Rose Young & Ricki Howie
Retired school teachers and fiber artists

Two local artists inspire others to promote solutions to deteriorating water conditions…

“We want people to wake up to the fact that something’s going on that shouldn’t be going on. Everybody’s got a stake in it.”

Read Their Story



Rose Young & Ricki Howie

Jeanne Bigos
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Outrigger Beach Resort

A hotel marketer laments the changes she sees…

"You can’t do this to the environment, unless you want to live in the middle of the damage."

Read Her Story



Jeanne Bigos

Awilda Rivera
General Manager
Casa Ybel Resort

A hotelier calls for teamwork to address local water issues…

"Unfortunately, nature didn’t cause this, so we have to pull together to get it resolved."

Read Her Story



Awilda Rivera

Kristie Anders
Education Director
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

A conservation educator sees plenty of cause for concern...

"We're seeing our estuary on miracle grow. Unnatural amounts of nutrients and the unnatural growth of some species are tipping the system out of balance."

Read Her Story



Kristie Anders

Win Everham
Associate Professor, Ecological & Social Science
College of Arts & Science, Florida Gulf Coast University

An ecology professor explains the dynamics behind water quality issues.

"People come here to vacation and to build homes. If our area ceases to be a beautiful place, the bottom will drop out of our economy. If we degrade our environment enough, people will no longer come here."

Read His Story



Win Everham

Dave Jensen
Owner, Jensen’s Marina & Twin Palm Cottages

A marina owner takes personal responsibility.

"The fishing is not as good. One of our guests who’s been coming here for years to fish has kept a log of what he’s caught over the years. Last year was the first year he’s experienced several days without catching any fish."

Read His Story



Dave Jensen

Pete Quasius
President, Audubon of Southwest Florida
Local fishing guide

An environmental activist paints a disturbing picture.

"Everyone has a piece of this. Our battle is to convince the legislators and the voters that this is an issue of major significance. We’re at risk of destroying our tourist industry."

Read His Story



Pete Quasius

Steve Shimp
President, Owens Ames Kimball
Commercial developer

A commercial developer sees the writing on the wall.

"If it's not a dead river, it's on its way to being dead"

Read His Story



Steve Shimp

Sally Tapager
Owner, Tropic Star Cruises

An ecotourism business owner sees the dire impact on businesses.

"We've seen red tide, dead fish and brown water. It's all affected businesses on the island. The tourist business has been negatively impacted. People are staying away."

Read Her Story



Sally Tapager

Randy Wayne-White
Author & local resident

A noted author is very troubled by water quality issues.

"I find it very troubling. The first casualty of a failed economy is the environment."

Read His Story



Randy Wayne-White

Ralph Woodring
Owner, The Bait Box
Lifetime Sanibel resident

A local fisherman makes a passionate plea for help.

"Business has not been good. I receive lots of emails and inquiries about the quality of the water and whether there are any fish here."

Read His Story



Ralph Woodring
Fast Facts

To tell us your tale, email us at mywaterstory@leegov.com. And thanks for taking time to help us better understand the scope of what’s happening to us all.

Send your Story Related Links

South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force:

http://www.sfrestore.org

South Florida Water Management District:

http://www.sfwmd.gov More Links Glossary

Phosphorus [P]:

An element or nutrient required for energy production in living organisms; distributed into the environment mostly as phosphates by agricultural runoff and life cycles; frequently the limiting factor for growth of microbes and plants.

Blue-Green Algae:

A type of algae natural to our area that blooms in the climatic and nutrient conditions it finds favorable.

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