IT SAYS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

>> AN EXTRA SET OF EYES IN THE SKY.

DRONES ARE A KEY COMPONENT FOR ONE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

>> BEING USED FOR MORE THAN FIGHTING CRIME.

THE FIGHT TO PRESERVE A CRITICAL PART OF THE FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM.

WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO RESTORE MANGROVE FORESTS.

AND FROM WHO TO WHOM IT'S AND THERE'S AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

NOT EVERYONE HAS A GRASP ON GRAMMAR, BUT SOME INSTRUCTORS ARE STILL STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER GRAMMAR.

HELLO, I AM JENNIFER CRAWFORD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE USE OF DRONE TECHNOLOGY IS SOARING.

THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SAYS THERE ARE MORE THAN 850,000 REGISTER DRONES NATIONWIDE.

MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE UTILIZING THE HIGH-TECH EVERY DAY LIKE THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

SHERIFF KEVIN RAMBOSK HAS RECENTLY NEARLY DOUBLED THE SIZE OF ITS DRONE UNIT.

THE TECHNOLOGY BEING USED FOR EVERYTHING FROM KEEPING OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC SAFE TO FINDING MISSING ADULTS AND CHILDREN.

>> WHAT IS SHE WEARING?

>> THE WAITING FOR THAT SHOT UPON.

WE NOW WHITE.

>> A 13 YEAR-OLD GIRL REPORTED AS A RUNAWAY TO THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ONE EVENING IN FEBRUARY.

>> HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE ABOUT 10 MINUTES.

A COUCH HAS LONG BLACK HAIR.

>> A DRONE PILOT BRIAN BARCELLO JUST WRAPPING UP A DRONE TRAINING SESSION WHEN THE CALL CAME IN TO HELP FIND THE GIRL LAST SEEN NEAR IN NAPLES AREA CHURCH.

SO I IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO THE SCENE WITH NOT TOO FAR AWAY.

>> I MET UP WITH ANOTHER DRONE PILOT THAT WAS ALREADY ON SCENE.

WE CHECKED THE WOODED AREA AND WE WERE USING THROWN AT THE TIME.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE SOME HEAT SIGNATURES.

THESE WERE JUST ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, GRAB ITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SMALL CATS.

>> AND THEN WE KIND OF EXPANDED THE PERIMETER OF OUR CHURCH.

HE WENT SOUTH ON I ONE NORTHBOUND.

AND AS I APPROACHED THE TEACHER, I SAW.

THAT HE'S IN TROUBLE FROM A WALKING TO A RUNNING STANCE.

ONCE I GOT CLOSE ENOUGH, I SWITCHED OVER AND TURN ON THE SPOTLIGHT.

SWITCH OVER TO OUR CALLER MONITOR AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY HER BASED ON THE CLOTHING SHE WAS WEARING.

>> WITHIN ABOUT A HALF HOUR OF DEPLOYING HIS DRONE.

THE GIRL WAS DISCOVERED UNHARMED.

IT WAS VERY REWARDING.

YEAH.

I WAS ABLE TO A NARROW DEFINITELY THE SEARCH DOWN TO A PARTICULAR AREA AND DEPUTIES WERE ABLE TO RESPOND WITHIN SECONDS.

>> SERGEANT ELIANA SMER ERA SUPERVISES THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE DRONE UNIT.

SHE SAYS IT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW DRONES ARE BEING USED EACH DAY TO PROTECT AND SERVE.

>> THEY ASSIST WITH SEARCH AND RESCUE.

THEY ARE RAPID DEPLOYABLE DROWNS.

AND DEPUTIES HAVE THEM ON THE FIELD AT ALL TIMES.

SO THEY'RE READY TO GO.

THE HIGH-TECH TOOLS EMERGING AS A POWERFUL FORCE, OPENING UP LINES OF HUMAN CONNECTION.

