This afternoon, members of the public will get to have a say on the management plan for the first new aquatic preserve created in Florida in 32 years.

In 2020, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation to create the Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve, which will protect some 400,000 acres of seagrass spanning more than 700 square miles along Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties.

Keith Kolasa, aquatic services and waterways manager with the Hernando County Department of Public Works, said the goal is to be proactive in protecting many sensitive ecosystems.

"Protect and preserve a resource that's in good shape," said Kolasa, "versus trying to restore it similar to what we've seen in Tampa Bay and to the south, where there have been a lot of red tide and algae blooms."

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will host two remaining public hearings, a virtual one at 6 p.m. today to present the draft Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve Management Plan to the public for their review and feedback, and an in-person meeting next Tuesday in Crystal River.

Details are on floridadep.gov.

The Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve is the second-largest aquatic preserve in Florida. Justin Grubich, science and policy officer with The Pew Charitable Trusts, said the management plan ensures that the way of life can thrive in the area that is heavily dependent on seagrass.

"Not only the biological inhabitants, all the sea turtles and manatees and fish and scallops that we like to catch and view," said Grubich, "but it also helps those coastal communities that depend on those resources for their livelihood."

Grubich said the management plan is a crucial component because it sets the road map for nearly everything that will happen at the preserve, from education to habitat monitoring.

It also identifies the priorities of maintaining those ecosystems and balancing them with public use.

Grubich said another critical component is gathering data management for research and learning about species beyond the areas currently known.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Fire season is now upon us - and local experts are speaking out on best practices for dealing with large wildfires, which seem to be Nevada's "new normal."

Continuing drought and high temperatures, linked to climate change, have created the same conditions that led to 610 fires last year, which burned more than 134,000 acres.

University of Nevada, Reno Assistant Professor Christina Restaino directs the "Living with Fire" program that teaches communities how to get ready.

"You need to prepare your own home and the property around your home," said Restaino, "by doing proper defensible space. Also through creating an evacuation plan for both family and your animals."

In addition, Restaino said people need to plan for smoky skies and poor air quality. And she said she believes more people are needed to help educate the community, study wildfire risk, and reduce the fuel load on the wildland/urban interface.

Tim Brown, the director of the Western Regional Climate Center at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, said the impact on people will be twofold.

"It's going to be respiratory issues - last year, compounded with COVID," said Brown. "On the mental side, it's the stress of dealing with those physical impacts, but also wondering just how bad is this season going to be?"

Jennifer Cantley - Nevada field coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force and an advisor to Gov. Steve Sisolak's Environmental Justice Team - said she relies on Environmental Protection Agency data from the website 'Airnow.gov.'

At one point, she said, it showed Douglas County with more 'red' air-quality days than Washoe or Clark counties.

"It showed that the rural communities do have dirty air just as much as the big cities, even though it's overlooked," said Cantley. "And most of the time, they don't have air monitoring systems."

Data from the Nevada Department of Wildlife indicate the problem is only getting worse.

More than 9 million acres of Nevada's landscape burned between 2000 and 2020, which is double the acreage lost to wildfire between 1980 and 1999.

Reports of harmful algal blooms have increased in Michigan in recent years, and state officials have tips on how to keep an eye out for them.

Algal blooms are rapid increases or accumulations of algae in surface waters, and mostly occur in lakes during summer and into fall. Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, can sometimes produce toxins.

Gary Kohlhepp, supervisor of the Lake Michigan Unit for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said they are the biggest human health concern when it comes to algal blooms. He pointed out in the vast majority of cases, an algal bloom shows up as scum on the surface of the water.

"Whenever you see those conditions, we advise people not come into contact with it, and also to not allow their pet to swim in it," Kohlhepp recommended. "When in doubt, stay out. If you're not sure whether it's cyanobacteria or green algae, the best course of action is just to avoid it."

Skin contact with cyanobacteria can cause rashes, hives, skin blisters or runny nose or asthmalike symptoms. Swallowing large amounts can lead to flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal issues or neurotoxic symptoms such as harm to the liver or kidneys.

Kohlhepp noted while algae are naturally occurring, blooms are often caused by agriculture or lawn fertilizer running from farms or land into waterways. The phosphorous and sometimes nitrogen in fertilizers can be a good source of food for algae, Kohlhepp stressed, sometimes too good.

"If there's a lot of food and especially when the weather warms up, so you get warmer temperatures, you get a lot of sunlight, not a lot of wind blowing, so it's pretty still calm conditions," Kohlhepp outlined. "That's a perfect recipe for these algae to really grow like crazy. "

Kohlhepp added algal blooms often last just a short time, for a few days or up to a week, and in rare cases multiple weeks. He cautioned there is a perception the blooms are everywhere, but it is actually a small number of lakes compared with the more than 10,000 lakes in Michigan.

Maine is home to the largest number of loons in the region, and it's nesting season.

The Maine Loon Restoration Project is a five-year effort to limit threats to loons' breeding chances and survival. They place loon nesting rafts on Maine lakes where nesting pairs have not hatched chicks in three years. The goal is to place 100 rafts by 2026.

Earl Johnson, loon restoration biologist for Maine Audubon, said loons are sensitive to disturbance, especially during nesting season.

"That can be a really, really stressful time in a loon's life, and approaching them closely on a boat or in the water is not helping the loons at all," Johnson explained. "They're sensitive to disturbance and definitely amazing to observe, but from a safe distance is best for everybody."

He added they are launching a "Loon Rangers" program to educate and raise awareness about where nesting loons are, so people can avoid those areas in boats or on personal watercraft. The project also includes Fish Lead Free programs, to reduce the use of lead tackle, a common cause of death for loons.

In 2003, a spill leaked 98,000 gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay, killing hundreds of loons over the next few years.

Jill Marianacci, another loon restoration biologist for Maine Audubon, said Mainers love loons, and communities have enthusiastically involved in the project, funded by the 2017 settlement from the spill.

"It's currently the nesting season right now," Marianacci pointed out. "All the lakes and ponds that we've put rafts out on, we're starting to see which pairs are taking to these rafts, and hopefully in a few weeks, we'll see if they're successful at hatching chicks, which is very exciting."

Maine Audubon leads the Loon Restoration Project in partnership with the Penobscot Nation, Maine Lakes and Lakes Environmental Association.

They're seeking volunteers to help with outreach, education and management across the state. Bird watchers can participate in the annual loon count on Saturday, July 16.