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UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🎉 Celebrating LAKEWATCH’s Natalie Anderson! Congrats to Natalie for earning the UF/IFAS Web Hero Award for her work on the Florida LAKEWATCH site redesign, making it more modern, accessible, and volunteer-friendly. 🌊 Explore: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences @ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Hoist those Golden Gators! Congratulations to all our SFFGS recipients at the 19th Annual Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Research Awards Ceremony held on May 21 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Michigan is adding water hyacinth and water lettuce to the state list of Prohibited Invasive Species. Get to know these plants and how to report them! content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...

Side-by-side infographic of two invasive aquatic plants. Left: water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) with purple flower clusters, round waxy leaves held above water by swollen stems, and dangling roots. Right: water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), a free-floating plant with fuzzy, ridged leaves and long roots, producing new plants on horizontal runners. Both labeled “Invasive,” with a prompt to report sightings to EGLE.

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Florida Museum of Natural History @floridamuseum.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Museum Resource 🐟 Fishes in the Fresh Waters of Florida Explore our state's freshwater fish species, including collection records, photos and map. Shown: Flier (Centrarchus macropterus), indigenous to Florida's freshwaters 🔗 More info & browse gallery: www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fis...

two golden fish specimens with faint dark bands down their flat oval bodies including a black stripe down their pointed faces through their round eyes. They have short fins nearly the length of their bodies that are serrated near their heads and end with a rounded square shape at the rear near short triangular tail fins. The top is slightly larger and lighter gold while the bottom is mor almond shaped with a darker tone

a screenshot showing search criteria fields down the left side of a map of the Southeastern United States with red pins clustered heavily around the northern border of Florida and scattered up the east coast and the Mississippi River region

MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Learn about loons in this short thread from our friends at Watersheds Canada!

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Gretchen Lescord @lake-lover.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

One of the coolest things I've done professionally in a long time. Good people and good science. If you live in south FL and like to fish, you should check out CISMA and help them remove invasive species!

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences @ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

LAKEWATCH team members Celine Lajoie, Ph.D, doctoral candidate Baylor Lynch, and LAKEWATCH Director Gretchen Lescord (@lake-lover.bsky.social), Ph.D., were all on hand for the collection along with awesome volunteers with CISMA and their agency collaborators including @myfwc.bsky.social.

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences @ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Just as this year’s Class 25 Fellows graduate, the @ifas.ufl.edu Extension Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI) has more to celebrate as Joy Hazell is named permanent director after spending more than a year as interim. blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2026/04...

blogs.ifas.ufl.edu

UF/IFAS Extension Natural Resources Leadership Institute Names Permanent Director - News

Email 0 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Reddit 0 X Linkedin 0 Stumbleupon 0 Just as this year’s Class 25 Fellows graduate, the UF/IFAS Extension Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI) has more to celebrat...

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

💙 Volunteer Appreciation Week | April 19-25 💙 This week we celebrate Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers. From early morning sampling to long-term dedication, you make this program possible by monitoring lakes and providing critical data for scientists, communities, and managers statewide. Thank you!

Graphic celebrating Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers. Text reads “Volunteers Are the heart of LAKEWATCH.” A collage shows about twenty volunteers wearing LAKEWATCH shirts, holding wooden paddles and recognition plaques, on a light gray background with an orange border.

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🎣 Next weekend! The 2026 SWFL CISMA Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup is April 24–26. Help remove invasive fish and support LAKEWATCH mercury research. Donate part of your catch. Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-swfl-...

eventbrite.com

2026 SWFL CISMA Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup

The 2026 SWFL CISMA Invasive Freshwater Fish Roundup! Prizes, Free Swag, Education, and Entertainment!

Canadian Rivers Institute @canadianriversinst.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Become a citizen scientist for a good cause! 🐟 The @nashwaakwatershed Association is looking for volunteers to help with the 2026 Smolt Wheel operations! 🔗 Sign up here: lnkd.in/egvfJpC4

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🎉 Congrats to Abbey Belchior! 🎉 Florida LAKEWATCH MSc student Abbey was named the 2025 Teaching Assistant of the Year by @ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social. Her mentoring, thoughtful feedback, and strong leadership kept the course running smoothly and supported student success throughout 📚🏆 Well deserved! 👏

Three people stand side by side under a white outdoor canopy. The person in the center holds a framed certificate with visible text reading “Abigail Belchior” and “Teaching Assistant of the Year.” The two people on either side wear UF IFAS branded shirts. Trees and buildings are visible in the background.

Two people stand on a wooden boardwalk overlooking a calm river and wooded area. The person on the left holds a framed certificate that reads “Abigail Belchior” and “Teaching Assistant of the Year.” Both wear Florida LAKEWATCH or UF IFAS branded shirts. Sunlight highlights trees and water in the background.

A person stands on a wooden boardwalk holding a framed certificate with visible text reading “Abigail Belchior” and “Teaching Assistant of the Year.” The background shows a lake, green trees, and bright daytime lighting.

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

The University of Florida is hiring for an Assistant Professor of Freshwater Fish and Habitat Management! This role is not within LAKEWATCH but works closely alongside our program. 🗓 Apply by May 30, 2026 🔎 Requisition #539316 👉 explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Now hiring: OPS LakeWatch Program (part‑time) at UF 🌊 Support hands‑on freshwater monitoring with citizen scientists. Lab prep & sample processing, no experience required. $14–$16/hr. Apply by Mar 31: explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

📬 The new Florida LAKEWATCH Newsletter is here! Learn about lake science, microplastics, water monitoring history, and featured species like the Seminole Killifish and Least Bittern. Read it now: new.express.adobe.com/webpage/RA0K...

new.express.adobe.com

Newsletter 2026, Issue 1

A story told with Adobe Express

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🌊 LAKEWATCH Grad Student Spotlight! Anthony is reviewing how freshwater wildlife are used to monitor PFAS. His work shows why finding the species that best reflect contamination is crucial for understanding how these chemicals move through freshwater ecosystems and shaping future research.

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🌊 LAKEWATCH Grad Student Spotlight! Abigail studied tiny bottom-dwelling critters along the Ocklawaha River and found their communities shift with habitat, seasons, and storms like Hurricane Milton. These small species reveal big insights about Florida’s freshwater ecosystems.

Brian Hayden @drhaydo.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Most isotope users were never formally trained in isotope ecology. They learned just enough to get by. That gap shows up later — usually during interpretation. That’s exactly what my course is designed to fix.

atomicecology.com

Online Courses | Atomic Ecology

Online training in the application of stable isotopes to ecological and environmental research

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

🌊 LAKEWATCH Student Spotlight! Our grad students recently shared their research at the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Symposium. This month we’ll highlight projects on river critters 🪱, PFAS monitoring 🧪, and mercury in lake food webs 🪱➡️🐟. Stay tuned!

MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Explore the rarely seen world of freshwater plants! We're teaching a 2-day lab and classroom course in Aquatic Plant Identification at Kellogg Biological Station, June 17-18. Join us! www.canr.msu.edu/news/explore... #MacrophyteMonday

Several people stand and sit around a dock on a lake, learning about aquatic plant specimens.

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

📊 Explore LAKEWATCH Reports! Get insights on Florida lakes: water quality trends, fish communities, and mercury levels. Perfect for volunteers, researchers, and educators. 👉 lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/data--report...

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Florida LAKEWATCH Data Hub is live! Access interactive water quality dashboards, request data, view reports, find citation guidance, SOPs, and FAQs all in one place. 📊 Explore now: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/data--reports/

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Volunteers are the heart of Florida LAKEWATCH! Our updated Volunteer Resources page makes it easy to find training guides, videos, field sheets, safety info, and coordinator contacts. ✅ Explore now: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/for-voluntee...

Canadian Rivers Institute @canadianriversinst.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🚨 New postdoctoral opportunity at the University of British Columbia! Help rescue, archive, and synthesize freshwater data across Canada while training the next generation of data-savvy ecologists with the Living Data Project. 💧📊🤝 More details: www.ciee-icee.ca/ldp-postdoc-...

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Gretchen Lescord @lake-lover.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

Come work with one of the largest and longest running volunteer science programs in the country! Please share this widely, and with any data enthusiasts who lives lakes as much as we do 💧🐟🐊 explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53...

Katie O'Reilly @drkatfish.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Suwannee bass is one of at least 14 species of black bass - though we’re still discovering new ones (news.uga.edu/new-bass-spe...). Members of this group are mainly native to North America east of the Rockies, but have been introduced globally due to their popularity as sport fish #25DaysofFishmas

A diagram showing different black bass species

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Gretchen Lescord @lake-lover.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Florida LAKEWATCH is Hiring! Please share this post & help us find a data expert interested in supporting volunteer-based science! 📍 Position: Data Management Analyst I 🔗 explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/53... 🌐 Learn more: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu ❓ Questions? lescord.g@ufl.edu 🗓️ Apply by Nov 18

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Society for Freshwater Science @freshwaterscience.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

📝Hynes Award for New Investigators: outstanding recent primary publication 📣Leadership Award: early or mid-career members doing extraordinary work on behalf of SFS (3/3)

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

🧪🌊 Florida is a mercury hotspot, but most inland research is 20+ years old. LAKEWATCH’s new study dives into what we know (and don’t) about mercury in our lakes and rivers. Wildlife impacts, local variation, and emerging challenges. Read more 👉 new.express.adobe.com/webpage/i2x0...