>> EVEN PROMOTING EMPATHY AND CALM DURING TIMES OF CRISIS.

IT'S CRUCIAL BECAUSE IT DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS.

SO I'VE.

>> SEEING SITUATIONS WHERE A PERSON HAS BEEN IN MENTAL DISTRESS AND THE PRESENCE OF A DEPUTY HAS AGITATED THAT, BUT THEY COULD BACK UP.

THE DRONE HELPED TO UNITS ON SCENE.

KEEP EYES ON THE PERSON BUT NOT ADVOCATING THE SITUATION.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO THAT PERSON AND COMMUNICATE AND DE-ESCALATE NEGOTIATE WITH THAT PERSON.

THE COMMUNITY REMAIN SAFE.

THE DEPUTIES ON SCENE REMAIN SAFE AND THE PERSON IN DISTRESS REMAIN SAFE.

BILLY GESSNER IS A DRONE PILOT AND TECH MANAGER FOR THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, REAL-TIME OPERATIONS CENTER.

>> WE CAN CLEAR ROOMS, WE CAN CLEAR VEHICLES AND WE CAN PROVIDE OBSERVATIONAL AWARENESS.

2 RESPONDING DEPUTIES BEFORE THEY CAN GET INTO HARM'S WAY.

SO THERES A BARRICADED SUBJECT IN THE HOUSE.

WE COULD ACTUALLY SEND A DRONE INSIDE THE HOUSE TO GET A LAY OF THE LAND BEFORE WE EVEN SEND THE INDIVIDUAL ARE RESPONDING.

DEPUTY INSIDE THE HOUSE.

>> THAT'S FOR OFFICER SAFETY.

GESSNER SAYS SHERIFF KEVIN RAMBOSK EXPANDED ITS DRONE UNIT ALMOST TWICE THE SIZE OF A YEAR AGO.

PURCHASING 34 DRONES FOR ALMOST $700,000.

THE MAJORITY OF THE COST MORE THAN $450,000 PAID FOR WITH A GRANT FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

>> FLORIDA PASS LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO USE JONES FROM COUNTRY TO FOREIGN CONCERN.

ONE OF THOSE IS CHINA THAT IS MADE DJI PRODUCTS.

SO WE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO USE DJ.

SO WE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BY FDLE TO RETURN THOSE DRONES TO FDLE AND THEN GET FUNDING FROM THEN TO PURCHASE NEW DRONES THAT ARE MADE HERE IN AMERICA.

>> GUEST ARE SAYS THEY RECENTLY BROUGHT ON NEW DRONE PILOTS.

WE WERE JUST AROUND 18 A FEW MONTHS AGO.

>> AND WE PUT OUT FEELERS TO SAY, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO DRAW JOINED THE DRONE UNIT?

WE HAD ALMOST 30 PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO JOIN WITHIN A WEEK.

SO WE SET THEM UP TO TAKE THAT PART.

ONE OF 7 EXAM AND WE PUT THEM THROUGH A CLASS.

EVERYONE PAST EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT WENT TO OUR CLASS THAT TOOK THE EXAM, PASSED THE EXAM TO BECOME A PILOT.

>> SOME PILOTS TAKING THE DRONES HOME WITH THEM AS PART OF A DRONE CALL OUT PROGRAM.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEIR COUNTIES SO LARGER COUNTIES, 2300 SQUARE MILES.

>> YES, A LOT OF IT IS EVERGLADES, BUT WE DO HAVE A HUGE COUNTY, INCLUDING IMMOKALEE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT DRONES IN PILOTS HANDS THAT CAN RESPOND TO CALLS IN A TIMELY MANNER.

EYES IN THE SKY GIVING BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

LIFESAVING INFORMATION WHEN MINUTES MATTER.

MOST WE FOUND MISSING ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS FACE DOWN IN WATER SO IT DOES SAVE LIVES.

NOT ONLY OFFICERS LIVES, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY'S LIVES AS WELL.

>> GESSNER SAYS THEY USE DRONES TO RECONSTRUCT ACCIDENT SCENES AND ENSURE SAFETY FOR THE PUBLIC ATTENDING LARGE EVENTS SUCH AS THE UPCOMING COLLIER COUNTY FAIR.

WELL, COMING UP NEXT, DEVELOPMENT AND NATURAL DISASTERS HAVE TAKEN A TOLL ON MANGROVE FORESTS.

NOW LOCAL GROUPS ARE WORKING TO PRESERVE MOTHER NATURE'S NATURAL BARRIERS.

ONCE A PREVALENT PART OF THE FLORIDA LANDSCAPE.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 84% OF MANGROVE FORESTS HAVE BEEN LOST OR DESTROYED SINCE 1940, MANGROVES PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM PROTECTING THE COASTLINE FROM STORM SURGE AND HELPING TO REDUCE SOIL EROSION.

WGCUS SAMUEL BRUCKER TOOK TO THE WATER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROLE OF MANGROVE FORESTS PLAY DURING NATIONAL DISASTERS.

As Hurricane Ian barreled toward southwest Florida.

Harry Kiel, lead captain for the Tarpon Cove Beach and Racket Club shuttle boat, secured the 45ft vessel deep inside a narrow mangrove cove along the cocoa River in North Naples.

Layering extra ropes, anchor lines and thick bumpers, he braced the boat against what he knew would be a violent storm surge, and hoped the natural barrier and his precautions would be enough.

But they weren't.

We're thinking it probably went up 4 or 5, maybe even six feet back there, as opposed to where we're sitting right now, which got the full brunt of 12ft of surge, plus some wave action on top.

To the point where it filled up the swimming pool with a couple feet of water up there.

Took one of the boats from here and deposited up on the shoreline up in the bocce court.

That was an interesting one.

When the surge arrived, Kiel says it tore through the 90 slip Marina with relentless force.

Dock splintered like matchsticks.

Boats tossed in every direction.

Some owners managed to haul their vessels to safety before the storm, but 13 boats remained in the water, exposed to Ian's fury, two of which broke through the mangrove line.

Ian was a little special monster in a lot of cases.

The boats were okay.

They're built really well.

But, you know, if the mangroves hadn't been here, the boats would have been over in the retention ponds over there, in the swimming pool, on the pool deck that's right above us.

Keel says the devastation would have reached far beyond the docks, likely slamming into the club's main building, which sustained light damage.

The mangroves at least created some sort of a fence where it stopped any of the debris from getting up there.

Kelly Fowler, Coastal watch director at the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, says mangroves act as a silent shield for coastal communities across southwest Florida.

But she says many residents still underestimate just how critical mangroves are to the entire ecosystem.

Mangroves are super important, but, they're kind of all connected with other habitats here on our barrier islands as well.

That, you know, our barrier islands are literally our first line of defense just as a whole.

Restoring all those habitats is going to make us more resilient.

As a barrier island and as a community.

Recovery for damaged mangroves, however, is measured in decades, not months after hurricanes Melton and Harlene in 2024.

Fall says much of the tender mangrove growth that had begun sprouting after Ian was stripped away.

Once again, these mangroves, in order to have them be, you know, mature adult mangroves usually takes about 10 to 15 years.

So, we're not even four years out from Hurricane Ian.

So, they, they really haven't had time to recover.

So we're probably looking at another, you know, two decades worth of recovery if we and and that is if we don't have another large storm, come through this area.

Melissa Keel, a lifelong Floridian, has weathered storms since the 1960s.

She says those experiences fuel a determination to protect what stands between their home and the Gulf.

For someone who's lived through them.

If we're getting one, it's it's not a good thing.

You know, if we could get through one year without them, it would be tremendous, because that means everything can get back to its growth.

You know, and people can get back to what they kind of activities that they want to do.

Harry Keel approaches rebuilding with a hard earned perspective, valuing resilience over replacement.

Every time you build back, any time something gets destroyed.

In one of the hurricanes or no named storms.

Everything gets built back.

But it's better.

It's stronger anyway, right?

And it's more resilient to the next, next load thing.

But rebuilding can be done in a just short period of time.

The mangroves take a while for them to develop.

Fowles says rebuilding mangrove forests is not just possible.

It's participatory.

As these volunteers from Florida Gulf Coast University did in January on a southwest Florida beach.

There's so much going on in the world that is negative and that we feel that we can't be a part of it or can't change it can't.

It's just happening to us.

And, we at CCF with our restoration programs are trying to give people an actionable item to do.

They can be a part of it.

They can help us, either by participating in our adopt a mangrove program, grow a mangrove at their home, or they can come out with us and get their hands dirty at one of our restoration events and put the plants in the ground without community involvement.

Foul warns the consequences may not be immediate, but they are inevitable.

If mangroves go away at some time, you might be living next to the water.

Just they are going to be there to help.

You know, protect us as much as we can.

If, if the mangroves go away, that sediment is going to sink down and we're going to start to lose shoreline.

And, with sea level rise, you know, I don't know what's going to happen in the next few decades of where our, our, shorelines are going to be.

So it it might not impact you directly today, but it definitely could in ten years.

Both Henry and Melissa Keel believe the future can change, but only if the community recognizes what's at stake and acts before the next storm forms offshore.

Well, just on the news, you look at the other coast right now, up to the Outer Banks.

You have all these, homes that are literally washing into the ocean.

But they put down the pilings, and the water keeps coming up, and, you can't fool Mother Nature.

Really?

And the best you can do is hope to survive along with her.

Reporting in North Naples for WGCU news.

I'm Samuel Brucker.

FOR MORE STORIES ON THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM AND EFFORTS TO PRESERVE MANGROVE FORESTS.

YOU CAN HEAD TO OUR WEB SITE AT WGCU DOT ORG.

>> FLORIDA'S RECENT STRETCH OF COLD TEMPERATURES HAS LEFT MANY FRONT LAWNS AND GARDENS LOOKING LESS THAN STELLAR.

BUT BEFORE YOU LEAP INTO SPRING BY HEADING TO A LOCAL NURSERY, THERE ARE CERTAIN PLANTS YOU MIGHT WANT TO AVOID BUYING TO PUTTING YOUR YARD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT INVASIVE SPECIES CAN HAVE ON LANDSCAPES.

WE'RE JOINED NOW BY DOCTOR KIMBERLY MOORE.

DR MOORE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE PROFESSOR AT UFC FORT LAUDERDALE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR MOORE FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

DR.

MORE IN THE COMING WEEKS.

THE GARDEN CENTERS THAT PLACES LIKE HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S ARE GETTING BUSIER AND BUSIER.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE ON WHAT PLANTS PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID BECAUSE THEY ARE HARMFUL TO OUR ECOSYSTEM.

>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM BASIS BASIS.

UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE INVASIVE UNTIL THEY GET HOME AND THEN THEY GO.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO FALL.

THERE ARE STRICT ON APOLLO HOMEOWNERS.

IT'S IT'S A PROBLEM AND IT STOPPED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING KIND OR NOT THINKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THAT HE'S GOT THE SIZE OF POTENTIAL.

SO SOMETHING TO TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU GO ON BY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICE AND TALK TO YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION AGENT ABOUT INVASIVE PLANTS.

WHAT PLANTS, WHERE THEY RECOMMEND WHAT LIES, WHERE THEY RECOMMEND AVOIDING.

SO THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.

THE OTHER ONE IS ON THE U.S.

HAS A IT'S A LEG IS CALLED UF IFAS ASSESSMENT OF NON NATIVE PLANTS.

AND IT'S A REALLY EASY LINK.

