January 13th , 2024 On this outing, we were joined by Alachua County Senior Environmental Specialist, Lindsey Pavao for a dive deep into one of Florida’s most beloved species, the Manatee. We walked the boardwalk that overlooks the spring to observe the manatees as they find solstice in the warm water. We were able to see a few manatees despite the recent rains, and partial closure of the boardwalk. Lindsey discussed a wide variety of topics such…

Saturday, September 30th, 2023 Despite the rain, Bill Hawthorne (FSI Aquatic Ecologist) and Judy Lathrop (Rainbow River Conservation board member) gave attendees a fresh perspective on one of the most beautiful and serene stretches of water that Central Florida has to offer. The group paddled a 3-mile stretch of Rainbow River and discussed the natural beauty of the waterway, the challenges facing the river, and what you and your community can do to help preserve this Outstanding…

This outing was led FSI Aquatic Ecologist, Bill Hawthorne, and Dr. Jerry Johnston, leader of the Santa Fe River Turtle Project and Professor of Biology at Santa Fe College. On June 10th, 2023, 15 attendees paddled from the north entrance of Ichetucknee Springs State Park to the Midway Point. Along the way, our leaders taught attendees about the 11 native and 4 non-native turtle species that are often seen at our beloved Florida springs. This outing served…