Outreach Stories

Creating Vertical Oyster Gardens for Habitat

The 2nd CHNEP Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) Workshop was a success! With leftover oyster shells from last year’s event, CHNEP Staff held...

Volunteers Test Local Waterbodies

This past weekend, CHNEP hosted the Earth Echo Water Challenge. Volunteers met at Gilchrist Park to learn more about citizen science and...

Educating the Next Generation of Anglers!

This past weekend, CHNEP staff and a team of fantastic volunteers brought the CHNEP Kids Sustainable Fishing Clinic to the Arcadia Rodeo!...

FL Horseshoe Crab Watch Training

CHNEP volunteers participated in a FL Horseshoe Crab Watch training with the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute! Berlynna Heres,...

Keeping our "Eyes on Seagrass"

CHNEP volunteers participated in an "Eyes on Seagrass" Citizen Scientist program training with Charlotte County Florida Sea Grant! Forest...

Native Planting Improves Your Yard

Recently, CHNEP staff hosted a Native Planting Workshop with the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC). Jamie Reynolds from the...

Earth Day Cleanup Helps Charlotte Harbor

In honor of Earth Day, CHNEP hosted a trash cleanup this past weekend. Participants joined us for a socially distanced cleanup at Ponce...

Virtual Volunteer Events Support Community Science

While trying to navigate Covid and still engage our wonderful volunteers, CHNEP staff pivoted to a mix of virtual and in-person,...

Vertical Oyster Gardens Improve Local Waterways

Recently, CHNEP staff hosted their first Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) Workshop at City Hall. Staff set out to create a covid-safe event...

Kid's Fishing Clinic Goes Virtual

During these trying times with Covid, CHNEP wanted to continue helping kids be good fishing stewards. We pivoted our Kid's Fishing Clinic...

Audubon Bird Count

CHNEP Citizen Scientists gathered at Ponce de Leon Park in December to participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. With our boots on...

2019 Nature Festival

Many thanks to the exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and festival-goers that made the 2019 CHNEP Nature Festival a smashing success! Over...

Bat Houses

We're BATTY about conservation! In October 2019 CHNEP Volunteers built ten finely constructed bat houses to support the conservation of...

Sustainable Fishing Clinic at the Arcadia Rodeo

Yee-haw! The CHNEP hosted a Sustainable Fishing Clinic at the 6th Annual Arcadia Fall Rodeo this October. Over 75 Heartland youth...

International Coastal Cleanup

On September 21st, CHNEP volunteers joined individuals around the world to participate in the International Coastal Cleanup. From the...

Pre-Marine Debris Cleanup: August 2019

To celebrate Embrace the Gulf 2020 and Great American Cleanup month, CHNEP held a trash pickup at Ponce de Leon park. We discussed the...

Horseshoe Crab Watch

Thank you to the 45 wonderful volunteers that joined CHNEP and FWC for our Horseshoe Crab Training & Monitoring Workshop! After an...

Wild about Water Quality in Polk County

The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP), the Ancient Islands Sierra Club, and EarthEcho hosted a water quality...