your Legislators appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
St. Johns Riverkeeper is teaming up with Waterkeepers Florida to bring you an action alert for Florida’s waters.

We need your help to protect access to legal action for Florida’s waterways.

The Florida Legislature is trying to strip us – conservation organizations and concerned citizens like yourself – of the power to go to court to enforce environmental laws.

Senate Bill 738 and House Bill 789 (entitled ‘Environmental Management’) would require the losing party in many environmental lawsuits to pay the court costs and attorney fees of the other parties. This is an attempt by the legislature to stop Waterkeepers and other groups from challenging environmentally destructive permits by threatening us with financial ruin.

Bottom Line: SB 738 and HB 789 will make it harder for advocates to take polluters to court to protect the environment.

Call your representative on the Senate Judiciary Committee, who is voting on it this coming Monday, January 29 and ask them to vote NO on SB 738 and HB 789. Senator Clay Yarborough from Jacksonville is the committee chair.

 

Take Action by Contacting Your Legislators Today

The post Bad Bill: Contact Your Legislators first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Bad Bill: Contact Your Legislators appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
2023 St. Johns Riverkeeper Recap https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2023-st-johns-riverkeeper-recap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-st-johns-riverkeeper-recap Fri, 12 Jan 2024 19:33:00 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12367 St. Johns RIVERKEEPER (SJRK) is the voice for the St. Johns River. As the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to protecting the St. Johns, we work tirelessly to ensure we […]

The post 2023 St. Johns Riverkeeper Recap first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 St. Johns Riverkeeper Recap appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
St. Johns RIVERKEEPER (SJRK) is the voice for the St. Johns River. As the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to protecting the St. Johns, we work tirelessly to ensure we are prioritizing initiatives that will most benefit the river and the communities that rely on it.

Throughout 2023 we found new ways to help citizens experience our river, created new events and programming for all ages, launched necessary advocacy efforts to protect and restore the St. Johns, and expanded strategic partnerships with local scientists, nonprofits, homeowners, anglers and agencies.

St. Johns Riverkeeper is proud to report our annual progress and successes in advocacy, education, and community outreach as we work together toward our vision of a thriving St. Johns River Watershed.

In 2023:

  • SJRK organized the first annual Great St. Johns River Cleanup, partnering with counties, businesses, and nonprofits throughout the watershed to collectively host over 75 cleanups, engaging more than 1,300 volunteers to remove nearly 1,500 bags of trash from our river and her tributaries during the month-long event.
  • We launched the SAVe Our River’s Grasses Expedition seeking answers and solutions to the disappearing submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) of the St. Johns. In 2023, our advocacy team conducted 3 Expedition field visits in May, August, and October logging 75 hours on the water, and 36 site visits.
  • Our education team reached more than 2,700 students between our in-classroom and on-the-water programming. We led 56 on-the-water programs giving students in our watershed firsthand experiences to learn about our river.
  • Our advocacy team collected 11 water samples from areas with potentially harmful algal blooms. The results from the lab showed evidence of potentially toxigenic cyanobacteria from 10 of these 11 sites.
  • We introduced our new website, ExploreTheStJohns.com, to make it easier for river enthusiasts and novices alike to find new places to visit along our beloved river.
  • Pollution problems were investigated and stopped at their source. A concerned citizen reported an odor and discoloration in the water of a drainage ditch that flows directly into the St. Johns River. Over a four month period, our team conducted 6 site visits to this area and collected 16 water samples from different parts of the contaminated area to pinpoint the source of the pollution and alerted the proper state and local authorities. We tracked remedial action with the agencies and continued site visits to ensure the pollution was stopped at its source.
  • Partnerships were strengthened with local organizations like LISC Jacksonville, who we joined forces with to launch Resilient Ribault, an initiative to address the challenges facing the waterways and communities in the Ribault River area. Resilient Ribault aims to provide equitable access and connect residents to local waterways, advocate for much-needed resilience projects and water quality improvements, and address housing and economic issues to create more resilient neighborhoods.
  • Education programs were expanded with new hands-on learning opportunities for students in our watershed, including a Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) program, River and Roots in partnership with Eartha’s Farm, a water quality backpack program, and cleanups with the City of Jacksonville.
  • Volunteers collected more than 500 bags of trash at our cleanups (not including the Great St. Johns River Cleanup).
  • We recruited the Resilient Ribault Water Quality Advisory Team of seven scientists to develop a water quality monitoring program in the Ribault River and Moncrief Creek to better understand the river’s health and its relationship to human and community health.
  • SJRK participated in six legal actions to stop pollution at its source, to protect Florida’s wetlands and to protect Florida’s conservation lands.
  • In Putnam County, our local engagement coordinator was busy building support for a healthy river and Ocklawaha Restoration – from presenting our priorities to legislators at the Putnam Delegation in January to building support with local business and political leaders in December.
  • We hosted or co-hosted more than 25 Get Your Feet Wet events along the watershed, providing opportunities for people to experience and learn about the St. Johns firsthand.
  • As part of our Resilient Ribault initiative, SJRK became the Official Park Steward for Riverview Park on the Trout River. We began hosting monthly Service Days at the park, and in just a few months collected over 60 tires along with other litter that was prevented from flowing into our waterways.
  • We led 6 Brewing Up Solutions conversations in Duval County exploring solutions to climate change, sea level rise, and the pollution problems threatening the health of our river – and for the first time, hosted 2 Brewing Up Solutions events in Putnam County, connecting with more than 200 river enthusiasts.
  • Rising Tides, the young professionals group for SJRK, hosted 12 cleanups, rounding out their 11th year cleaning up McCoys Creek.
  • SJRK was a selected member of the JEA Electric Generation Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Stakeholder Group as an advocate for the river and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of Renew Jacksonville Coalition, led by the Sierra Club of Northeast Florida, we worked with industry experts, scientists and engineers to develop reasonable, responsible recommendations for JEA to protect our river while addressing the root causes of climate change.
  • The St. Johns Riverkeeper traveled to Tallahassee with some of Florida’s foremost subject-matter experts on rivers and springs to meet with politicians and host a photo and film exhibit on the Great Florida Riverway. Visitors to the Florida State Capitol were able to experience a walking tour of the Ocklawaha River, St. Johns River and Silver Springs via life-sized photos and film.
  • Our Middle Basin Coordinator led 14 talks about relevant river issues in Volusia, Seminole and Orange counties to help educate and engage the public in our work.
  • Our advocacy team received and answered approximately 55 calls and emails in regard to suspected violations or issues from concerned citizens and homeowners.
  • We engaged over 600 volunteers who care about protecting the St. Johns.
  • We gave our river a voice. SJRK spoke on behalf of our river and our members at more than 150 public events including civic organizations, city council/county commission meetings, legislative meetings, local & regional resilience coalitions and social gatherings to ensure that we are all doing our part to protect and restore the St. Johns River and its tributaries.

