THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

COMING UP, IT WAS DOWN TO THE WIRE.

BUT FINALLY, THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON IS SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE.

A POWERFUL STORM CHURNS IN THE GULF AND IS LOCKING ITS SIGHTS ON THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

RESEARCHERS AT FGCU ARE DOING THEIR PART TO CLEAN OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS.

AND TO GET IT DOWN.

THEY ARE TURNING TO THE POWER PROVIDED BY CLAMS.

PUTTING THE BEST FOOT FORWARD.

THE NATIONAL COMPETITION THAT HAS UNITED ONE COLLIER COUNTY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY AND BRINGS AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE ROUTINE TO ITS RESIDENTS.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

A TROPICAL STORM IS GAINING STRENGTH IN THE WARM GULF WATERS AND FORECASTERS EXPECT IT WILL BECOME THE VERY FIRST HURRICANE OF THE ATLANTIC SEASON BEFORE APPROACHING THE GULF COAST STATES AS EARLY AS FRIDAY.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IS NOT IN THE PROJECTED PATH OF THE STORM, BUT IN THE PANHANDLE AREA AND PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA.

25 COUNTIES ARE UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM.

JOINING US NOW IS METEOROLOGIST ANDREW WOLF PACK FROM THE FLORIDA PUBLIC EMERGENCY RADIO NETWORK.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE TRACKING ISAIAS THERE.

>> WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS AND THE PROJECTED PATH OF THIS POWERFUL STORM?

>> WELL, IT'S CURRENTLY IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO.

IT'S FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS.

SO WE COULD BE LOOKING AT OUR SEASON'S FIRST HURRICANE, WHICH IS A BIT UNUSUAL THAT WE ARE IN MID-OCTOBER, TALKING ABOUT OUR POTENTIAL FOR THE FIRST HURRICANE.

BUT NONETHELESS, A MINIMAL HURRICANE BY TOMORROW, WHICH IS THURSDAY.

AND THEN ON FRIDAY, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT A 10205 MILES AN HOUR, MAYBE EVEN UP TO 110 MILES AN HOUR IN TERMS OF MAXWELL SUSTAINED WIND SPEED.

SO THAT IS A CATEGORY 2.

>> SO FROM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, UP TO THE PANHANDLE, WHAT KINDS OF IMPACTS COULD WE EXPECT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA?

>> WILLFUL.

IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY COMPLICATED FORECAST, ONE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY WEATHER MECHANISMS THAT AROUND THE SOUTHEAST, IF YOU WILL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH DISTRICT ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING ALL THE SQUALLY WEATHER RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE STATE.

I KNOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SEEN FLOODING OR EVEN REMINDS REMEMBER HURRICANE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT IS NOT IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM.

SO MANY MORE FLORIDIANS ARE GONNA BE IMPACTED BY THIS STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING UP AND DOWN THE STATE VERSUS THE HURRICANE ITSELF.

THE HURRICANE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE CONFINED MOSTLY TO THE PANHANDLE REGION.

THERE WILL BE A FEW ISOLATED BANDS THAT WORK THEIR WAY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE GULF ON TO THE PENINSULA.

BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF US, AGAIN, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN NEWS ON A NORMAL WEEK.

>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WEATHER MODELS TO FACTOR INTO FORECASTING.

>> RIGHT.

SO THIS IS A GROWING TREND, IF YOU WILL, IN THE METEOROLOGY CULL O WORLD THE INVENTION OR THE USE OF I I OUR MODELS PICKED UP ON THIS STORM SYSTEM.

FIRST.

THEY KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THEY HAVE BEEN THE MOST ACCURATE WITH IT, BUT THEY CONTINUE A SHOW OF MORE EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THIS STORM SYSTEM.

SO THAT WOULD MEAN SOMETHING ON THE ORDER UP.

LET'S SAY BETWEEN PENSACOLA AND PANAMA CITY VERSUS THE OLDER DETERMINISTIC MODELS WHICH ARE FURTHER WEST.

LET'S SAY ALABAMA, SO IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE A A CASE IN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK.

LOOK AT THE MODELS.

SEE WHICH ONES WERE MORE ACCURATE.

IT'S STILL UP IN THE AIR.

I CAN WIN THIS ONE OR WHETHER THE OLD RELIABLE MODELS WHEN THIS ONE.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHICH ONE WINS THE BATTLE.

