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  • Saving the Manatees
  • Farming the Sun
  • Marking the Trail

Saving the Manatees

Mosquito Lagoon, Volusia Co., Florida

While polluted coastal estuaries affect all plants and animals, the Florida Manatee has becme the most recognized face of the problem.  When nutrient-rich runoff from fertilizers and septic tanks leach into the groundwater, the resulting algae growth blocks the light, causing the seagrass  — the primary source of food for manatees and a host of other creatures — to die off.

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An innovative approach was developed to remove the excess nutrients flowing into the lagoon.  A canal was diverted, pumped into a pond and then to the top of a berm. This water then percolated though layers of clay and iron filings, which bound the phosphorus nutients to the iron and delivered clean water.  

Challenges

For all the sophisticated engineering involved, there wasn’t much to see.  The visible elements — a man-made “mesa” of packed earth, exposed pumps and relay stations seemed to add insult to the existing environmental injury.  And the process itself was complex, a mashup of physics, chemistry and biology.  

Solutions

  • A headline and dominant visual immediately engaged the reader, while the body copy contained an overview of the process, orienting them to the visible features. 
  • A sidebar to the right focused on the environmental impact of the pollution. 
  • Below, a diagram detailed the cyclical, ongoing sequence of the cleaning process. 
  • A casual remark regarding the iron filings used in the process led to a bit of interest trivia.  

Language was kept simple and succinct, and the panel was placed on a paved path adjacent to the entrance for maximum exposure.  

 

Farming the Sun

Mosquito Lagoon, Volusia Co., Florida

While polluted coastal estuaries affect all plants and animals, the Florida Manatee has becme the most recognized face of the problem.  When nutrient-rich runoff from fertilizers and septic tanks leach into the groundwater, the resulting algae growth blocks the light, causing the seagrass  — the primary source of food for manatees and a host of other creatures — to die off.