We are proud of what we accomplished together this past year – for the river and for us all – but there is much more work to be done. With you on this journey alongside us, we look forward to elevating our progress in 2024 as we continue to be your trusted voice, advocate, and watchdog for our St. Johns River.

Become a member of St. Johns Riverkeeper today and be a part of our success!

The post 2023 St. Johns Riverkeeper Recap first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 St. Johns Riverkeeper Recap appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns? https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2023-12-resilient-jacksonville-resilient-st-johns/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-12-resilient-jacksonville-resilient-st-johns Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:08:50 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12149 As we wrap up 2023, our team is sharpening 2024 SJRK strategies to protect and restore the St. Johns River. This is the first of a six-part series teeing up […]

The post Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns? first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns? appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
As we wrap up 2023, our team is sharpening 2024 SJRK strategies to protect and restore the St. Johns River. This is the first of a six-part series teeing up our 2024 action plan.

For the past six years, we joined hundreds of community leaders to develop a resilience strategy for Jacksonville to chart a sustainable future for Northeast Florida.

The Resilient Jacksonville Strategy was released in October 2023 and provides our community with a “roadmap of how, together, we can shape our collective future.” It provides 45 actions and 90 sub-actions that, if implemented, are designed to make our communities and our environment healthier and less vulnerable to rising waters and climate change.

The key word here is implementation. While the City of Jacksonville (COJ) Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), Anne Coglianese, and new COJ Sustainability Manager, Ashante Green, are taking the lead – they cannot do so alone.

COJ is currently prioritizing the following action items as the first steps of implementing the plan:

  • Action 1.1 – Updating the City’s land development regulations.
  • Action 5 – Updating public works design standards to account for climate change impacts and support resilient infrastructure development.
  • Action 9 – Developing a green infrastructure program across Jacksonville based on the best available stormwater science and data.
  • Action 10.2 – Expanding Jacksonville’s tree canopy by developing an Urban Forest Management Plan.
  • Action 19 – Strengthening emergency response and evacuation plans.
  • Action 24 – Investing strategically in existing parks to increase stormwater management capacity and reduce urban heat.
  • Action 40 – Establishing an Office of Resilience to facilitate the ongoing implementation of Resilient Jacksonville and to develop a compound flood model that will identify the most flood-prone areas of the city (40.2).
  • Action 43 – Developing a Climate Action Plan that aligns Jacksonville’s resilience goals with actions to promote sustainability.
  • Action 44 – Supporting regional resilience efforts.