YOU CAN HAVE IT ON YOUR PHONE.

SO IF YOU WALK INTO HOME, IF YOU'RE NOT SURE IS THIS PLAN BASIN, YOU CAN OPEN UP THE ASSESSMENT OF NONNATIVE PLANTS AND TYPE IN THE PLANT.

NAME IS ON THE LABEL AND GO.

IS THIS OKAY?

AND IT WILL GIVE YOU A LIST SAY AVOID THIS FIGHTER.

THIS IS A CAUTION PLANS.

SO WE SEE CAUTION, YOU GO DON'T PUT IT IN, BUT IT DOES.

HE CAUTIONED IN A SAYS THIS IS OK FOR YOUR AREA.

CHANCES ARE THAT YOU'RE OK BASED ON THAT ASSESSMENT.

>> SO FROM FOR ME TO BE CLEAR, ONE, I WOULD GO TO A GARDEN CENTRE.

I WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL THERE WON'T BE A LITTLE TAG.

THAT WILL TELL ME THAT, CORRECT?

I WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT AHEAD OF TIME.

YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THE UN.

IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU CAN PLAY IN YOUR GARDEN AHEAD OF TIME THAT THE FANTASTIC SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT TYPES OF THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REPLACE, VISIT YOUR EXTENSION AGENT AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT REPLACE THOSE PLANS.

WHAT PLAYERS WHO MIGHT REPLACE IF YOU HAVE A GARDEN SAYING LIKE I WONDER IF THIS PLAN IS OKAY, IF YOU CAN LOOK UP, IF YOU CAN OPEN UP THE ASSESSMENT ON YOUR OWN, IT OPENED UP.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE 10 PLACE HAD NAME TAGS ON THEM AS YOU TYPE THAT NAME IT AND IT'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA.

THIS CARE.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

>> WHY IS IT A PROBLEM TO USE THESE PLANTS IF THEY'RE JUST GOING TO BE IN OUR PERSONAL GARDEN?

>> THAT'S A GREAT SOME FORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM WITH THE BASES THAT A LOT OF VOTERS ARE VERY GOOD ABOUT MAINTAIN THEM, KEEPING THEM WITHIN THEIR GARDEN.

BUT THEY ESCAPED.

THEY HAVE THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO ESCAPE AND 2 OF NATURAL AREAS.

SO THEY CAN INVADE THE EVERGLADES.

THEY CAN INVADE NATURAL WETLANDS.

PARKS AND WHEN THEY START TO INVADE, THEY DISRUPT THE NATURAL HABITAT.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THE HABITAT IS DISRUPTIVE.

SO NOW WE DON'T HAVE A HABITAT FOR THE BIRDS FOR THE WILDLIFE THAT WE WANT TO TRY TO PROTECT AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE REALLY RATHER NOT PROMOTING BASIS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO ESCAPE FROM THE HOMEOWNER'S LAWN OR A HOME AND SPREAD AND THEN THEY SPREAD RAPIDLY AND COULD TAKE OVER AT THE ACTUAL AREA WHICH DISRUPTS THE ECOSYSTEM FOR ALL OUR NATIVE FLAW.

WE DON'T WANT TO START TO HAVE THE S AND HABITATS FOR BIRDS OR OTHER WILDLIFE.

>> AND WE'VE HEARD REPORTS OF INVASIVE SPECIES LIKE IGUANAS, THRIVING DUE TO PLANTS FROM THEIR ORIGINAL HOMES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO OUR COUNTRY.

AND ARE THERE OTHER CREATURES THAT ARE ALSO THRIVING OFF THESE NONNATIVE SPECIES PLANTS?

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT IT WAS.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M THE EXPERT TO TALK ABOUT.

IT WAS.

BUT AGAIN, THE GLOVES ARE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR INVASIVE SPECIES.

AND AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING TO THRIVE REGARDLESS.