>> AND CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT CONDITIONS MADE THIS STORM RIGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE GULF, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR.

>> IT'S A VERY ODD CASE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN EL NINO THAT'S BEEN STRONG AND GETTING STRONGER AND IS NEAR RECORD-BREAKING STRENGTH OVER THE OVER THE PACIFIC.

THAT'S WHY THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON HAS PRODUCED OUR HURRICANE YET SO FAR THIS YEAR.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BREAK THAT TREND COME TOMORROW OR ON.

AND THERE WAS JUST ENOUGH OF AN AREA IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF, NORTHERN BACON PT WHERE A MASSIVE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ABLE TO COALESCE AROUND THE CENTER AND AND IT HAS GENERALLY INCREASED AN ORGANIZATION EVER SINCE YESTERDAY.

AND THIS LITTLE POCKET THAT OF A LES ARE ATMOSPHERIC WINDS, IF YOU WILL, GREATER MOISTURE, IT'S GOING TO RUN OUT, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE.

IT'S IT'S NOT GOING TO LEAD ITS WAY ALL THE WAY TO LAND.

SO IT'S ONLY A NARROW POCKET AND WHICH THIS STORM SYSTEM HAS TO STRENGTHEN BEFORE IT GETS TIED UP IN THE UPPER LEVEL WINDS AND THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL HELP TO RIP THIS CYCLONE APART.

AND THAT WILL START ON FRIDAY.

BUT THE KEY POINT IS AT WHAT TIME PERIOD ON FRIDAY.

DOES THAT START TO SET START AT LANDFALL?

THIS HAS STARTED AN HOUR TO BEFORE LANDFALL.

THAT'S THAT'S START AND HOURS AFTER LANDFALL.

SO THE INGREDIENTS THAT THE GOOD INGREDIENTS AREN'T GOING TO BE AROUND FOR A WHOLE LOT FOR THIS STORM SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HURRICANE MICHAEL SITUATION.

I KNOW WE'RE COMING UP ON THAT ANNIVERSARY FOR THE FOR FOR THE FOLKS IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL NOT BE STRENGTHENING TOWARDS THE SHORELINE AND EVEN ON SHORE.

THIS WILL STRENGTHEN IN THE SHORT TERM.

BUT THEN IN THE LONGER TERM, IT WILL WEAKEN AS IT HEADS TOWARDS LAND.

>> AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH OCTOBER.

>> WHAT SHOULD WE BE PAYING ATTENTION TO EVEN THOUGH WE ARE LATE INTO THE HURRICANE SEASON?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THE LATEST ON HURRICANE HAS EVER IMPACTED THE STATE.

IT'S ALL THE WAY TO JUST ABOUT THANKSGIVING.

IT HAPPENED IN THE 1980'S HURRICANE KATE.

IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE FORECAST MODELS GENERALLY GROUT SEVERAL WEEKS AT A TIME.

SO I'M NOT ANTICIPATING ARE NOT SEEING ANOTHER NAMED STORM SYSTEM, THAT LEAST IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD IN THE GULF OR THE CARIBBEAN.

SO THIS MIGHT BE, IF YOU WILL, THE GRAND FINALE OF THE SEASON.

I KNOW IT REALLY HAS FELT LIKE A SEASON BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY HAD ABOUT 9 NAMED STORMS, 9 OF WHICH HAVE BECOME HURRICANE SO FAR.

BUT AGAIN, THE GOOD NEWS, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE IMMEDIATE FORECAST AND THERE IS SOME EVEN SNOW.

EVEN FROST AND FREEZE ADVISORIES THAT WILL BE ISSUED FOR PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

NOT FLORIDA, HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY, BUT IT WILL STILL BE ON OUR SIDE OF THE CONTINENT.

SO WE ARE REALLY GOING TO SEE A PATTERN SHIFT AND HEADING MORE TOWARDS WINTER VERSUS KEEPING THE SUMMER THEME.

GO ON GOING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

METEOROLOGIST ANDREW WOLFE EQ FROM THE FLORIDA PUBLIC EMERGENCY RADIO NETWORK.

ALMOST 2 MONTHS ARE LEFT UNTIL THE END OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON.

YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER UPDATES BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE.

WGCU DOT ORG.

AND COMING UP NEXT, BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE MIGHTY CLAM.

FIND OUT WHY FGCU RESEARCHERS ARE PAINTING CLANS WITH NAIL POLISH.

