In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, we dive into the fascinating world of oyster farming with Sam Walsh of SharkBite Oysters and Nicolette Mariano of Treasure Coast Shellfish. Jessy chats with the farmers about how they grow oysters in floating gear on the Indian River Lagoon, what makes Florida oysters unique, and why eating farmed oysters is actually good for the environment.

You’ll learn how local genetics make oysters stronger and better suited for Florida’s hot, salty waters, how farms create habitat for crabs, fish, and other marine life, and what challenges farmers face from predators like stone crabs and barnacle overgrowth. Sam and Nicolette also share their favorite ways to enjoy fresh oysters and how consumers can support lagoon health—starting with what’s on their plate.

👉 Learn about Sharkbite Oysters and Treasure Coast Shellfish.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

This episode of One Lagoon, One Voice explores how music, dance, and storytelling can turn environmental education into an unforgettable experience. Host Heather Stapleton is joined by Adam Schnell, Artistic Director of Ballet Vero Beach, and Daniel Flick, Senior Lecturer at Rollins College and Creative Mentor for the Indian River Lagoon Estuary In Concert.

Together, they share how their performances bring the lagoon to life — from dancing manatees and land crabs in Nutcracker on the Indian River to student-composed music and spoken word performances that give the lagoon its own voice. Their work shows how creative interpretation can reach audiences who might never attend a lecture or read a report, sparking curiosity and emotional connection to the estuary.

When difficult topics like water quality and habitat loss are told through performance, they become more relatable and memorable. This episode is a reminder that protecting the Indian River Lagoon isn’t just about data — it’s also about storytelling, community, and inspiring the next generation to care for this unique ecosystem.

👉 Learn about Ballet Vero Beach and their upcoming performances.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

The Indian River Lagoon is a biodiversity hot spot with over 4,000 documented species but decades of habitat loss, pollution, and climate change have taken a toll. With 89% of its seagrass cover reduced since 2011, oyster reefs degraded, and wetlands diminished, restoring this fragile ecosystem requires bold action and collaboration.

That’s exactly what the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP) is tackling through a $9.4 million NOAA Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant.

In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, host Jessy Wayles sits down with Dr. Duane De Freese, IRLNEP’s executive director, and Kevin Walker, project manager for the grant, to discuss how this ambitious, multi-year restoration effort is unfolding.

Projects are already underway throughout the 156-mile estuary, including seagrass restoration, oyster reef recovery, living shorelines and wetland restoration.

The NOAA grant runs for three years, but as Dr. De Freese emphasizes, this is just the beginning. Lasting restoration depends on continued investment, collaborative governance, and community engagement. “We have the right people in the right places with the right expertise,” he says. “We need to keep working together for that common goal — a healthy lagoon.”

👉 Learn more about the NOAA grant.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In this episode of the One Lagoon Podcast, Heather Stapleton sits down with two passionate conservation leaders — Tori White, Buffer Zone Coordinator with Brevard Zoo’s Restore Our Shores, and Bill DeLuccia, with the Space Coast Surfrider Foundation — to talk about how buffer zones and bioswales are transforming the Indian River Lagoon and inspiring communities across Florida’s Space Coast.

Buffer zones are vegetated areas between land and water that filter pollutants, reduce stormwater runoff, and provide essential habitat for birds, pollinators, and marine life. Bioswales serve a similar role but are designed for areas with different elevations and flooding patterns. Together, these nature-based solutions protect the lagoon while adding beauty and biodiversity to local parks and neighborhoods.

Tori and Bill share stories from projects at Ballard Park, Kelly Park East, Fisherman’s Landing, Pineapple Park, and other community spaces, highlighting the creativity and collaboration it takes to succeed. From choosing drought- and flood-tolerant native plants, to designing buffers that preserve water views for residents, to tackling challenges like heat stress and maintenance, every project offers valuable lessons for future restoration.

👉 Volunteer with Restore Our Shores.

👉 Learn more about Space Coast Surfrider.