Citizen engagement, support and oversight are critical to the successful implementation of COJ’s efforts.

For Jacksonville to be more resilient, we must also have a resilient, healthy St. Johns – a river with the capacity to quickly recover from extreme events and the natural ability to provide flood protection, erosion control, and water quality filtration. To do so, we must fortify our river by preventing future harm, protecting existing natural infrastructure, and restoring impaired ecosystems.

A healthy river is at the heart of a Resilient Jacksonville.

We have our work cut out for us, though. According to the 2023 Lower St. Johns River Report (LSJRR):

  • Severely polluted tributaries throughout Duval County threaten human health with fecal bacteria, heavy metals and other contaminants.
  • Rising water levels and increasing saltwater intrusion are changing our river’s ecology and threatening submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) as well as the fisheries that depend on them.
  • Loss of wetlands due to development and inadequate mitigation are making Northeast Florida more vulnerable to flooding.
  • Climate change is making these existing problems worse and our river more vulnerable.

Follow this series on StJohnsRiverkeeper.org/blog to see how you can make a difference in 2024 working in collaboration with other river lovers throughout the watershed to implement Resilient Jacksonville actions, to restore and protect our waterways and to do our part locally to combat climate change.

What’s Next? Let’s Dive In.

This is the first of a six-part series breaking down the LSJRR, tackling our river’s vulnerabilities and charting a course to reclaim a vibrant, resilient and healthy St. Johns River. Here is what’s next:

  • The River Accord: The Next Chapter
  • Reclaiming Jacksonville’s Tributaries
  • Florida’s Growing Sewage Crisis 
  • SAVing our River’s Grasses, Wetlands and Wild Land
  • Calling All Watershed Warriors – Protecting 310 Miles of River, Tribs and Springs

Our river will sustain all the communities along her banks, but we must sustain our river from her headwaters, along her 310 mile journey to the Atlantic Ocean.

The post Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns? first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns? appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
2023 Volunteer Awards https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2023-volunteer-awards/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-volunteer-awards Wed, 13 Dec 2023 19:58:46 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12138 We celebrated our 2023 volunteer award winners at our annual Holiday Mingle early this month! We would like to highlight and celebrate our honorees for their contributions to St. Johns […]

The post 2023 Volunteer Awards first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 Volunteer Awards appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
We celebrated our 2023 volunteer award winners at our annual Holiday Mingle early this month! We would like to highlight and celebrate our honorees for their contributions to St. Johns Riverkeeper (SJRK) and our river.

Alicia Smith receiving her award at Holiday MingleVolunteer of the Year: Alicia Smith

Alicia is a founding member of our young professionals group, Rising Tides. For nearly 11 years, Alicia and Rising Tides have been leading monthly cleanups of McCoys Creek.

In addition to cleanups, she has helped lead numerous fundraising and outreach events for SJRK as part of Rising Tides and is a regular volunteer at our annual Oyster Roast. Due to her unwavering commitment and dedication, Alicia is also the only person to receive this award twice – the first time being in 2012. Thank you Alicia!

Ben Williams giving a tour of Wetland PreserveEducators of the Year: Ben and Louann Williams

Ben and Louann have been with St. Johns Riverkeeper since our inception. Ben is one of our founding Steering Committee members and a former Board member. Louann volunteered for numerous years, helping our education staff deliver programs and boat trips for school groups.

Both are avid hunters and anglers who have spent countless hours in the woods and on the waters of the St. Johns. They are constantly using their real-world experience and knowledge of the outdoors to educate others about the importance of conservation.

In 2009, they purchased Wetland Preserve – 3,800 acres of land adjacent to the Rice Creek Conservation Area in Putnam County. On the farm, they are using sustainable best management forestry practices, replanting native longleaf pine, and restoring habitat. Part of their mission is to educate about sustainable land management practices and introduce kids and adults to the wonders of the natural world.

They provide tours of the farm throughout the year- including one for SJRK supporters earlier this year. Thank you Ben and Louann!

Advocate of the Year: John November

Jennie and Brooks Busey receiving their award at Holiday MingleBusiness Partner of the Year: Sadler Point Marina

Jennie and Brooks Busey, part owners of Sadler Point Marina, have been involved with SJRK for nearly 20 years. Brooks served on the Board of Directors from 2006-2012 and Jennie served as our Education Director from 2012-2016.

