The Caribbean’s role in Civil War Author to give presentation at DiamondHead Resort

The Estero Island Historic Society invites the public to a free meeting and presentation on the Civil War’s reach into the Caribbean

T h e m e e t i n g w i l l t a k e p l a c e on Monday, March 13 at 2 p m at the D i a m o n d H e a d B e a c h R e s o r t o n F o r t Myers Beach The first-floor ballroom is accessible by elevator All are welcome to attend at no charge; donations are gratefully accepted. Free parking is available behind Century 21 / Tri-Power Realty a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t f r o m D i a m o n d H e a d Beach Resort

Robert N Macomber, a multi-award winning author, internationally acclaimed lecturer and historian will give the present a t i o n t i t l e d “ B l o o d M o n e y : T h e Caribbean’s Crucial Role in the U S Civil War ” Macomber’s presentation will cover b l o c k a d e - r u n n e r s , C o n f e d e r a t e o c e a n divert more water south to the Everglades to relieve the waters of Southwest Florida from an overload of nutrients dumped into the local waters from Hurricane Ian.

“When red tide intensifies, it’s not only bad for wildlife and human health, but it is also bad for tourism Sanibel is typically viewed as an escape from the overly developed cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral,” said S C C F R e s e a r c h a n d P o l i c y A s s o c i a t e L e a h Reidenbach “Although our beautiful island isn’t recovered, red tide is stymying our ability to bring back the tourism economy that many businesses on Sanibel and Captiva depend on ”

Persistent red tide has been blooming in the Gulf of Mexico since October, when it was exacerbated by nutrient pollution from Hurricane Ian, according to SCCF.

“Naturally occurring K brevis tends to bloom by feeding on upwellings of deep ocean nutrients that become mixed in warmer waters near the surface of the Gulf However, when provided with a large supply of man-made nutrients such as nitrogen, the bloom can grow much larger than it otherwise would,” said SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis, adding that SCCF and the University of Florida recently published a study showing this connection

The ongoing red tide bloom has resulted in frequent reports of mild to severe respiratory irritation and fish kills along beaches, and the public is urged to follow all beach closures and red tide advisories and avoid areas with active red tide blooms

“Water managers must send more water south to the Everglades where it is needed, and more water storage and treatment in the Caloosahatchee watershed are absolutely necessary to buffer periods of high and low flows and reduce nutrient loading. Our islands’ economy and our future depend upon it,” Reidenbach said