Read more about the article Kings Bay restoration will only be achieved by significantly reducing groundwater pumping
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Kings Bay restoration will only be achieved by significantly reducing groundwater pumping

By: Robert Knight, The Gainesville Sun, January 13th, 2022. Last month I led a family outing to Kings Bay/Crystal River by pontoon boat. I was delightfully surprised by what I saw below the water surface. From the Port Hotel to Three Sisters to Hunter Springs and around Banana Island to Tarpon Hole, healthy eelgrass and clear water have returned to this coastal manatee sanctuary. From 2012 through 2015 I directed the Florida Springs Institute’s Kings Bay Adaptive…

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Stop subsidizing those who harm springs through pumping, pollution

By Robert Knight. The Gainesville Sun, October 29th, 2021 Kudos to the owners, editors and reporters of the Gainesville Sun and the Ocala Star Banner for renewing their in-depth investigative reporting about the declining conditions at Florida’s springs. The original Fragile Springs series was published in November 2013 and subsequently was awarded the 2014 Editor & Publisher Eppy Award for Best Community Service reporting. Those articles covered the good, the bad and the ugly of Florida’s 1,000-plus artesian springs and contributed to a better-informed public…

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Making Sense of Conflicting Environmental Messages

Bob Knight, Gainesville Sun, April 27, 2021 Last Sunday’s opinion pages celebrating the 51st Earth Day were appropriately filled with messages about the importance of protecting our environment. But what was interesting to me was the juxtaposition of conflicting claims by environmentalists, agricultural representatives and state officials. Interested readers of The Sun may be trying to make sense out of their divergent views. Here is my take. The first piece I read was written by Dr. Ann Shortelle, executive director of the St.…

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6th Annual Give Springs A Break Recap

This year’s Give Springs A Break (GSAB) event was held at Gissy Springs on the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, FL. Every year, FSI aims to educate young people about Florida’s springs through the GSAB program. With the support of First Magnitude Brewing Company and Gissy Springs, we were able to plan another home run event, attracting over 50 college students and young professionals from all over the state. GSAB participants spent four days and three nights camping…

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Save Our Springs: Mermaid Gala

On May 18th, over 160 supporters gathered at the UF Austin Carey Center to celebrate springs at FSI's annual Save Our Springs Mermaid Gala. The evening kicked off with cocktails, mermaids, and an exploration of the silent auction and beautiful venue. Following a buffet dinner provided by Sweetwater Branch Inn, FSI Executive Director, Dr. Robert Knight, welcomed the crowd and passed the mic to photographer John Moran, who provided an introduction of the evening's keynote speaker, award-winning…

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