In addition to their numerous contributions as volunteers and staff, the Buseys have been generous and committed business partners, hosting numerous Low County Boil fundraising events over the years and providing significant in-kind donations. Notably, Sadler Point has provided storage for our patrol boat, the Kingfisher, at no cost to our organization. In fact, Brooks sold the Kingfisher to us at cost. Thank you Brooks, Jennie, and Sadler Point Marina!

Special thanks to Will Dickey and Ryan Buckley for donating the beautiful photos and framing for the awards.

We are grateful for volunteers who clean up our waterways, help our events run smoothly, tell others about our mission, educate people of all ages about the river and more. If you have ever volunteered with St. Johns Riverkeeper in any capacity, we invite you to join us on January 10 at 6 p.m. for our Volunteer Appreciation Night at Iguana on Park for a night of complimentary food, drink, and live music. Thank you to Iguana on Park for hosting this event and allowing SJRK to be the first recipients of their “Joy Spotlight.” Learn more and register for the event.

The post 2023 Volunteer Awards first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 Volunteer Awards appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
2023 State of the River Report: What’s Next? https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/2023-state-of-the-river-report-whats-next/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-state-of-the-river-report-whats-next Thu, 09 Nov 2023 18:34:33 +0000 https://www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/?p=12005 The 2023 Lower St. Johns River Report (LSJRR) provides a stark reminder of the fragile health of our river and its tributaries, but also documents the powerful combination of responsible […]

The post 2023 State of the River Report: What’s Next? first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 State of the River Report: What’s Next? appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>
The 2023 Lower St. Johns River Report (LSJRR) provides a stark reminder of the fragile health of our river and its tributaries, but also documents the powerful combination of responsible regulation, reasonable incentives, education, citizen advocacy and political will to protect Florida waters for today and for future Floridians.

The 2023 LSJRR reports that total nitrogen (TN) levels are satisfactory both in the mainstem and the tributaries. This reduction demonstrates that collectively we can reverse the trajectory of pollution in the St. Johns. But, it takes public outcry and legal maneuvering to hold those polluting – including industry, utilities and government – accountable. After several St. Johns Riverkeeper-led lawsuits and public outcry, the Lower St. Johns River Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) and River Accord pollution plans were born, tackling and succeeding in reducing nitrogen in the St. Johns River. However, it did not go far enough. The 2023 LSJRR also reports that TN levels are slightly increasing in the river’s freshwater mainstem. The City of Jacksonville and others have failed to reach their regulatory goals and the over-reliance of water quality trading credits falls short of the improvements needed. More needs to be done and a reboot of the River Accord is warranted.

Overshadowing the limited improvements are significant areas of concern. Severely polluted tributaries throughout Duval County threaten human health with fecal bacteria, heavy metals and other contaminants. Rising water levels and increasing saltwater intrusion are changing our river’s ecology and threatening submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) as well as the fisheries that depend on them. Loss of wetlands due to development and inadequate mitigation are making Northeast Florida more vulnerable to flooding.

Climate change is making these existing problems worse and our river more vulnerable.

Rising sea levels are increasing storm surge, causing more septic tanks to fail, undermining infrastructure, pushing saltwater further upstream, and threatening the health of our river and our communities. In a warmer world, evaporation rate increases add more moisture to the air. This increased moisture leads to more intense rainfall and hurricanes. As a result, frequent flooding increases stormwater runoff, flushing more pollution and sewage into our waterways threatening our health, our quality of life and our economy.

More pollution in the St. Johns River watershed and warmer water temperatures fuel harmful algae outbreaks that can be highly toxic and threaten our health. Warmer waters hold less dissolved oxygen, which can lead to fish kills.

However, we can and we must make a difference by working collaboratively throughout the watershed to tackle these threats and to do our part locally to combat climate change.

What’s Next? Let’s Dive In.

Join us over the next two months for a six-part series breaking down the LSJRR, tackling our river’s vulnerabilities and charting a course to reclaim a vibrant and healthy St. Johns River.

  • Does a Resilient Jacksonville = a Resilient St. Johns?
  • The River Accord: The Next Chapter
  • Reclaiming Jacksonville’s Tributaries
  • Florida’s Growing Sewage Crisis 
  • SAVing our River’s Grasses, Wetlands and Wild Land
  • Calling All Watershed Warriors – Protecting 310 Miles of River, Tribs and Springs

If there are specific topics you would like to hear about within this series, please email us at info@stjohnsriverkeeper.org.

The post 2023 State of the River Report: What’s Next? first appeared on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

The post 2023 State of the River Report: What’s Next? appeared first on St. Johns Riverkeeper.

]]>