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:

  • Federal legislation has been filed for a new Florida Springs National Park that the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Randy Fine, believes would enhance the springs’ protection. However, some environmental stakeholders have their doubts. Critics expressed concerns that the park could “open the door to unsustainable tourism and commercialization” that would ultimately put the springs at greater risk. Others are concerned about losing access to outdoor activities such as fishing and primitive camping.  
  • In response to a viral video depicting the capture of a federally endangered giant manta ray off Florida’s coast, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have requested new protections for the fish. In response, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Rodney Barreto has stated that the FWC will revisit Marine Education and Exhibition Special Activity Licenses policies, but that hearings won’t begin until early 2026. In the meantime, the FWC will halt issuing new permits for endangered shark and ray species.  
  • According to a recently published paper in the journal Emerging Infection Diseases, Chagas disease is likely here to stay in the United States. The disease, spread by a parasite in kissing bugs, is now considered endemic to parts of the US south, including Florida. In early stages, flu-like symptoms are common, but serious health consequences can develop if left untreated. The parasite has also been found in wildlife and pets. Currently, Chagas is still relatively uncommon.  
  • A University of South Florida (USF) hurricane researcher along with a team from the Netherlands are reimagining how to classify hurricanes. Currently, hurricanes are measured on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, using wind speed to name a storm a category one through five. The team has developed a new scale, the Tropical Cyclone Severity Scale, to take rainfall and storm surge threats into account. A recently published study indicated that the new scale is more likely to help the public better assess personal risk and make more informed safety decisions.  
  • USDA figures show that citrus acreage in Florida fell by 24 percent compared to recent years. The citrus industry has suffered from a combination of citrus greening, hurricanes, and development, and some growers are transitioning their land use to other crops in response. However, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has put programs in place to help keep the struggling industry afloat. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)\ continue to look for ways to mitigate citrus greening and are engaging in outreach to help Floridians identify and manage it.  
  • The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has been unusually quiet. Early September is normally the peak for storm activity, but this year is seeing the lowest activity in over three decades. One contributing factor is the absence of major climate oscillations —large-scale cycles in the atmosphere and ocean that affect water temperatures and the Florida Current . A more stable atmosphere combined with higher levels of dry air may also be limiting storm development. That being said, forecasters note that hurricane season doesn’t end until November 30th.  
  • Miami-Dade is considering some out-of-the-box ideas to tackle their waste issue. Landfills in the county are nearly at capacity, and only 37% of trash is recycled. In response, county leadership sought proposals from both local and international companies for solutions. Ideas under consideration span from technological – a machine that sorts waste with the help of AI – to biological – using black soldier fly larvae to break down organic waste. 
  • The latest invasive species to plague Florida is tawny crazy ants. These tiny ants create huge colonies.  According to the USDA, those in Florida are part of a super colony that expands throughout the southern United States. A lack of territorial behavior causes this ant species to create colonies that spread over vast distances. The ants are drawn to electrical equipment in yards and homes and can also threaten local wildlife. They hail from South America and spread to the US in the late 1990s.  
  • Projections of future water demand and population growth indicate that Central Florida may face a severe water shortage by the year 2045. In response, the Central Florida Water Initiative steering committee has approved a new plan to help manage water use. The plan requires stakeholders to adopt alternative water sources, such as reclaimed water and surface water, and allocates funds for water supply, water resource development, and water conservation. The plan will be reviewed in November and should be finalized by the end of the year. 
  • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has developed an incentive program to motivate private landowners to help protect the Florida panther. Farmers who agree to take actions on their properties that provide an ecological service will receive payouts. The FWC has reported a successful enrollment period with 40,635 acres of panther habitat enrolled in the program.  

Research News 

  • A review published by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) researchers analyzes four decades of data to give new insights into the development and spread of sargassum blooms. A key portion of the review traces the origins of a giant Atlantic Ocean sargassum bloom, called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, which stretches thousands of miles from West Africa to the Caribbean. First spotted in 2011, the bloom has returned almost every year since, reaching record size in 2025. The study links its growth to a mix of natural ocean changes and human-driven pollution, especially nutrient runoff. 
  • A team of researchers from the University of Florida, University of Washington, and University of Chicago have made new discoveries about chimaeras, mysterious deep-sea fish commonly referred to as “ghost sharks.” Male chimaeras have a row of retractable teeth on their foreheads. While many other animals appear to have tooth-like structures outside of the mouth, they are usually not true teeth. The new study reveals that in the case of the chimaera, the external teeth are the same as those inside the mouth, which is extremely rare. The forehead teeth are used to grip partners during mating.  
  • Engineers and biologists from the University of South Florida (USF) are taking inspiration from the tongue movements of reptiles such as salamanders and chameleons. Though salamanders and chameleons live in different habitats, they both flick their tongues at high speeds due to a biological mechanism that works similarly to a slingshot. USF researchers are exploring how this mechanism could inspire new technologies from biomedical devices to grabbing debris in outer space. “Nature has already solved these problems, now we’re learning how to adapt those solutions for us,” Professor Stephen Deban said of the project.  

Things You Can Do 

  • According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the semi-aquatic rainbow snake may be on the decline. Rainbow snakes have suffered from habitat loss, snake fungal disease, and the decline of their primary food source, American eels, are contributing factors. The FWC is asking Floridians to report sightings of rainbow snakes to help with research and conservation. Click here to learn more and report your sightings.  

The Good News 

  • A section of the Florida Wildlife Corridor previously slated for development has been saved. Conservation Florida, a 501(c)(3) non-profit land conservancy, raised $9 million dollars to permanently preserve Polk County’s 2,300-acre Eagle Haven Ranch with the purchase of a conservation easement. Nearly 200 species, including the endangered Florida scrub-jay, call the area home.  
  • A new $53,000 project has been approved to catalog the trees of Temple Terrace and develop a long-term management plan for the city’s urban canopy. Trees located in public areas will be catalogued by two different teams, one on the ground and another using aerial imagery. Areas will also be identified to plant new trees to ensure that the canopy continues to grow. Urban forests offer both economic and environmental benefits including raising property values, improving air quality, providing wildlife habitat, and reducing surface temperatures

Image from iNaturalist/isaacthelord, CC-BY-NC 4.0.