Monday, January 23, 2012 - Oxbow Lecture Looks At Past, Future Of The Indian River Lagoon Feb. 4

America’s most diverse estuary is noted for its biodiversity of fish, sea grasses, birds and a variety of other plants and animals. It was also the focus of the oldest interdisciplinary research project on the east coast that began in the 1950s and lasted 30 years. Join the Oxbow Eco-Center on Saturday, Feb. 4 at noon as Dr. R. Grant Gilmore presents an historic perspective of the Indian River Lagoon, with an eye toward its future restoration.

Dr. Gilmore begins the story of the Lagoon back in the 1880s, and will discuss the interdisciplinary research project that resulted in valuable information on the fish, phytoplankton, plants, insects and birds of the Lagoon. The study that was initiated by the Florida Medical Entomology Lab just north of St. Lucie County and was continued by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute until the 1980s. Dr. Gilmore will lead a practical discussion on what can be done to restore and protect the Lagoon’s amazing biodiversity.

Dr. Gilmore is a senior scientist with Estuarine, Coastal and Ocean Science, Inc., (ECOS). He founded ECOS in 2004 after spending 32 years with the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce and Dynamac Corp. at the Kennedy Space Center.

Dr. Gilmore has been studying the fish community and ecology of Florida and Caribbean Sea for the past 35 years, and is uniquely well-versed on the biodiversity of the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon fish communities. He has published more than 70 technical and popular papers on fish ecology and life history including reproductive habits of spotted seatrout, snook, groupers and sharks. He has appeared on 16 nationally and internationally televised programs. His appearances include programs on the Discovery Channel, and the National Geographic Ocean Science Documentary on the first American research expedition into Cuban waters since the revolution. Dr. Gilmore received his Ph.D., from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1988.

The Brown Bag Lecture is free and participants are encouraged to bring a lunch to enjoy. The Oxbow Eco-Center is a St. Lucie County environmental learning center located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive, Port St. Lucie on 225 acres along the St. Lucie River. For more information, contact the Oxbow at 772-785-5833, send an email to oxbow@stlucieco.org or visit www.oxboweco.com.