By Jon Schmidt
“Passion for conservation isn’t just taught, it’s experienced” – this is the driving force behind a new local nonprofit organization bringing area students into the field for hands-on marine science activities. Emerald & Forgotten Coast Adventures, Inc. (E&FCA) has served over 1,100 students from Bay and Walton County schools alone in the 2024-2025 school year. These students have explored different local habitats including seagrass beds, the unique coastal dune lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico —at no cost to the schools. Another 400 students are scheduled to participate in these immersive field experiences this spring, and more schools are already booking into the 2025-2026 school year.
E&FCA utilizes four sites: Camp Helen State Park, Grayton Beach State Park, St. Andrews State Park, and Tyndall Air Force Base. The school selects the location and E&FCA will set up 4-5 activity stations for the students to rotate through to experience firsthand how to take and interpret water quality samples, explore plankton using field microscopes, learn how to fish, examine and identify species from the seine nets and in the touch tank, explore the state park, and learn about sea turtles, manatees, ghost crabs, and more.
Providing a comprehensive and cohesive educational experience across the spectrum of schools every year will build a passion in the next generation to study, preserve, protect, and enhance our marine environment. Conserving the Emerald and Forgotten Coasts will be in the hands of future generations, and that requires exposing them to and developing an appreciation for the unique habitats that surround them.
Our long-term goal is to bring 10% of the students from the seven-county area around St. Andrews and St. Joseph’s Bays into the field every year (approximately 7,000 students in Bay, Walton, Gulf, Franklin, Calhoun, Jackson, and Washington Counties). Many students in these counties may have never stepped foot into St. Andrews or St. Joseph’s Bays or the Gulf of Mexico. Many families and schools have drifted away from getting out into nature and exploring the environment around them. Our program is designed to counter this trend and support area schools with opportunities for students to develop an interest in the sciences.
Our program, a 501(c)3, is supported locally with donations from private individuals, the St. Joe Community Foundation, JW Couch Foundation, Tyndall Federal Credit Union Community Grant, and donations of equipment from Half Hitch and Fish Florida. There are many opportunities to get involved. If you are a local teacher, consider booking a field adventure for your class. If you enjoy being outside, enjoy nature, and want to learn about the unique environments around you, consider becoming a volunteer. A science or teaching background is not required, but you do have to pass a background check and fingerprint with the School District to work with the students. We also appreciate the numerous private donors who have helped us acquire a lot of our field equipment and if you would like to help us keep the program at no cost to the students, please consider providing a tax-deductible donation to help take the next generation into the heart of marine conservation.
For more information, visit www.emeraldforgottencoastadventures.org and follow us on social media.
