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:

  • Florida has recently enacted a law preventing municipalities from banning synthetic turf for front yards on residential properties under one acre, clearing the way for broad adoption of artificial lawns across the state. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is developing rules to govern turf installation, including standards around material composition, permeability, stormwater controls, and water-quality considerations. However, researchers and city officials caution that artificial grass may not be well-suited to Florida’s increasingly warm and wet climate. Unlike natural turf, synthetic grass lacks proper drainage, heats up significantly under the sun, and fails to support local ecosystems. Artificial lawns also have limited recyclability, contribute to increased runoff, and ultimately end up in landfills after their relatively short lifespans. With the DEP collecting public feedback and drafting standards, several cities, including Coral Gables and Miami Lakes, are holding off on updating their permitting processes until these state-level requirements are finalized.
  • A new housing proposal from Maronda Homes seeks to rezone 73 acres near the northwest edge of Paynes Prairie Preserve in Gainesville to build 134 single-family homes, generating significant public backlash. Community members argue the development could threaten the area’s biodiversity, disrupt natural water runoff and aquifer recharge, and contribute to uncontrolled urban sprawl. At a recent workshop, residents gave emotional testimonies, expressing concerns for local livelihoods tied to the area. Longtime residents emphasized the historical and cultural significance of the site, appealing for its protection. Some community members have suggested using local tax revenue to purchase and preserve the land. City planners, however, note that the land is private and outside the formal boundaries of the preserve, meaning that rezoning must follow standard procedures. Others have called for a compromise that balances development with environmental safeguards and buffer zones.
  • Environmental advocates warn that human waste pollution is driving serious ecological problems along Florida’s east coast, especially in the St. Johns River and the Indian River Lagoon. Fecal contaminants from leaking septic systems and biosolids spread on farmland are fueling nutrient pollution, which leads to harmful algae blooms and declining water quality. A recent report estimated that it could cost local communities more than $1 billion over 40 years to offset the phosphorus pollution caused by sludge dumping far upstream. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the river are damaging underwater grasses that provide nursery habitat for fish and other wildlife. The decline of these grasses in the Indian River Lagoon has already been linked to starvation and deaths of federally protected manatees. Environmental groups have taken the state to court, arguing that Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection hasn’t done enough to protect these species and ecosystems. While a federal judge has ordered new protections and limits on septic tank use in sensitive areas, the state is currently appealing the decision.
  • Nearly two years after a mysterious die-off began in the Lower Keys, scientists investigating the deaths of endangered smalltooth sawfish warn that the threat is likely to persist for years. The die-offs followed a record-breaking ocean heatwave in Florida, which caused widespread damage to coral, seagrass, and other marine life, and may have triggered cascading ecological effects that contributed to sawfish mortality. Researchers suspect that a bloom of toxic, bottom-dwelling algae played a key role in poisoning the fish. They emphasize that protecting and restoring critical habitats along Florida’s southwest coast is essential for stabilizing the population.
  • Scientists in Florida have launched an inventive new strategy to help detect and remove invasive Burmese pythons by deploying solar-powered, remote-controlled robotic rabbits across the Everglades. These decoy bunnies are designed to mimic real marsh rabbits, emulating their movement, heat signature, and even scent, to lure pythons out of hiding and trigger their natural predatory instincts. Equipped with AI-enabled cameras, the robots can detect approaching pythons and immediately notify wildlife officials, who then dispatch removal teams to capture and humanely euthanize the snakes. The project is a collaboration between the South Florida Water Management District and University of Florida researchers, as part of the broader Python Elimination Program initiated following the annual Florida Python Challenge. This tech-driven approach promises to reduce reliance on more labor-intensive detection methods like live baiting or manual searches. While still in the testing phase, the robotic rabbits represent a creative and potentially scalable way to protect native wildlife from the devastating impacts of the python invasion.

The Good News:

  • Tracking aquatic life is difficult, but with new advancements in research, a team of FAU scientists have developed a way to track eagle rays and see how they use different habitats. The globally endangered eagle ray has been a challenge to track and study as they are fast and powerful swimmers. With these newly developed “biologging” tags, researchers are discovering locations the eagle rays prefer, feeding habits, and overall habitat usage. Researchers hope the biologging data will guide targeted protection of these high-use areas and improve conservation efforts for this threatened species.
  • At Florida’s Avon Park Air Force Range, a unique conservation effort has provided a second chance for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. This 106,000-acre military training ground, primarily used for bombing and artillery exercises, also harbors one of the state’s largest remaining patches of longleaf pine savanna, a critical habitat for over 40 at-risk species including the red-cockaded woodpecker. Over the course of three decades, conservation biologists from Michigan State University, in collaboration with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Archbold Biological Station, and the U.S. Air Force translocated 54 red-cockaded woodpeckers from six donor populations into the range’s pine savannas to bolster the isolated and declining local population. Results from the latest study on the project show that the introduced birds successfully increased the population and boosted genetic diversity, leading to descendants having a higher rate of survival and reproduction. The team hopes the results will inspire land managers to consider similar measures to help in the recovery of other endangered species.

Things You Can Do:

  • Citizen science platforms are creating a space for every nature photo to guide and contribute to scientific discoveries. A recently published study, headed by researchers at the University of Florida with international collaboration, shows how a quick snapshot of nature can change the way science is conducted. The lead author, Brittany Mason, emphasized how the use of iNaturalist and similar platforms is growing and expanding into less-studied geographic areas. These tools can help scientists to monitor changes in distribution and detect emerging threats. The study suggests that citizen-sourced biodiversity data has the potential to complement traditional research methods and accelerate conservation efforts. Learn more about citizen science and how you can use iNaturalist to get involved here.