Since Coastal Tech was founded, our staff members have volunteered their time to a number of local organizations, lending their professional expertise to the community. We all are avid fishermen, surfers, boaters, and in general, enjoy what the environment has to offer. We feel it is important to give back to the community and share our passion for enhancing life in the coastal zone for others to share and enjoy just as much as we do.
Some of Coastal Tech's more recent involvement has been:
Prange Islands Adoption
Environmental Learning Center - Lagoon Days
Education Foundation - Indian River Regional Science & Engineering Fair & Observation Station
Indian River County - Sea Turtle Lighting Workshop
Indian River Lagoon - Spoil Island Clean Up
Visit these links to find out how you can volunteer to help the environment.
On November 18, 2008, Coastal Tech entered into the Prange Islands Conservation Area Adoption Agreement with Indian River County, Florida for 3 years.
During this time, Coastal Tech will provide a number of volunteer services including:
Exotics Treatment (Brazillian Pepper and Australian Pine)
Trail Clearing and Maintenance
Installation of entry and education signs
Repair existing camping area
Trash Removal
We are grateful to Indian River County for allowing us the opportunity to offer our services in restoring this beautiful conservation area.Coastal Tech completed its first workday on Prange Island on January 24, 2009 and has completed many more workdays since. To view photos and details of the workdays, please click here.
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What is the Environmental Learning Center?
The Environmental Learning Center (ELC), located in Wabasso, FL, is a 64 acre learning campus situated in the middle of the Indian River Lagoon. Here, people of all ages can come to observe and learn about Florida's environment by participating in the numerous events that the ELC offers.
The ELC is unique. Here, all of the exotic plant species have been removed (Brazilian Pepper, Australian Pine) so that the true beauty of nature can be enjoyed. There are exhibits, classrooms, labs, and boardwalks to observe or have a hands on experience with Florida's natural wonders.
Coastal Tech has been supporting the ELC for nearly 20 years, before the ELC center existed. Coastal Tech prepared the site plan and designed the infrastructure including a 51 acre stormwater management demonstration project.
In 2001, a new phase of development began for the ELC. Coastal Tech designed a replacement for the canoe launch facility that also included a teaching platform and canoe storage facility. In addition, Coastal Tech designed "George's Trail" - an elevated wooden boardwalk through a mangrove forest and "George's Blind" a two person elevated platform for observation of wildlife along the Indian River. Coastal Tech also obtained permits from the St. John's River Water Management District, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the county and prepared a mitigation planting plan. Currently, Coastal Tech is providing mitigation monitoring services.
In the picture to the right, you can see the culmination of years of Coastal Tech's efforts. On May 21, 2008, the official ground breaking of George's Trail. Sadly, on the night of June 30, 2008, the ELC suffered a large lightening strike to their Wet Lab Pavilion. The Wet Lab and Classrooms were destroyed and the public restrooms were damaged beyond repair. Coastal Tech volunteered permitting services and other local firms volunteered design and construction services at no or low cost to begin the reconstruction phase as quickly as possible. The ELC does have insurance, but not all of the repair costs will be covered. Please consider helping out by donating to the ELC Fire Fund.
It is more than just our services we have donated to the ELC, our staff has also volunteered their time. Every year, staff members and even some of their family members volunteer at the ELC's Lagoon Days. This event occurs annually and plays host to all Indian River County 4th graders. The focus of the event is teach students about the Indian River Lagoon. Students participate in a number of activities including adaptations, benthic ecology, birding, canoeing, seining, and Florida History. The Environmental Learning Center has much to offer.
Please visit their website at http://www.discoverelc.org or stop by. The address is:
Environmental Learning Center
255 Live Oak Drive
Vero Beach, FL 32963
Why Are We Involved?
They say that children are our future and we believe it, too. The Education Foundation of Indian River County is truly a unique organization. It supports all schools in the County, including public, private, parochial and charter. This allows for financial assistance to be funneled directly to the classroom where it is needed, not spent on bureaucracy.
The Education Foundation was founded in 1991 and has grown from its core program, the Indian River Regional Science and Engineering Fair, to include five programs to serve the needs of children throughout the county.
We at Coastal Tech are proud to offer our time to the Education Foundation to further their mission. Whether it be serving as a judge at the Science and Engineering Fair or presenting at the Observation Station to educate students on what it is we do at Coastal Tech and why it is so important for the environment.
It is these children that will be the future engineers and scientists that will be rebuilding our beaches and working with government agencies to ensure that we propose is best for the beach is also best for the environment.
Female Sea Turtles having been coming ashore in Florida for millions of years to lay their eggs. As more and more of Florida shoreline becomes developed with homes, condominiums and businesses, sea turtle hatchlings have had more difficulty in finding their way to the ocean instead of being drawn to the artificial lights emanating from the opposite direction.
The purpose of the workshop was to educate seaside residents first on the overall health of the sea turtle population and how they can help by reducing the amount of light that is cast towards the beach. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, but the message was largely to keep lights shielded, use turtle friendly light bulbs, and to keep the light fixtures low to the ground.
Representatives from the City of Vero Beach, Indian River County, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Park Service and The Ocean Conservancy were on site to give presentations and answer questions. Beach residents could sign up for free delivery and installation of a sea grape plant. The sea grape plant could be used as a natural shield to reduce the amount of light.
Coastal Tech had several members in attendance to share their expertise with the community, assist with the educational activities for the children, and provided snacks and beverages to all that attended.
Many local and county governments sponsor these events. Be sure to attend a workshop if one is held in your area so that you too can learn about how to protect sea turtles wherever you may live.