IT'S PART OF A FOR THE FIRST 50 YEARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY CLAM HARVESTING WAS BIG BUSINESS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THIS LED TO A SEVERE DECLINE IN THE WILD CLAM POPULATION IN THE REGION.

BUT NOW FGCU RESEARCHERS AT THE WATER SCHOOL ARE TAKING PART IN AN EXPERIMENT TO TRY TO RESTORE THE CLAM POPULATION AS WELL AS SEAGRASS ECOSYSTEMS.

IT'S ALL PART OF A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE.

>> WITH MORE, I'M NOW JOINED BY DOCTOR JAMES DOUGLAS, A PROFESSOR OF MARINE AND EARTH SCIENCES AT FGCU WATER SCHOOL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN STUDIO TODAY.

HAPPY TO BE HERE.

CAN YOU FIRST HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CLAMS AND SEAGRASS IN OUR WATERWAYS OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BOTH CLAIMS IN SEAGRASS A REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM HERE.

AND I STUDIED SEGREST FOR YEARS.

SO I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT SEAGRASS ESSENTIAL FOOD FOR MANATEES AND SEA TURTLES.

AND IT'S AN ESSENTIAL HABITAT FOR SMALL FISHES.

THE LEAD UP THE FOOD CHAIN TO THE BIG FISH THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO CATCH AND CLAMS ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.

THEY FILTER THE WATER AND THEY'RE ALSO IMPORTANT IN THE FOOD CHAIN THAT LEADS UP TO A VALUABLE SPECIES.

>> AND BOTH OF THOSE SPECIES ARE ON THE DECLINE.

THEIR HEALTH.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, YES, FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

SEAGRASS IS VERY SENSITIVE TO POLLUTION.

AND AS THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE AS GROWN HERE, WATER QUALITIES DECLINED.

AND WE'VE SEEN OUR SEAGRASS BEDS TO CLIMB.

BUT THE CLAMS, THE MAIN REASON THE CLAIMS ARE NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE IS BECAUSE THEY'RE DELICIOUS.

AND HISTORICALLY THEY'VE BEEN THEY WERE OVER HARVESTED.

IN FACT, MARCO ISLAND WAS THE CENTER OF THAT CLAM HARVESTING BUSINESS IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

AND THEY REALLY EFFECTIVELY HARVESTED ALMOST ALL THE CLAMS FROM ABOUT 1900 TO 1945.

AND THE CLAIMS STILL HAVEN'T QUITE RECOVERED.

>> NOW YOU YOU ARE LEADING A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS, STUDENT AND ALUMNI FGCU WATER SCHOOL RESEARCHERS TO TRY TO EXPERIMENT OUT IN OUR WATERS TOO DETERMINED IF BOTH SPECIES CAN BE RESTORED.

AND AS PART OF A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE, CAN YOU TELL US HOW THIS EXPERIMENT IS WORKING?

>> WELL, THIS PROGRAM, THIS IDEA OF COMBINING EFFORTS TO RESTORE CLAMS AND RESTORE SEAGRASS IS IS PART OF A FLORIDA SEA GRANT PROGRAM.

AND SO THE FLORIDA SEA GRANT HAS THAT FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING COMBINED.

THERE'S CENTERED UP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND SO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS KIND OF GOT TOGETHER TO ORGANIZE THIS BIG PROJECT, BRINGING IN SCIENTISTS FROM ANY INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE STATE TO DO A SERIES OF SEAGRASS AND CLAM RESTORATION EXPERIMENTS.

AND SO WE GOT RECRUITED TO BE PART OF THIS.

WE IS MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE DR MELISSA MAYS.

SO WE'RE EQUAL PARTNERS ON THIS CLAM SEAGRASS PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING AT FGCU.

>> AND I SAW THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN.

I THINK IT WAS 1500 CLAMS AND YOU'VE USE NAIL POLISH TO MARK THEM AND YOU PLACE THEM IN PLOTS.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW HOW THIS WORKS?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?

>> AND WILL WE WANT TO SEE IF THE CLAMS WILL SURVIVE BETTER WHEN WE PUT BABY CLAMS INTO SEAGRASS BEDS RATHER THAN PUTTING THEM JUST IN AN VEGETATED SAID EVENTS.

WE THINK THAT THE SEAGRASS MIGHT HELP THE CLAMS BY HIDING THEM FROM PREDATORS, HELPING THEM STAY BURIED.

