Friends Of Manatee Lagoon

DEDICATED TO EXPANDING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES IN PALM BEACH COUNTY AND BEYOND THROUGH FUTURE ENHANCED EXHIBITS AND EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & EDUCATION PROGRAMS- EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE CHALLENGES MANATEES ENCOUNTER IN FLORIDA AND RAISING FUNDS AND AWARENESS THAT OFFER LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT PROTECTING MANATEES AND MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION CONNECTING WITH AND ENGAGING MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION. WE FULFILL OUR MISSION BY HOSTING A SERIES OF EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AT MANATEE LAGOON. 1) LIVE AT THE LAGOON PROGRAM FEATURING JESSICA HARVEY OF THE GUY HARVEY FOUNDATION. SHE SPOKE ON SEAGRASS AND ITS' VITAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT 2)EARTH DAY-CONSERVATION & CONVERSATION BREAKFAST- IN CELEBRATION OF EARTH DAY, FOUR LEADING CONSERVATION EXPERTS WERE FEATURED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT 3) LAKE WORTH SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM- LOCAL CONSERVATIONISTS AND SCIENTISTS MET AT MANATEE LAGOON TO DISPLAY THEIR WORK AND DISCUSS THROUGH VISUAL INTERPRETATIONS WHAT THEY ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONCERNED WITH MOST AS IT PERTAINS TO THE LAKE WORTH LAGOON.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAM:INVITING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF MANATEES AND THEIR HABITAT BY PROVIDING THEIR TIME, TALENT AND ENERGY. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY WHICH HELPS US BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN OUR OUTREACH. PROGRAM INCLUDES A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR (UNPAID) WHO WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN RECRUITING, TRAINING, SUPERVISING, AND THANKING VOLUNTEERS. COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEERING AT THE GUEST INFORMATION DESK ARE ENGAGING VISITORS TO MANATEE LAGOON BY ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT MANATEE HABITATS, THEIR FOOD SOURCES, AND OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

SEAGRASS/MANATEE EXHIBIT DEVELOPMENT- RAISING AWARENESS OF OUR MISSION THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND CREATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXHIBITS IS A PRIORITY.THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THESE EXHIBITS BEST CONVEY THE NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS OF MANATEES HABITAT AND WHAT THEY CAN DO HELP PRESERVE IT. ON-GOING CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOLLOWING EXHIBITS ALIGNS WITH OUR MISSION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE CHALLENGES MANATEES FACE IN FLORIDA AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US 1. SEAGRASS AQUARIUM- DEPICTING SEAGRASS AND HOW IT RESPONDS TO WAVE MOVEMENT. 2) SEAGRASS WALL- IMMERSIVE EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTING THE 7 VARITIES OF SEAGRASS AND WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT. 3)SEAGRASS NURSERY- GROWING SEAGRASS AND REPLANTING IT IN THE LAKE WORTH LAGOON.

MARINE CONSERVATION EFFORTS: MARINE CONSERVATION EFFORTS HELP TO BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO WORK TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL. WHEN PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO PROTECT MANATEES AND THEIR THEIR HABITATS, IT CREATES A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT CAN LEAD TO POSITIVE CHANGE. CREATING, PLANNING, AND EXECUTING MARINE CONSERVATION EXPERIENCES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE PART IN I.E., CITIZEN SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS, SEAGRASS RESTORATION PROJECTS, PARTICIPATING IN THE LAKE WORTH LAGOON SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM.