Stephanie Byrne

While it may not seem for the faint of heart, Burmese pythons do not faze Ian Bartoszek. Bartoszek is an environmental science project manager with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Burmese pythons are devastating to the Everglades but efforts to control the invasive species are growing. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has teamed up with […]

Courtney Gainey changed her plea from not guilty to guilty in the death of 14-year-old Allana Marie Staiano in a hit-and-run crash in North Fort Myers in January 2020. She was scheduled to face a jury trial Tuesday, but as potential jurors waited the judge gave Gainey until 1 p.m. to decide whether she wanted […]

Just as our water ebbs and flows, our water quality does too. Aerial photographers were able to capture how much our water can change in a matter of days and weeks. We looked at how that’s turning the tide on tracking the health and look of our water. “A picture’s worth a thousand words,” said […]

A water warrior in Charlotte County is helping improve water quality for the state and across the country. Florida’s waterways haven’t simply been the backdrop of Betty Staugler’s work; they’re home for her. “When we have blooms that are these large blooms, they’re very newsworthy, they’re very devastating to the economy, that has forced us […]

Red tide is a part of living on the Gulf coast. While it’s clearing up in Southwest Florida, research is underway to lessen its impact in the future. After looking at the history and the issue, Florida TaxWatch found the state should consider reintroducing southern hard clams to Southwest Florida estuaries. “This is just one […]

Deadly diseases are killing palm trees but scientists are finding a way to fix the issue. Cameron Cole, plant health manager at the Naples Botanical Garden, is one of the people who help keep the plants healthy. “My main concern is usually scouting for diseases and pests throughout the garden and keeping track of new […]

A lab is conducting studies to make fighting red tide without chemicals a reality in Southwest Florida. At Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota County, the goal is to have an entire arsenal of methods to combat harmful algal blooms, including red tide. This is just one tool to make that happen. The trailer parked at […]

Big mats of green gunky algae sit atop the water in some SE Cape Coral canals, and it’s really starting to bother neighbors who live nearby. In some areas, it’s so thick it looks like you could walk on it. Referring to one area near the Rubicon Canal, which runs north from Bimini Basin, Cathy […]

Some charter boat captains fear the federal government’s plans to use GPS to track their movements could be invasive and bad for business. The new rule from NOAA Fisheries includes GPS monitoring of boats and electronic reporting for fishing. Capt. Allen Walburn, of A & B Charters, has been taking guests deep sea fishing for […]

International Manatee Day is a time to focus on important members of our ecosystem in Southwest Florida and how to protect them. Manatee deaths have already passed a record in 2021, and the year isn’t over yet. There are steps that can be taken in the water and on land to help protect manatees. By […]