AND THEN WE ALSO THINK THAT THE U.S.

CLAMS COULD HELP THE SEAGRASS, BUT WE NEED TO KEEP TRACK OF THE CLAIMS THAT WE PUT OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO A FEW CLAMS THAT ARE THERE ALREADY.

AND SO WE'RE MARKING THEM WITH NAIL POLISH, WHICH STAYS ON THE CLANS UNDER WATER.

WE ALSO RIGHT NUMBERS ON THEM WITH A MAGIC MARKER SO WE CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY WHICH PLAN THAT WAS WHEN 6 MONTHS LATER WHEN THE EXPERIMENTS DONE.

>> SO HOW WILL THESE 2 SITES OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HELP IN THE STATEWIDE INITIATIVE?

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S I THINK 10 DIFFERENT SITES AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, RIGHT?

THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A COORDINATED NETWORK EXPERIMENT.

>> WHICH IS THIS KIND OF NEW TREND IN SCIENCE WHERE INSTEAD OF JUST DOING AN EXPERIMENT IN ONE PLACE, WHICH HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE CONDITIONS, UNCORKS, YOU DO THE SAME EXPERIMENT IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT VARIES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE DIFFERENCES AND WATER QUALITY DIFFERENCES IN THE AMOUNT OF PREDATORS AROUND DIFFERENCES IN OTHER STRESSES OR DISTURBANCE IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THE SAME TYPE OF ACTIVITY ADDING CLAMS TO SEAGRASS MIGHT WORK BETTER IN SOME PLACES THAN OTHERS.

AND BY DOING THIS ALL AROUND THE STATE, WE'LL GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE THIS A GOOD CHANCE OF SUCCESS FOR THIS AND WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO RETHINK OUR APPROACH.

>> SO ULTIMATELY YOU ARE HOPING TO SEE THAT THIS RESTORATION PROJECT IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH SPECIES.

>> YES, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN SAVE MOST SPECIES WITH SOME OF THE COMBINED EFFORTS HERE OR AT LEAST LEARN SOMETHING THAT HELPS US DESIGN THE NEXT PHASE OF RESTORATION EFFORTS FOR ONE OR BOTH OF THESE SPECIES.

>> ALL RIGHT, DOCTOR DOUGLAS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN STUDIO.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS.

>> FOR MORE STORIES ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

WATER QUALITY AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STORIES.

MAKE SURE YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE WGCU DOT ORG.

IT'S A DEBATE OVER PRESERVING LAND OR ALLOWING ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES TO CRUISE THROUGH PARKS WGCU SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTER TOM BAYLISS GOES IN DEPTH ABOUT WHAT'S AT STAKE >> THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WANTS TO CHANGE A FEDERAL RULE THAT NOW PREVENTS IT FROM OPENING ADDITIONAL RECREATIONAL OFF-ROAD VEHICLE TRAILS IN THE BIG CYPRESS.

IT WOULD NOT MEAN PEOPLE COULD SIMPLY DRIVE ANYWHERE.

THEY WANT.

BUT THIS IS HARDLY THE FIRST FIGHT OVER OFF-ROAD VEHICLES AND BIG CYPRESS AND MORE TRAILS.

THE ARGUMENT CAME UP AGAIN WHEN THE PARK SERVICE MOVED TO OPEN MORE THAN A 140 MILES SECONDARY OFF-ROAD VEHICLE TRAILS IN THE TURNER RIVER AND CORN DANCE AREAS.

THE CENTRE FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, SIERRA CLUB AND OTHER GROUPS SUED IN 2013.

THEY SAID THE ADDITIONAL VEHICLE USE COULD DAMAGE WETLANDS AND VEGETATION CHANGE HOW WATER MOVES THROUGH THE SWAMP SPREAD INVASIVE PLANTS AND DISTURB WILDLIFE, INCLUDING THE ENDANGERED FLORIDA PANTHER.

THE PARK SERVICE HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIRED BEFORE REOPENING THEM AND ORDERED THE DISPUTED TRAILS CLOSED.

A SETTLEMENT THE FOLLOWING YEAR CLOSED THE DISPUTED TRAILS.

WELL, THE PARK SERVICE WENT BACK THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

NOW THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IS AGAIN.

ALICE BENNETT IS THE CENTER'S FLORIDA AND CARIBBEAN DIRECTOR.

>> THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES WE HAVE LEFT IN FLORIDA THAT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING CALLED PRESERVES.

