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Expert Panel

We hope you enjoy some virtual tours, lessons, and experiences from our community partners below.  We are so very grateful to have the opportunity to share this content with you, thanks to our partners at MarineLab, Everglades National Park, Island Dolphin Care, Smartfin, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary!

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MarineLab

MarineLab is an environmental education facility in Key Largo, FL, focused on teaching students from across the country about subtropical marine ecology via immersive learning experiences.  MarineLab’s mission is “To use education and adventure in the Florida Keys ecosystem to foster environmental awareness and stewardship on a local, regional, and global scale.”  Pat Malloy, a MarineLab instructor, created this short video to showcase some of the invertebrates that utilize our beautiful mangroves as a habitat.  If you have never snorkeled amongst the mangrove roots, we are hoping you will want to after watching this!  So many cool critters!

 

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Everglades National Park

Park Rangers in the Everglades are responsible for a variety of tasks from studying and protecting the ecosystem to sharing it with visitors. Explore the Everglades with Ranger Dylann and investigate aspects of the ecosystem such as water, wildlife, and fire. Learn how scientists in the park have grown our understanding of those topics over time, as well as how we who live in south Florida are connected to the Everglades.

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Island Dolphin Care

Welcome to Island Dolphin Care. We provide animal assisted, therapeutic, motivational, and educational therapy programs to children, adults with special needs, and their families and caregivers. Through interactive programs, education, and research, participants are inspired to value and respect marine mammals and their environment. Our facilities are currently closed due to COVID to ensure the utmost safety of our staff and animals. However, we're still open for virtual learning and we'd love to invite you and your family to join us for a tour. We offer virtual classes in marine science, dolphin anatomy and behavior, along with other fun activities like a dolphin read-along, yoga, and painting. If you have any questions, visit our website at www.islanddolphincare.org  

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Smartfin

This video documents a research expedition to Lizard Island, Australia.  Dr. Tyler Cyronak, who is featured in the video, is a close partner of Smartfin and has helped with its development since he was a student at Scripps Institute of Oceanography.  The expedition sought to study the recovery of coral reef ecosystems after extreme disturbance events. Lizard Island is a small granite island surrounded by a beautiful coral reef on the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. The island itself is remote, and accessible only by boat or small plane.  The video helps to show the day to day reality of conducting this important research.  

 

More information about this expedition and the Smartfin project can be found at smartfin.org

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Reef Environmental Education Foundation (R.E.E.F.)

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is an international marine conservation organization based in Key Largo, Florida. REEF implements hands-on programs to involve the local community in conservation focused activities. REEF’s work focuses on four main projects: the Volunteer Fish Survey Project, the Grouper Moon Project, the Invasive Species Program, and the Ocean Explorers Education Program. This video describes our four main projects and how you can get involved in marine conservation and become a citizen scientist.

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Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Listen to our presentation to learn more about the sanctuary, the ecosystem we protect, and how your students and school are working as ocean guardians.

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