To pair with the rest of our educational content in each Earth to Florida newsletter, we bring you monthly updates on statewide environmental news. Read below to see what we found this past month:

• A 1,086-acre property in Putnam County has been secured to support the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor, a key link to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This land, located between Orlando and Jacksonville, will serve as a vital resource for the Florida black bear, safeguarding a critical habitat and creating ecological connectivity. With Florida losing about 100,000 acres of natural land to development each year, conservation efforts are increasingly urgent. The property will be transferred to the state for permanent protection under the Florida Forever Program, though more funding is needed to help protect the growing Florida Wildlife Corridor. By protecting the land and promoting ecological connectivity, wide-ranging species are allowed to expand back to their native range, promote genetic diversity, and protect ecosystems that support wildlife and human communities.  

• Citrus greening, an incurable bacterial disease carried by insects, has been a constant struggle for Florida citrus growers for the last several years. Now, a research team from the University of Florida has made a discovery that could help growers fight back. In labs and greenhouses, the team has successfully grown a genetically modified tree that produces a protein that kills baby Asian citrus psyllids, the insects that transmit citrus greening. Over the next few years, researchers will try to prove that the method also works in the field. Meanwhile, researchers are also working on a solution that would help to control adult psyllids.

• After a University of Miami study discovered that 35 Miami buildings along Miami’s barrier islands were sinking past what would be expected, Surfside is discussing stricter regulations for construction in Miami-Dade County. The study found that nearby construction is accelerating the sinking of buildings, indicating a need for more oversight. Currently, developers are only required to monitor potential damage within 300 feet of a construction site, a distance Vice Mayor Tina Paul argues should be extended. To best protect the city, she also proposed that independent third parties, not developer-hired companies, should conduct these assessments. Commissioners drew parallels to the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse, emphasizing the town’s responsibility to prevent similar tragedies. While there was agreement on the need for more research, some commissioners worried about legal pushback from property owners. Ultimately, the commission opted to hold a workshop with the study’s authors to explore the next steps, while Mayor Charles Burkett stressed that broader action from state and county governments was necessary to tackle the issue.  

• Seawalls are being reimagined through cutting-edge development – with key features that are modeled after mangrove roots. This novel seawall design has been introduced in Miami to combat sea level rise and enhance coastal resilience. The goal is to provide effective flood protection while preserving the natural shoreline and supporting marine ecosystems, with the added benefit of being cost-effective and more charming to the eye. The design incorporates nature-based features, such as textured surfaces to encourage coral growth and fish habitats. Experts highlight that blending infrastructure with ecological benefits is key to long-term coastal protection. As sea levels continue to rise, such advancements are crucial for safeguarding coastal communities and infrastructure.  

• In 2022, fossil collectors Robert Sinibaldi and Joseph Branin discovered an underwater fossil bed in Florida’s Steinhatchee River, uncovering well-preserved remains of horses, sloths, and armadillos. This was not an easy task, due to the high tannin levels in the water, which makes the water visibility comparable to coffee. These fossils date back approximately 500,000 years to the middle Irvingtonian period, a time with previously limited fossil records in Florida. Researchers believe the fossils provide a rare snapshot of Florida’s ancient ecosystems, shedding light on how species adapted to changing climates and habitats. The Florida Museum of Natural History is studying these findings to better understand Florida’s prehistoric biodiversity and evolutionary history.  

• New research suggests that exposure to BMAA toxins produced by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) may be linked with increased risk of developing degenerative nerve diseases like ALS and Alzheimer’s. Though this linkage was discovered among the Indigenous Chamorro people of Guam, scientists are raising concerns about public health impacts to other areas experiencing blue-green algae blooms — including Florida. Cyanobacteria blooms in Florida, particularly in areas like the St. Lucie River, have been found to contain elevated BMAA toxin levels and scientists worry that prolonged exposure — whether through contaminated water, fish, or air — could pose a threat to residents living near these blooms. Efforts to mitigate nutrient pollution, which fuels algal growth, are seen as critical in reducing BMAA risks amongst Floridians.

• Key Biscayne, one of South Florida’s wealthiest and most flood-prone communities, is initiating its first road-raising project to combat sea-level rise, aiming to elevate two miles of roads at an estimated cost exceeding $88 million. This estimate only covers a fraction of the village’s 23 miles of roadway that require attention. Similar initiatives have been implemented in other Florida regions, such as Monroe County, where elevating less than a mile of road was projected to cost $3.5 million. Researchers and scientists consistently advocate for road elevation as an effective strategy to mitigate flooding and adapt to rising sea levels.

• Reducing herbicide use is no small feat, but AI could be part of the solution. A UF research team has developed a “smart sprayer” which can target only the areas where weeds grow instead of spraying the entire bed, reducing the amount of herbicides used. The next step is to research economic implications and figure out how to distribute the technology to farms.

• A new technique, environmental resistance monitoring, created by UF scientists may help us better predict how invasive species spread. According to Yunpeng Liu, the lead author of the research, scientists typically use climate-based models to predict the spread of invasive species, but these models may overlook key factors like species adaptation and local ecosystem resistance. Instead, the team uses environmental resistance (ER) modeling which measures the difficulty for invasive species to become established in new areas. The study also measures how temperature shifts and ecosystem changes may impact the movement of native species. 

• Scientists have long wondered what happens during a sea turtle’s early life stages, a gap scientists have dubbed the “lost years” due to a lack of data. Now, new research collected through the use of satellite trackers is finally closing the gap, leading to some surprising revelations. While scientists had guessed that young turtles floated along with the ocean’s current, in reality they are already active swimmers making conscious decisions about their journeys. The data will help biologists better understand how young turtles navigate the Gulf of America, a critical habitat for four species of endangered sea turtles.