What We Do:
Protect Central and Southwest Florida's water and wildlife
Power of Partnerships
Pulling together diverse stakeholders is the most powerful and effective way to protect our waters. The CHNEP creates a safe environment for dialogue to facilitate the reaching of consensus-based decisions supported by sound science. Speaking with a unified voice and a single set of priorities means more influence and resources for all.
Empowering Citizens
Whether it is providing vital information to policymakers, environmental education to children, or presentations to community groups, CHNEP is in our community working every day to empower citizens to protect water and estuarine resources - the basis of Southwest Florida's quality of life and economy.
Research and Restoration
Our team directly undertakes scientific research and restoration to improve water quality, replant seagrasses and create more oysters in our waters. We also provide critical support to our partners through field support, financial assistance, grant writing and administration, data analysis, and more.
The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) is working to prevent as well as to address existing water quality degradation in the CHNEP study area. We engage in numerous efforts to gather data, facilitate stakeholder discussions on water quality issues, and to develop consensus and science-based recommendations and solutions for improving water quality in our region.
CHNEP Water Atlas
The CHNEP Water Atlas displays current water quality trends to the public. This electronic resource will soon include a wide range of new information.
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Water Quality Monitoring
The CHNEP is a partner in the Coastal Charlotte Harbor Monitoring Network, which collects and analyzes water samples from 60 randomly selected field sites throughout 10 waterbodies each month. Our scientists audit water quality sampling techniques for partner organizations, in order to ensure there are quality assurance checks in place so that data can be used by the state for water quality assessment, which in turn assists the development of pollutant limits and clean-up plans. Learn more about the Coastal Charlotte Harbor Monitoring Network data on the CHNEP Water Atlas.
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Nutrient Pollution
A priority of the CHNEP is to reduce nutrient pollution that fuels harmful algae blooms (incl. red tide and cyanobacteria green slime events). We are engaged in numerous projects that use technological and natural approaches to removing nutrient pollution. CHNEP worked with The Balmoral Group to develop and test a “dashboard” that will enable coastal resource managers to quantify the economic implications of HABs, and thereby assess the value of restoration investments or management actions in avoiding negative economic impacts.
Water Atlas
The CHNEP's Water Atlas website collects and analyzes water quality data from the various entities in our study area - making it publicly available so anyone can access to understand the condition of their waters.
In addition to the Water Atlas, the CHNEP is now creating periodic Water Quality Status Fact Sheets - easy-to-understand snapshots of nutrient and bacteria levels in each of the basins in the CHNEP study area. They also include updated lists of waterbodies that are currently not meeting water quality standards.