AND SO IF THE HOMEOWNERS HERE IS WASHING UP WITH THIS IN JUST THINK IT'S LIKE PUTTING IN A AND THE GUANA IN YOUR YARD, YOU DON'T WANT TO AS WANTED TO SPREAD.

SO THE PLANS HAVE THAT SAME KID THAT.

HAVE THE SAME POTENTIAL TO SPREAD.

>> WHAT OTHER KINDS OF PLANTS COULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT STILL PROVIDE THAT FLORIDA?

LOOK AND WE'LL FIT IN WITH OUR SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM.

>> IDEALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE PLANKING MADE US.

SO WE HAVE A RIGHTY OF BEAUTIFUL NATIVE PLANTS THAT WILL THRIVING.

DO WELL.

AND OUR FLORIDA ENVIRONMENT.

THERE'S A LONG LIST TO PLANTS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF NATIVE PLANT NURSERY.

SO IF I HAVE A CHOICE AND I'M GOING TO BE REPLANTED AREA, I'M GOING TO WANT TO LOOK FOR MY NATIVE ALTERNATIVES.

THERE'S A LOT OF NATE.

IT MADE A PAR 5 PLANTS THAT UP ON AIR PLANTS.

THE OUR NATIVE WILDFLOWER, THE QUARRY UP.

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL FLOUR AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE MORE NATIVE PLANTS.

PUTIN AND IN PLACE OF.

NON AND BASIS OR NON NATIVE PLANTS.

SO I YEAH, NON NATIVE IS THE CORRECT TERM BUT DON'T WANT TO BASIS.

SO I WANT ME TO PLAY IT.

>> DR MORE.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE FOR GARDENERS WHO REALLY WANT TO BE MORE RESPONSIBLE WITH THEIR PLAN?

CHOICES?

ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES THROUGH IFAS.

THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

>> SO THE FIRST RESOURCE TO BE GOING TO YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICE.

>> THERE IS EVERY COUNTY HAS AN ACCENT OFFICE.

SO THEY'RE AGENTS THERE TO HELP YOU.

SO I REALLY LIKE THE PERSONAL ONE-ON-ONE TOUCH.

SO IT'S A FIRST CHECK YOUR EXTENSION OFFICE IF YOU SOME ALEXA DO ONLINE AND YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.

THEN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HAS A SERIES OF PUBLICATIONS AND CALLED ASK ISIS.

SO AND IN THOSE PUBLICATIONS YOU CAN FIND A LIST FOR NATIVE PLANTS, IDEAS FOR YOUR GARDEN, HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR LAWN, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR TREE.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE WEALTH OF INFORMATION IN ASK LIKE THIS.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DOCTOR MOORE, THANK YOU.

>> AFTER THE BREAK, IF YOU FORGET TO DOT YOUR I'S OR CROSS YOUR T'S, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

LOCAL INSTRUCTORS ARE STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER GRAMMAR.

MARCH 4TH AND SPEAK WELL.

TODAY IS NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY.

SO WE'RE CELEBRATING THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF LANGUAGE MAKING SURE EVERY COMMA IS JUST RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD BE WGCUS YOUN-JOO PARK SPELLS IT OUT FOR US.

>> IF YOU ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT GRAMMAR, YOU MIGHT JUST GET A RANGE OF VISCERAL REACTIONS, SOME MAKE HUSH ABOUT IT AND BE LIKE A CONFESSION.

BUT IT IS A LOVE OF READING THE DICTIONARY AND SOME MAY BE ON THE FENCE.

I MEAN, >> I THINK I WAS BEING UP A LITTLE COCKY.

I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, GRAMMAR.

>> I GOT THIS.

I KNOW HOW TO PUT A PERIOD AT THE END OF A SENTENCE AND OTHERS MIGHT RECALL THEIR FRONT PAST RELATIONSHIP WITH GRAMMAR.

FOR COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH WORDS ALL DAY GRAMMER IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE.