👉 Learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home at OneLagoon.org.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In this episode of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott speaks with Dan Burdett, Natural Resources Manager, and Jenny Tomes, Assistant Manager of Community Outreach for the City of Port St. Lucie.

Together, they explain how the St. Lucie River C-23 Water Quality Project at McCarty Ranch Preserve and Extension is reducing excess freshwater discharges, capturing stormwater, and preventing nutrient pollution in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River and the Indian River Lagoon. The project also recharges aquifers and safeguards future drinking water supplies.

Beyond water management, the preserve offers camping, RV sites, disc golf, Bonfire Hayrides, and nature trails. Jenny’s creative “Water Woman” outreach initiative helps teach kids and adults why protecting local waterways matters.

This forward-thinking project shows how Port St. Lucie is balancing community growth with environmental stewardship.

Learn more about the St. Lucie River C23 Water Quality Project.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

In Episode 23 of One Lagoon, One Voice, host Caleta Scott talks with Mike Martin from Fort Pierce Utilities Authority about Fort Pierce’s plan to relocate its waterfront wastewater treatment plant away from the Indian River Lagoon. They discuss the project’s advanced water treatment technology, funding milestones, and how it’s designed to improve lagoon water quality while supporting the city’s future growth.

The episode also looks ahead to redevelopment possibilities for the current plant site, from mixed-use projects to potential public spaces—always with an eye on balancing economic progress with lagoon conservation.

Follow Mike and the FPUA team on the Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Facebook.

For wastewater updates from FPUA including Wastewater Wednesday vlogs, septic to sewer conversion information and updates on the new treatment facility visit https://www.sustainablesewer.net/

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, or wherever else you listen to podcasts to catch a new episode every Tuesday!

Dive into Episode 22 of One Lagoon, One Voice as Daniel Kolodny, COO of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, sits down with Dr. Holly Sweat of the Smithsonian Marine Station. Together, they explore the hidden world of infauna — the tiny bottom-dwelling organisms that play a massive role in the health of the Indian River Lagoon’s sediments and ecosystems. From burrowing worms to microscopic flatworms, discover how these unsung creatures oxygenate the seafloor, recycle nutrients, and pave the way for seagrass recovery and healthier waters.

Dr. Sweat shares fascinating insights into newly discovered species, the surprising resilience of infauna in challenging conditions, and why these organisms are critical indicators of environmental health. Whether you’re passionate about marine biology, lagoon restoration, or biodiversity conservation, this episode will change the way you see the lagoon — starting from the ground up.

Follow Dr. Holly Sweat and her lab’s work on Instagram at @SmithsonianBenthicEcology or visit the Smithsonian Marine Station website.

Check out the Indian River Lagoon Species Inventory.

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/

Season 3 of One Lagoon, One Voice: The Podcast is here! New episodes every Tuesday.

➜ Follow on Spotify, Apple, Youtube or wherever you listen to podcasts: https://onelagoon.org/podcast/

In this episode of One Lagoon – One Voice, host KJ Ayers-Guerra sits down with Melissa Meisenberg, Senior Environmental Specialist for Indian River County’s Lagoon Division, to explore the county’s bold Lagoon Management Plan. From tackling harmful algal blooms and stormwater runoff to restoring oyster habitats and seagrass beds, Melissa shares how science, community partnerships, and innovative projects are working together to heal one of Florida’s most vital ecosystems.

Listeners will get an inside look at current restoration efforts like the Living Docks program, the challenges of coordinating across multiple county departments, and the importance of community involvement. Tune in to learn how Indian River County is building a more resilient future for the lagoon and the wildlife that call it home.

To learn more about Melissa Meisenberg’s work, visit the Indian River County, Florida website:
➜ https://indianriver.gov/

To learn more about the IRL Council and our lagoon home, visit: https://onelagoon.org/

➜ Indian River Lagoon vital signs: https://onelagoon.org/steps-to-success/
➜ Volunteer: https://onelagoon.org/find-volunteer-event/
➜ Help From Home: https://onelagoon.org/helping-from-home/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRLNEP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/onelagoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelagoon/