Reefs are like underwater rainforests. They provide immense benefits to marine life and are vital to ocean ecosystems. Artificial reefs are nothing new, there are roughly 4,500 of them along Florida’s coast. But artificial reefs normally fall into two categories: creating habitat to attract game fish, or recreational diving attractions.
What is new is an artificial reef designed from the ground up to be a living laboratory where real science occurs, and that’s what Florida Gulf Coast University’s Kimberly’s Reef is.
In 2018 and 2019 this part of Florida experienced massive simultaneous harmful algae blooms — blue green algae in the fresh water, and red tide offshore. Around that same time, FGCU’s Water School was becoming a reality, and FGCU Marine Science Professor, Dr. Mike Parsons, began dreaming up an artificial reef easily accessible from the school’s Vester Marine Environmental Science Research Field Station where ongoing, offshore science could occur. It took years of stops and starts and unforeseen hurdles but is now a reality.
WGCU's producers and videographers began collecting video and interviews in 2021 to make a documentary film shining light on Kimberly's Reef. Kimberly's Reef: An Underwater Living Laboratory premieres on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8pm on WGCU-TV. We talk with its producer, writer, and narrator, and Dr. Mike Parsons to learn more.
Guests:
Dr. Mike Parsons, Professor of Marine Science at Florida Gulf Coast University and Director of the Vester Marine & Environmental Science Research Field Station
Pamela James, WGCU Executive Producer of Content and producer, writer, and narrator of Kimberly's Reef: An Underwater Living Laboratory
Once the documentary film premieres on Oct. 1 it will be available to watch for free online here.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