AND SO OUR REAL CONCERN HERE WAS, YOU KNOW, A DECISION AND AND AT THE SCALE AND THE LOCATIONS OF THE EXPANSION OF THIS OFF-ROAD VEHICLE USE.

I WAS REALLY PRIORITIZING ONE KIND OF VERY IMPACTFUL RECREATIONAL USE OVER MANY OTHER INTERESTS THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAVE AND BIG CYPRESS AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES AND HAVING THIS PLACE FOR THEM.

>> SHE SAID TODAY THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER OFF-ROAD VEHICLES HAVE A HISTORY IN BIG CYPRESS.

THEY DO.

HER CONCERN IS ADDING MORE VEHICLE ACCESS TO A LANDSCAPE ALREADY UNDER PRESSURE.

>> THE IDEA OF OPENING UP EVEN MORE OF THIS IMPACTFUL USE AND, YOU KNOW, RAISES RED FLAGS AND CONCERNS.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE STAYING ON THE TRAIL MAINTAINING THESE ROUTES, MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE POACHING.

IT IS A TALL TASK FOR AN UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED AGENCY.

>> IN FACT, >> THERE ARE LINKS TO THE ACTUAL LISTING IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ABOUT THIS.

>> AND THE FORM FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION AT WGCU DOT ORG.

WGCU NEWS.

I'M TOM BAYLISS.

>> ONE OF THE PERKS OF LIVING IN FLORIDA IS THAT IT IS A GARDENER'S PARADISE WITH YEAR-ROUND WEATHER CONDUCIVE TO GROWING A WIDE VARIETY OF PLANTS AS EITHER A GARDEN OR PRISTINE FRONT YARD.

BUT BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT AND TAKE YOUR GREEN THUMB FOR A TEST SPIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PLANS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR LANDSCAPE SINCE PART OF YOUR LANDSCAPE SINCE MANY SPECIES FOUND GARDEN SHOPS MIGHT DO MORE HARM TO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT THAN GOOD.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT INVASIVE SPECIES CAN HAVE AN LANDSCAPES.

WE'RE JOINED NOW BY DOCTOR KIMBERLY MOORE.

DR MOORE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE PROFESSOR AND U.S.

FORT LAUDERDALE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR MOORE FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

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.

THEY'RE INVASIVE UNTIL THEY GET HOME AND THEN THEY GO, OH, MY GOODNESS.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

SO I DON'T WANT TO FALL.

THERE ARE STRICT ON APOLLO HOMEOWNERS.

IT'S IT'S A PROBLEM AND IT STOPPED.

THEY'RE NOT BEING KIND OR NOT THINKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THAT HE'S GOT THE SIZE OF SO SOMETHING TO TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICE AND TALK TO LOCAL EXTENSION AGENT ABOUT INVASIVE PLANTS, WHAT PLANTS, WHERE THEY RECOMMEND WHAT LIES 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 IT, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE IS THIS PLANT INVASIVE, YOU CAN OPEN UP THE ASSESSMENT OF NONNATIVE PLANTS AND HAVE BEEN THE PLANT NAME IS ON THE LABEL.

IS THIS OKAY?

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

THIS IS A CAUTION PLANS.

SO WE SEE CAUTION YOU UP.

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, WHEN I WOULD GO TO A GARDEN CENTER, 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 AHEAD OF TIME.

>> YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THE UN.

IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU CAN PLAY IN YOUR GARDEN AHEAD OF TIME, THAT BE 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 PLACE YOU MIGHT OUR PLACE IF YOU HAVE A GARDEN SAYING LIKE ONE OF THIS PLAZA, 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 GARDA?

>> THAT'S A GREAT SOME FORTUNATELY THE PROBLEM WITH THE BASES THAT WELL, 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 DHAKA, HAVE A TEST.

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

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

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

LOOK, AND WILL 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 THRIVING DO WELL.

AND OUR FLORIDA ENVIRONMENT.

THERE'S A LONG LIST OF NATIVE PLANTS AND 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 MINE AND ABOUT RIGHT.

THERE'S A LOT OF NAY.

IT PLAYED A FIREFIGHT PLANTS THAT UP ON AIR PLANTS, THE OUR NATIVE WILDFLOWERS, THE COURT 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.

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 3 STARTS TO BE GOING TO YOUR LOCAL EXTENSION OFFICE.

THERE IS EVERY COUNTY HAS AN ACCENT OFFICE.