BUT IS GRAMMAR STILL VALUED AND RELEVANT IN THE AGE OF AI AND OTHER WRITING TOOLS.

CHAD RAY IS A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR CHARLOTTE COUNTY WHO SAYS HE DEVOTES OVER 90% OF HIS TIME TO WRITING.

>> GETTING BACK TO WHAT I WOULD DO WOULD LIKE THESE ARE THE THINGS.

IT'S A GREAT TOOL THAT WE BUT IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE CRUSHED.

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAN INTO IT TAKES IT TAKES THE FORMALITY AWAY.

>> THE IRONY IS THAT ALTHOUGH GRAMMAR MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH A LIST OF PESKY RULES, THE BOUNDARIES OF LANGUAGE ACTUALLY INSPIRE MORE CREATIVITY.

IT FREES YOU TO BE A CREATOR, SIR.

WOULD YOU?

>> RELY ON A MACHINE TO CORRECT YOUR STOPS.

YOU NEED TO REALLY KNOW THE LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY INCREDIBLY.

>> THAT'S LYN MILNER A PROFESSOR WHO TEACHES A GRAMMAR CLASS AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY.

IN THE SCHOOL'S JOURNALISM.

MAJOR STUDENTS MUST SUCCESSFULLY PASS TO GRAHAM EXAM TO BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE IN THE DEGREE PROGRAM.

FOR COMMUNICATORS.

THERE IS A LINGERING OPTIMISM THAT GRAMMAR WILL NOT BECOME A LOST ART.

>> OFTEN AI DOESN'T CATCH THINGS AND IT'S GETTING BETTER.

WHAT I TELL THEM IS.

GRAMMARLY AND AI TOOLS ARE TYPICALLY.

FINE FOR THE EVERYDAY PERSON.

HIS JOB DOESN'T DEPEND ON COMMUNICATION AND RATING.

BUT WHEN YOU ARE A REPORTER, YOU CAN'T FULLY RELY ON IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO MISS CONTEXT.

IT'S GOING TO MISS.

MISSUS.

CERTAIN THINGS.

IT'S IT'S MACHINE.

>> RATE.

THE MASTERY OF GRAMMAR IS CRUCIAL FOR SUCCESS IN COMMUNICATIONS.

>> I'VE SEEN IT FIRST-HAND WHERE GRAMMAR MESA DIFFERENCE IN HOW SOME PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY RESPOND TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

SO THE GRAMMAR IS IMPORTANT, BUT A HUGE THING AS A COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL IS OFTEN TO CITY.

AND SO AS YOU'RE USING SOME OF THOSE TITLES, MAYBE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR GRANDMA OR THEY'RE TAKING THE HUMAN OUT OF IT.

IF MORE THAN ANYTHING.

>> GRAMMER HAS NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES.

ACCORDING TO FRESHMAN STUDENT, CHLOE WALKER.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.

>> FEED YOUR BRAIN.

YOU KNOW THE SAME THE WAY THAT WE GO TO THE GYM AND WORK OUT OR IF YOU ARE BODIES, YOU HAVE TO FEED YOUR BRAIN AND >> GRAMMER IS ONE OF THOSE NECESSARY EVILS OF FAIR WEATHER.

GRAMMAR FILLS US WITH DREAD OR EXCITEMENT.

WE CAN APPRECIATE THE ROLE THAT GRAMMER PLAYS IN SOCIETY.

SOMETHING I CAN TAKE AWAY FROM US.

FOR WGCU I'M YOUN-JOO PARK.

HAPP NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY.

>> COMING UP TOMORROW, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF.

WE LEARN ABOUT THE LEGACIES BEING MAINTAINED BY THE DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN PRESIDENTS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WTC DOT ORG WHERE YOU WILL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

PLUS, THE EXTENDED INTERVIEWS HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN THURSDAY RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

IN FOCUS.