Restoring and Protecting Florida’s Waters: Highlights From the 5th Annual Women in Conservation Event

April 24, 2026

Last Friday, The Everglades Foundation and Friends of Manatee Lagoon partnered to bring the fifth annual Women in Conservation event to Manatee Lagoon. This year’s theme, “Restoring and Protecting Our Waters,” featured presentations from Dr. Meenakshi Chabba, Ecosystem & Resilience Scientist at The Everglades Foundation; Dr. Krista McCoy, Director of Research and Conservation at the Florida Oceanographic Society; and Joanna Walczak, Vice President of Conservation at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. 

The event kicked off with a welcome from Executive Director of Friends of Manatee Lagoon, Sarah Marmion, followed by opening remarks by the Honorable Shannon Estenoz, Chief Policy Officer at The Everglades Foundation. Hon. Estenozhighlighted women leading in conservation and continuing to push forward the efforts needed to protect Florida’s vibrant ecosystems like America’s Everglades.

The Everglades: Restoration, Resilience, and Our Shared Waters

Dr. Chabba presented on Everglades restoration and its role in building resilience across South Florida. She explained how restoration focuses on storing, cleaning, and sending water south to reconnect the natural flow of freshwater through the Everglades. Dr. Chabba highlighted how these efforts strengthen water security, reduce flood risk, support local economies, and deliver long‑term benefits to the communities and ecosystems connected throughout the Everglades watershed.

Understanding Resilience Through Clams

Dr. McCoy focused on resilience biology and how scientific research is helping inform restoration efforts. Using hard clams as an example, she shared how researchers study genetically resilient populations that have survived extreme stressors such as heat waves, poor water quality, and low oxygen conditions. These “super clams” help scientists better understand how organisms adapt to environmental change and how this knowledge can guide smarter, more effective restoration strategies.

Coral Reefs and Coastal Communities

Joanna Walczak closed out the day’s presentations with an overview of Florida’s Coral Reef and the challenges it faces. She discussed recent marine heat waves, coral disease, and water quality stressors, emphasizing that coral reefs are deeply connected to our communities. Beyond supporting marine life, reefs protect coastlines from storms, support fisheries, drive tourism, and play a critical role in Florida’s economy, making their protection essential for both environmental and human resilience.

The event concluded with a Q&A session moderated by Sarah Marmion, Executive Director of Friends of Manatee Lagoon. The speakers wrapped up with a message of inspiration for women to get involved in conservation and spoke to the importance of people and communities being aware of their impacts on the ecosystems they live within.

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