SO THEIR AGENTS THERE TO HELP YOU SO I REALLY LIKE THE PERSONAL ONE-ON-ONE TOUCH.

SO I WOULD SAY FIRST, CHECK YOUR EXTENDED 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 AND ASK LIKE THIS.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN SO HELPFUL TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DOCTOR MOORE, THANK YOU >> HERE'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACT FROM THE WTC YOU NEWSROOM.

THE FLORIDA INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL SAYS THERE ARE ABOUT 1500 NON NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AROUND THE STATE.

AND THAT INCLUDES ROUGHLY 180 ESTABLISHED IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

MOST OF THOSE WERE INTRODUCED TO THE REGION THROUGH TRADE, TRAVEL AND LANDSCAPING.

COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, FINDING THE ZEST FOR LIFE.

WELL, BUILDING UP A SWEAT, NAPLES, RETIREMENT COMMUNITY UNITES AND EXERCISE TO BRING HOM FITNESS IS IMPORTANT AT ANY AGE, ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR SENIORS TO MAINTAIN HEALTH AND ALSO CAN ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A SAFE AND INDEPENDENT LIFESTYLE MEMBERS OF A NAPLES RETIREMENT COMMUNITY ARE INCREASING THEIR EXERCISING BY TAKING PART IN A NATIONWIDE FITNESS COMPETITION.

WGCUS CARRY BARBOR HAS MORE.

>> THAT 2, 3, 4 CARLISLE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY IN NAPLES HAD ITS USUAL SERENE ATMOSPHERE ON THE SURFACE LAST WEEK.

BUT THE TRUTH WAS ITS RESIDENTS AND STAFF WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIERCE COMPETITION.

THE TOUR DE ZEST IS AN ANNUAL RACE AMONG 20 PROPERTIES OF SENIOR RESOURCE GROUP OR SRG, WHICH OWNS AND OPERATES THE CARLISLE RESIDENTS AND STAFF WIN POINTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN FITNESS CLASSES AND OTHER HEALTH RELATED ACTIVITIES, SRG PROPERTIES COMPETE NATIONWIDE TO SEE WHO WINS THE MOST POINTS AND WINS.

THE TITLE EXIST IS THE TERM USED BY SRG FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES.

HENCE THE AND NOT SICK IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CARLYLE IN NAPLES.

>> SO THE RESIDENTS GET POINTS FOR EVERY EXERCISE CLASS THEY ATTEND.

THEY GET 30 MINUTES IS 3,000 POINTS.

WE ALSO DO A STAFF INCENTIVE TO SO THE STAFF THEY ALREADY STARTED THEIR TOUR DE SUS 3, 4 K RESIDENT, JANET SURE TAUGHT A CLASS ON THURSDAY CALLED BONE BUILDERS.

>> ABOUT 20 RESIDENTS TOOK PART IN THE FITNESS CLASS.

THAT WAS PART SEATED IN PART STANDING.

SURE LIKES THE GROUP CLASSES BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE MORE INCENTIVE TO SHOW UP.

>> I THINK IT'S GREAT BECAUSE TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

IF I WAS ALONE, I WOULDN'T DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

IT'S NICE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY GROUP.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND BEINGS.

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY OR WHATEVER DAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO GO AND DO IT.

>> ABOUT 75 RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THAT OR DOES ESTE, INCLUDING STAFF, TOLD US 104 YEAR-OLD RESIDENT SURE SAYS THAT IF PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN EXERCISE, SHE ENCOURAGES THEM TO TRY IT ONCE THEY USUALLY RETURN, SHE SAYS, I HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY COUPLE.

>> REALLY SAYING THEY CAN'T STAND IT >> WITH KEVIN VIDEOGRAPHY, I'M CARY BARBOR FOR WGCU.

>> WHEN THE POINTS WERE TALLIED, THE CARLISLE CAME IN 9TH PLACE OUT OF 21 COMMUNITIES.

THEY WILL LOOK TO IMPROVE THEIR RANKING NEXT YEAR.

WELL, COMING UP ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM, THE SPOOKY SEASON IS HERE.

AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH TIME TO PREPARE FOR YOUR HALLOWEEN COSTUME.

WE SPEAK WITH THE SPECIAL EFFECTS ARTIST TO GET THE BEST TIPS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY.

LOOK TO BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE HOLIDAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WGCU ORG WHERE YOU'LL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.