Georgia Zern
Manatee Habitat Program Manager
gzern@co.volusia.fl.us386-736-5927, ext. 12839 (DeLand) The Adopt-An-Estuary program (AAE) is funded through the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. The focus of the program is to collect baseline estuary health data, educate and train schoolchildren and adult volunteers to monitor estuaries, and to increase public awareness about estuary health. AAE will coordinate monitoring events with Volusia County’s Watershed Action Volunteers (WAV) and the Volusia County Schools Environmental Service Learning Legacy Project.
Volusia County’s estuaries are an important habitat for various species of fish, birds, macro-invertebrates, and plants. Monitoring their health is vital for the survival of the ecosystem as well as the well-being of nearby residents. Volunteers are essential in the early detection of habitat alterations that may lead to an unhealthy estuary.
AAE volunteers can participate in visual, biological, and physical/chemical monitoring, which provides important information on the overall health and condition of our estuaries. Training can include visual habitat monitoring and photo documentation, identification of native and non-native species, and conducting water quality tests. This is a great opportunity to learn about one of the world’s most important ecosystems, and to get outdoors and have some fun!
Training Manual
Curriculum GuideOnline Visual Survey Form Physical-Chemical Survey Form Biological ID
Bird flip cards Fish flip cards Bird survey Fish survey Plant flip cards Plant survey Camps and school groups - physical/chemical data 2011-2012
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