http://marconews.com/news/environment/marconews.com Stories: Habitaten-usenvironmenthttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/16/turtle-tag-researchers-take-close-look-marcos-goph/In the first major biological research project of its kind on Marco Island, gopher tortoises are getting more than just a once-over from a team of researchers. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:05:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/16/turtle-tag-researchers-take-close-look-marcos-goph/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/14/tigertail-beach-gets-spruce-volunteers/Friends of Tigertail Beach members and volunteers spent Saturday morning performing the quarterly clean-up along the beach. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:56:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/14/tigertail-beach-gets-spruce-volunteers/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/09/benefits-and-rules-artificial-reefs/Florida has one of the most active artificial reef programs in the Gulf and the Atlantic states. In addition to increasing habitat, artificial reefs improve fishing and diving opportunities, provide socio-economic benefits to local communities, minimize user conflicts and facilitate reef research. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:21:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/09/benefits-and-rules-artificial-reefs/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/08/death-manatee-near-marco-island-under-investigatio/A manatee bobbing in the waters near Marco Island is poked and prodded by the noses of several larger manatees, an apparent attempt to bring their ailing relative up for air. That’s the report received by Mitts Maravic of the Fish and Wildlife Commission over the Fourth of July weekend. A Marco Island man reported that a dying or dead manatee was located off Isles of Capri near channel marker 16. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:04:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/08/death-manatee-near-marco-island-under-investigatio/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/02/many-island-seawalls-falling-disrepair/Boaters and residents may miss a small crack in a cement seawall, but as the walls begin to fall, leaning into the canals, they become difficult to miss. They also become costly to replace. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:02:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/02/many-island-seawalls-falling-disrepair/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/26/sea-turtle-snached-tourists-minnesota-returned-gul/After hiding away in Minnesota and Naples, he came crawling home Thursday. A loggerhead sea turtle finally returned to his home in the waters off Southwest Florida on Thursday, four years after being smuggled out of state by a tourist vacationing on Sanibel Island. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:25:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/26/sea-turtle-snached-tourists-minnesota-returned-gul/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/26/solar-power-may-be-distant-horizon-marco-propertie/It seems all things electrical are up for discussion on Marco Island these days. Coal prices doubling and oil prices skyrocketing have people looking high and low for alternatives. These two main sources of electricity, coal and oil, have been the leading factors in Florida Power & Light’s recent 16 percent average rate increase and Lee County Electric Cooperative’s approximate five percent rate increase coming to customers’ bills this July. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:01:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/26/solar-power-may-be-distant-horizon-marco-propertie/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/13/mother-aby-manatees-released-after-spending-six-w/Friday the thirteenth was a good day for Gymnastic Chicken and her baby, Chicken Little. The two endangered Florida manatees were returned to their home near Calusa Island Marina and Yacht Club in Goodland after spending six weeks at Tampa’s Lowery Park Zoo. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 01:03:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/13/mother-aby-manatees-released-after-spending-six-w/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/12/diversions-shift-tide-barrier-islands/The world’s longest chain of barrier islands hugs the coast of the Lone Star State. This ribbon of sand and sea oats captivates with its beauty and wild spirit. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/12/diversions-shift-tide-barrier-islands/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/09/everglades-national-park-seeking-tour-boat-operati/Everglades National Park soon might have a new tour-boat operator for the first time in nearly 50 years. Park tours currently are run locally by Everglades City Mayor Sammy Hamilton Jr. through his business, Everglades National Park Boat Tours Inc., which was founded in 1959. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:10:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/09/everglades-national-park-seeking-tour-boat-operati/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/08/name-rose-celebrating-national-rose-month/The Chinese were thought to have first cultivated rose gardens over 5000 years ago, and for centuries since, the beauty and fragrance of the “Queen of flowers” has been admired the world over. Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:02:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/08/name-rose-celebrating-national-rose-month/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/31/drought-impacting-salinity-levels-rookery-bay/By definition, an estuary, such as Rookery Bay, is not quite a sea and not quite a river. But for the past 15 months, Rookery Bay has been a sea. The usual mixture of salt water and fresh water has been replaced with a concoction that is virtually indistinguishable from the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists recorded an average salinity, or saltiness, of 35.3 parts per thousand at the mouth of Henderson Creek, the bay’s primary tributary, in 2007. That’s roughly the same salt content as Gulf water. Sat, 31 May 2008 20:59:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/31/drought-impacting-salinity-levels-rookery-bay/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/31/everglades-restoration-projects-southwest-florida-/ Rookery Bay has become a poster child for the federal government’s stalled campaign to restore South Florida’s ecosystem. South Belle Meade and Rookery Bay’s main tributary, Henderson Creek, were among the 68 restoration projects Congress included in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, or CERP, in 2000. Sat, 31 May 2008 20:28:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/31/everglades-restoration-projects-southwest-florida-/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/bioblitz-sanctuary-next-one-busiest-intersections-/The area’s first “BioBlitz” was held in March at Collier’s Reserve Country Club, a 450-acre community east of U.S. 41, and north of Immokalee Road. Club members and their guests teamed up with local scientists to record all the species sighted there during the day. Sun, 25 May 2008 04:02:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/bioblitz-sanctuary-next-one-busiest-intersections-/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/27/algae-blooms-likely-week/Cool and breezy days earlier this week may lead to algae blooms on Marco Island beaches as warmer days approach. Monday and Tuesday were relatively cool days for this time of year, said public information coordinator Lisa Douglass. Tue, 27 May 2008 20:34:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/27/algae-blooms-likely-week/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/burrowing-owls-make-great-neighbors/Marco Islander Barbara Evans got some new neighbors this year. Living on the vacant lot next to her on Rose Court, these furry, feathered friends are actually burrowing owls. Sun, 25 May 2008 04:01:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/burrowing-owls-make-great-neighbors/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/24/rookery-bay-volunteer-wins-monthly-jefferson-award/It took a lot of secrecy and a small covert mission to get Rookery Bay volunteer Cyril Marks to the presentation. The look on his face when he found out he had won February’s Jefferson Award for Public Service was priceless. Sat, 24 May 2008 04:36:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/24/rookery-bay-volunteer-wins-monthly-jefferson-award/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/23/panther-killed-collier-boulevard-north-marco-islan/A driver killed an endangered Florida panther last night on Collier Boulevard between the Prime Outlets shopping center and the Silver Lakes Resort and Golf Club, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported this morning. The female panther, estimated at 2 to 3 years old, is the ninth documented panther death and the fourth panther roadkill in 2008. Fri, 23 May 2008 16:20:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/23/panther-killed-collier-boulevard-north-marco-islan/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/20/hideaway-beach-continues-wash-out-sea/The sands surrounding Marco Island’s Hideaway Beach have been washing out to sea for years, recently leading to the loss of the nearby Coconut Island. Hideaway Beach’s special taxing district went before two councils Monday, the Collier County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and the Marco City Council, looking for direction and financial aid to address their beach erosion problem. Tue, 20 May 2008 21:14:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/20/hideaway-beach-continues-wash-out-sea/localhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/19/collier-panel-backs-300000-study-cape-romano-sand-/A search for sand to renourish Collier County beaches in an emergency received the backing of a county advisory board Monday. The county’s Tourist Development Council voted 7-0 to recommend that county commissioners spend up to $300,000 in tourist tax revenue to study the possibility of using sand from the Cape Romano shoals south of Marco Island. Mon, 19 May 2008 17:06:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/19/collier-panel-backs-300000-study-cape-romano-sand-/local