Gretchen Lescord @lake-lover.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

It's #GarWeek!! These awesome fish are fast becoming one of my favorite in Florida's lakes. Here's me and my team @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social with a few Florida and Longnose Gar on Lake Louisa today!

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Collaboration in action! 🧪 LAKEWATCH, FWC & Winter Park teamed up to support research on invasive Asian Swamp Eels in Florida lakes. MS student Noah Peterson is studying their impact on food webs & sportfish. Fieldwork success thanks to many helping hands!

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

📲 Stay Connected with LAKEWATCH! 🌊 Want to keep up with the latest on Florida’s lakes, wildlife, and water science? Follow us on your favorite social platform! 💙 🔗 Tap our Linktree to explore all our channels: linktr.ee/ufifaslakewa...

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🧪 Skeleton Crew Spotlight: Dr. Celine Lajoie Our Mercury Mystic dives deep into the spectral science of mercury in Florida’s waters. Like a ghost whisperer for aquatic ecosystems, her research reveals hidden forces beneath the surface. 🧠 Postdoc Fellow 📧 celinelajoie@ufl.edu

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

💧 Used alum in your lake or pond? We want to hear from you! Your experience helps us understand alum use across Florida. 🌊 📧 Contact Dr. Lescord: lescord.g@ufl.edu | (352) 846-6313 📞 Or call your coordinator: 1-800-LAKEWAT

Gretchen Lescord @lake-lover.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

The 2025 @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social team! It's a privilege to work with these folks every day.

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🌊 Since 1988, LAKEWATCH has helped UF students dive into freshwater science! From Lake Alice to peer-reviewed research, hands-on learning lives on. 🧪🐟 📖 Read the story: new.express.adobe.com/webpage/QJdX...

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🐟 Redbreast Sunfish are known for their bright bellies & love for clear, plant-filled waters! 🌿 Curious about Florida’s freshwater fish? Dive into this guide based on data from 60 lakes: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0... 📘

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🌊 What do oligotrophic, mesotrophic, eutrophic & hypereutrophic mean? These terms describe the biological productivity of lakes, often categorized based on nutrient levels. Learn how they impact Florida’s waters in our new Trophic State EDIS publication! 📘 edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🦆 Did you know? The Wood Duck is one of North America’s most colorful waterfowl, with iridescent feathers and bright red eyes! 🌈👀 Learn how birds like the Wood Duck relate to lake features in LAKEWATCH’s Common Aquatic Birds Circular: go.ufl.edu/ow24z0m

Jo Latimore @jolatimore.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Spotlight on the Limpkin: This bird's loud, wailing call is a familiar sound in Florida wetlands. 🐦🔊 Dive into LAKEWATCH’s Common Aquatic Birds Using Florida Lakes Circular to discover how aquatic birds are linked to lake morphometry, water chemistry, and aquatic plants. Visit: go.ufl.edu/ow24z0m.

go.ufl.edu

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

🌊 Got questions about Florida’s waterbodies? 🌿 Call 1-800-LAKEWATCH (1-800-525-3928) for answers! Our Regional Coordinators and staff are here to train and work with volunteers to collect data and share findings. They’re your go-to experts for lake management questions and local resources. 🌟

MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams @msue-lakes-streams.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Welcome Florida LAKEWATCH (@ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social) to Bluesky! If you know our Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, Florida LAKEWATCH is our counterpart! Volunteers in both programs collect critically important data about lakes - and have fun while doing it! lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

Florida Lake Watch - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences - UF/IFAS

Florida LAKEWATCH is a citizen volunteer lake monitoring program that facilitates

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Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

🪱UF grad student Abigail Belchior is exploring benthic macroinvertebrates on the Ocklawaha River! Partnering with FL LAKEWATCH and @waterik.bsky.social, she’s using kick-and-sweep and Ponar grab sampling to study seasonal shifts in biodiversity, water quality, and habitat. Exciting insights ahead!🌿

UF/IFAS Florida LAKEWATCH @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Reposted by Gretchen Lescord

Florida's wetlands are alive with alligator bellows this April, signaling the start of courtship season. Males bellow to attract females and ward off rivals, engaging in gentle nudges and playful interactions. Volunteers, stay safe and have fun! 🌿Learn more Alligator Facts: myfwc.com/wildlifehabi...