Learn about why Proton Therapy can provide an important alternative to traditional radiation treatment. This form of treatment which was only available in other parts of the USA now means that residents will have this form of treatment on their doorstep.
Engage Estero Safety Council is made of volunteers serving as a voice for the citizens of greater Estero on safety and transportation priorities and issues. We advocate for related solutions to Village, County, and State Government organizations.
Road Safety in Greater Estero By Contributing Author, Mark Novitski, and Engage Estero Consultant. Everyone has their definition of what determines road safety or, conversely, what makes our roads unsafe. In writing extensively about Corkscrew Road, I have...
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comprtroller Kevin Karnes is now offering an alert notification system for Lee County property owners to reduce fraud. When you sign-up, if a deed, mortgage, or other non-Court official record is recorded in your name, you will be...
Engage Estero Environment Council is a volunteer group focusing on improving water and air quality and mitigating and eliminating the effects of climate warming in greater Estero.
During the weekend of April 6th, Engage Estero’s team of volunteers, organized by Julie Yellig, collected 360 pounds of bagged litter. A total of 2.2 tons of litter has been collected since the end of April 2023 (the end of last season), and an astonishing 10 tons...
by Mark Novitski, Consultant to Engage Estero. Mia McCormick, Advocate, Environment Florida, identifies why we need wildlife crossings: “Each year, animals at risk of extinction die when cars and creatures collide on Florida roadways. It is the number one cause of...
Engage Estero Community Health Council comprises health* and safety-minded volunteers who think about community health comprehensively with a common desire to improve the overall health of the citizens of greater Estero.
https://www.esterotoday.com/event/may2024/ RSVP
The facts Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 300,000 lives annually. Approximately 95 percent of SCA victims die before they reach a hospital or receive medical attention. How Can We Help Reduce This...
Engage Estero mobilizes volunteers in our schools, sponsors scholarships, and promotes the involvement of the community through announcements and public forums.
By Mike Wasson, Director, Engage Estero The Village of Estero Council issued a Proclamation its Meeting on Wednesday, March 6th honoring 39 Estero High School Students who were presented the Cambridge Outstanding Learners Awards. In his remarks, Jon McLain, Village of...
The Future Plans for our Schools and Students' Education in Greater EsteroBrought to you by the Engage Estero Education Councilby Mark Novitski, Consultant to Engage EsteroPrincipal Leslie Gunderson in her office at Pinewoods Elementary School behind a table full of...
Engage Estero believes the best way to get a community involved is to make sure they are aware of the issues impacting their future, and know how to impact those decisions before they are made. We conduct and publish original research and articles aimed at getting residents Engaged.
The Calusa Waterkeeper conducted an assessment to understand the factors contributing to water quality impairment in Florida. The “Water Quality Impairment Status and Trends of Southwest Florida Counties – 2018-2020” assessment is essential for determining pollution sources and eventual planning for restoration.
The purpose of this assessment is to summarize water quality impairment in nine southwest Florida counties between 2018 and 2020 using consistent Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) assessment criteria gathered from FDEP’s annual comprehensive verified list of impaired waters.
Annual changes in both the number of water bodies or water body segments impaired and their associated water quality parameters are essential for evaluating restoration programs or projects. Some consistent findings or commonalities concerning water quality changes and related metrics defining or contributing to impairment were evident among the nine counties assessed.
The following are highlighted summary points of concern:
Counties ranking highest regarding increased water quality impairment rate from highest to least were Lee, Collier, Manatee, and Charlotte
Counties ranking in the top three, in the order listed, (highest first) concerning population increase: Lee, Manatee, and Collier; percent of total waterbody ID units (WBID) impaired: Glades, Hendry, and Lee; percent increase in development 2001-2016: Manatee, Collier, and Hillsborough; percent increase in impervious area 2001-2016, Manatee, Collier and Lee
For the seven coastal counties, urban population growth and associated development underlie impairment causality. However, as an exception, Manatee County had a relatively high agriculture area as potentially contributing to its overall highest impairment status among all nine counties
Fecal bacteria was the most frequently occurring impairment parameter in six counties, including Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. Fecal bacteria present a public health risk in addition to parameters emphasizing ecosystem or aquatic life support criteria. In 2020 impairment for fecal bacteria represented 80 percent of all verified impairments in Manatee, 69 percent in Hillsborough, 62 percent in Sarasota, and 49 percent in Lee. Many of these fecal bacteria impairments occur in Outstanding Florida Waters supposed to be protected from water quality decline by statute
Nutrients represented the highest proportion of impairments in Collier, Glades and Hendry counties. A relatively high percentage of Hendry and Glades county land use is agriculture. Glades County had the highest percentage of WBIDs impaired across nine counties’ parameters. In Lee County, nutrient impairment increases were responsible for the county’s highest rate of increase in total impairments among all nine counties, despite having two BMAPs starting in 2012 (Everglades West Coast and Caloosahatchee Estuary) involving nutrient pollution.
Overall impairment trend. The order (highest impairment status to lowest) of counties ranked across all metrics defining or contributing to impairment was Manatee, Lee, Hillsborough, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Hendry, Glades, Pinellas.
To learn more and read the entire assessment report, click HERE.
The ECCL supports the Calusa Waterkeeper, a Fort Myers-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to Protect and Restore the Caloosahatchee River from Lake Okeechobee to the Coastal Waters. For more information, visit www.calusawaterkeeper.org
