Coastal Corridor Built Underwater

CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT WGCU DOT ORG IN 2021, THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR ACT WAS PASSED PROTECTING 18 MILLION ACRES OF CONNECTED GREEN SPACES STRETCHING FROM THE EVERGLADES TO THE GEORGIA AND ALABAMA BORDERS. THIS FUSION OF PROTECTED HABITATS AND UNPROTECTED AREAS LIKE RANCHES AND FARMS, ALL AIMS TO PROTECT CLEAN WATER AND PROVIDE CLIMATE RESILIENCE. NOW THE SAME GROUP BEHIND THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR IS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR OFFSHORE. WCU SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER TOM BAYLISS JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THE COASTAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR. AND TOM, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW THIS IS DEVELOPING? >> CERTAINLY, JENNIFER. >> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR ON LAND. >> BUT EVERYTHING IS HARDER AT SEA. 50 BARREN, CONCRETE REEF WERE PLACED ALONG THE SANDY BOTTOM 12 MILES OFFSHORE, NAPLES ON WEDNESDAY. NOW IT'S A GHOST TOWN MOVING IN REVERSE WITHIN HOURS, DRIFTING OUT TO CLIMB ONTO THE CONCRETE AND FORM A SLIME LAYER AKIN TO A NEON SIGN BLINKING, SAYING OPEN FOR BUSINESS, CHAOTIC CONSTRUCTION BEGINS. MILLIONS OF BARNACLES ATTACHED LIKE CEMENT, GREAT GREEN SEAWEED GROWS TOWARDS THE SUNLIGHT. BAIT FISH ARRIVE AND HIDE A WEEK OR 2 IN JUVENILE GROUP OR MOVE IN STAKING CLAIM TO NEW HOMES AND THE REEF BARRACUDA THEN STALKED THE BAIT. FISH AND GROUPER AND NOT 14 DAYS LATER, THE ARTIFICIAL REEF IS LIKE THE WILD FRONTIER DURING A GOLD RUSH. BUT UNDER WATER. >> FLORIDA'S GOT ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST REEF, OUR FISHERY PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. BUT WE'VE GOT ALSO THE LONGEST COASTLINE IN THE LOWER 48 AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND WE'RE SEEING DEGRADATION AND LOSS OF HABITAT. SO IS LIGHT WHERE RENT. WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK THAT WE HAVEN'T NEARLY BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE LEVEL WE NEED TO TAKE IT. SO THIS IS TAKING IT TOO A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL, BRING IN A LOT MORE FUNDING. >> THE ARTIFICIAL REEF OFF COLLIER COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS THE FIRST OF MANY PLANNED FOR THE FLORIDA COASTAL CORRIDOR. THAT'S AN UNDERWATER HIGHWAY OF SORTS BEING SPEARHEADED BY THE FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA. A GROUP WITH 15 MILLION IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO SPEND ON ENHANCING COASTAL HABITAT BY REPAIRING ENSURE SEAGRASS MEADOWS AND MANGROVE FORESTS AND BUILDING NEARSHORE REEFS AND RESTORING OYSTER BEDS. FLORIDA'S COAST IS UNDER GROWING PRESSURE AS DEVELOPMENT EATS AWAY AT SHORELINE HABITAT THAT ALSO SERVES AS FISH. NURSERIES AS WELL AS WARMING, OCEANS AND HIGHER TIDES THAT PUT MORE STRESS ON WHAT REMAINS JUVENILE FISH, CRABS AND SHRIMP LIVE AND GROW AMONG THE SHORELINE PLANTS. AND AT A CERTAIN SIZE, A LOT OF THE SPECIES MOVE OFFSHORE TO LIVE OUT THEIR ADULT LIVES WHERE THE ARTIFICIAL REEFS ARE IN TROUBLE. SO THIS PROVIDES. >> FOR THE PELAGIC SPECIES THAT ARE MOVING THROUGH THESE CORRIDORS. IT DOES PROVIDE THAT AND ALSO PROVIDES THOSE SMALLER NEEDS HABITAT NEEDS FOR THOSE FISH LIKE RE FISH AND OTHER INSHORE SPECIES LIKES LOOK AND OTHERS THAT MEAN THAT HAVE US DON'T TRAVEL AS MUCH BUT STILL, THE APP SO CONNECTS THE COOL THING IS THAT CONNECTS ALL THESE DIFFERENT HABITAT NEEDS AND MAKES IT'S GOING TO BLEND IN AND HAVE A TENT WHERE THE GAPS ARE WHERE THE NEEDS ARE, WHERE THOSE FISHERIES, WHETHER IT'S A MARK TORRE FISHERY A PLEDGE IT OR SOMETHING OR OR IT'S A AN INSHORE FISH THAT GOES OUT LIKE A REDFISH THAT'S GOING TO GO OFFSHORE TO SPAWN. CONNECT AND PROVIDES HABITAT FEEDING AREAS COVER THINGS LIKE THAT FOR THOSE SPECIES ACROSS ALL THEIR LIVESTOCK. BUT WHAT WILEY SAYS WILL MAKE IT WORK. ARE THOSE FOLKS AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS, CONSERVATIONISTS AND COASTAL RESIDENTS. >> TOGETHER, HE SAYS, IS THE ONLY WAY A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE. WE'LL WORK. >> WE DON'T WANT ON THE COAST A QUARTER. EVERYBODY OWNS THE CAUSE, THE CORNER LIKE THE WILDLIFE CORRIDOR BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO BIG TENTS. IT'S A WAY TO TO SHINE A LIGHT AND HIGHLIGHT ALL THE GREAT WORK ALL THE PARTNERS ARE DOING. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF BRIDGES THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO RESTORE SEAGRASS AND PROP SCARRING IN PLACES WHERE WE'VE HAD A GREAT NATION BECAUSE WATER QUALITY, WE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING TO RESTORE MANGROVES. LOT OF GROUPS AND I COULD NAME THEM ALL IS REALLY EXCITING. WE GOT ALL HANDS ON DECK AND WE'RE ALL. SO IT'S GREAT THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM A LOCAL TO STATE LEVEL AND EVEN WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN FEDERAL FUNDS. >> IS THERE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO COMPLETE? ALL OF THESE ARTIFICIAL REEFS AROUND THIS STATE OF FLORIDA? >> THERE'S NO SPECIFIC TIME FRAME AND THE STATE HAS YET TO COORDINATE WITH COUNTIES THAT PERHAPS THEY'RE NOT AS ADVANCED AS OTHERS. WITH 3 STILL DING. THEN THERE'S ALSO SHORELINE REBUILDING BEACH CLEANUPS AND MANGROVE RESTORATION AFTER HURRICANES. >> TOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS STORY. IT'S SUPER INTERESTING. >> THANK YOU, JEN. >> AFTER THE BREAK, WE'RE DIVING BACK INTO THE WATERS TO LEARN HOW RESEARCHERS WITH