Ninth Annual Corkscrew Forum Convenes Scientists and Stakeholders around Watershed Science

Understanding how ecosystems work is a vital first step in defending the issues folks worth most: clear air, clear water, and a wholesome, resilient setting for future generations. However the best impression of environmental research comes when this data is shared and mentioned, therefore the significance of this annual regional occasion known as the Corkscrew Watershed Science Discussion board.

Hosted on Might 7, 2026, on the UF/IFAS Extension in Collier County, the ninth annual occasion welcomed 100 contributors, together with Audubon employees and greater than a dozen audio system. The day-long occasion was launched by Audubon employees to unite environmental professionals working inside the Corkscrew Watershed to current their work to colleagues, coverage employees, determination makers, volunteers, and different stakeholders. The result’s a regional discussion board for networking, productive dialogue, and constructing collaborations aimed toward informing and advancing conservation efforts throughout Southwest Florida.

Following a welcome by occasion founder, Conservation Director Shawn Clem, PhD, introductory remarks by Sanctuary Director Keith Laakkonen set the stage, emphasizing the sheer amount of agricultural lands and pure areas being transformed to growth across the Sanctuary’s borders. He kicked off the discussions by highlighting the rising want for conservation and the chance for collaboration.

LAURA LAYMAN, STEVE BLAIR, and MARIA LOINAZ — Corkscrew Watershed Initiative Replace

Within the first presentation, Laura Layman of the South Florida Water Administration District outlined how flood safety channels dug close to the Sanctuary within the early 2000s have unintentionally lowered floor and groundwater ranges. With 60 years of water-level knowledge collected, Audubon employees revealed these adjustments in 2019, prompting the district to start exploring methods to cut back uncontrolled canal releases and retain extra water on the panorama. In 2021, an Audubon and SFWMD-funded water-level modeling research of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Fowl Rookery Swamp helped determine the doubtless trigger and commenced dialogue of potential options. Members of the Corkscrew Watershed Initiative (CWI) challenge workforce supplied an replace on CWI, a three-year planning challenge aimed toward creating a plan for restoring water ranges all through the watershed to guard wildlife habitat and pure assets.

AMBER CROOKS — Oil Drilling within the Large Cypress

Amber Crooks with the Conservancy of SW Florida defined a few of the impacts of oil drilling exploration in Large Cypress Nationwide Protect. Ten years after the final exploration occasion occurred there, the broken cypress forest has nonetheless not rebounded, and regardless of mitigation efforts on a close-by tomato area, the related wetlands have regained lower than 50% of their unique operate. Crooks additionally shared details about two new oil pads which are proposed for the world.

ALLYSON WEBB — A Historic Perspective of Prescribed Fireplace

Allyson Webb, Audubon’s land stewardship supervisor for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, shared a historic perspective of prescribed hearth on the Sanctuary courting again to 1973. Fireplace is a vital element of South Florida’s ecosystem operate, and new developments adjoining to Sanctuary boundaries have elevated the necessity for prescribed fires to cut back vegetative particles that may very well be ignited by lightning strikes. On the similar time, the should be conscious of the consequences of wind-driven smoke on developed land constantly reduces the variety of acres that may be burned every year. The trouble to satisfy the wants of fire-dependent habitats is additional sophisticated by altered freshwater flows and inconsistent climate patterns worsened by local weather change.

ADAM HERDMAN — Reestablishing Ghost Orchid Populations

The rising demand for water assets is decreasing the water obtainable for wetland capabilities, leading to unintended penalties for vegetation like ghost orchids. Adam Herdman, a PhD scholar on the College of Florida, defined the significance of wholesome wetlands for these and different delicate vegetation, which depend on a fancy mixture of environmental circumstances, in addition to pollinators, fungi, and neighboring species. Research like his to know ghost orchid populations are vital for conserving these uncommon species, together with consideration of any laws to supply them extra safety.

JOHN CASSANI, DEAN CROSHAW, ANDREW DURSO, EDWIN EVERHAM, III, AND WHITNEY JO HUMMEL — FrogWatch and Altering Land Use

Many wetland species are straight affected by growth, however few animals present these impacts as dramatically as amphibians. John Cassani and others with Florida Gulf Coast College described the outcomes of 26 years of frog name surveys throughout Southwest Florida, with native knowledge echoing the worldwide decline of those environmental indicators. By means of the FrogWatch program presentation, the viewers discovered that a minimum of three species are not often or now not heard calling throughout a lot of their historic vary, together with refrain frogs, gopher frogs, and spadefoot frogs. It’s well-known that these animals reply unfavorably to air pollution, rainfall deficits, predation, and microbes, however species such because the pinewoods treefrog and Southern cricket frog might not be adapting when their habitat is misplaced. Whereas some species seem steady, the one one which confirmed a transparent enhance in inhabitants over this era was the invasive cane toad.

PETER SEBASTIAN — Parasites and Panthers

Pet populations are having a direct impression on native wildlife, together with by transmitting ailments and parasites. Peter Sebastian, PhD, DVM, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee, described what could also be one other of those impacts as an injured Florida panther was found to have a particular kind of heartworm that hadn’t beforehand been seen within the U.S.

NATE DORN — Asian Swamp Eel Invasion

Rounding out the day was a presentation by FIU professor Nate Dorn, PhD, who described the invasion of Asian swamp eels within the Everglades. Whereas the final recognized introduction of this fish was a long time in the past, these aquatic predators are increasing their vary and devouring a wide range of prey which are vital for the survival of wading birds and different predators. Dorn and his coauthors reported a lack of 98% of crayfish at one research website the place eels are current. As a result of crayfish make up a large a part of wading birds’ weight-reduction plan, birds are threatened by the eels’ arrival. Asian swamp eels haven’t but been present in Collier County (together with Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary), however Sanctuary biologists stay looking out. Watch a latest, one-hour webinar by Dr. Dorn about Asian swamp eels here. 

Conclusion

A number of different displays shared greatest practices and/or analysis outcomes, together with methods to extend plant species range in wetland mitigation, the usage of multispectral imagery to map and determine invasive vegetation, the monitoring of mammal populations in the watershed, and the way illegally harvested and confiscated native turtles survive after reintroduction.

Understanding extra about threats and their impacts on the ecosystem is vital for managing land whereas defending wildlife, vegetation, and water assets in a altering panorama. Occasions just like the annual Corkscrew Watershed Science Discussion board enhance our capability to guard essential habitats that Audubon manages and safeguard the issues which are essential to birds and other people. It additionally strengthens the ties between the locations birds want throughout the hemisphere.

See the entire list of presentations and presenters here.