The Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership (CHNEP) is hosting a free public event to share knowledge, showcase climate action, engage leadership across sectors, and mobilize collaboration throughout the Central & Southwest Florida region.

The 2024 Southwest Florida Climate Summit is being held as a two-day public event on Feb. 28-29 at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center in Punta Gorda, FL.

The Summit will feature innovative thinkers exchanging dialogue and ideas on expanding capacity to respond to climate challenges and building increased community resiliency, as well as interactive question and answer sessions with audience members. This in-person event will have numerous networking opportunities to allow participants to build new connections and collaborations.

SCCF will participate by sharing seagrass surveys and SFWMD aerial survey data that suggest areas of J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge, Matlacha Pass, and Estero Bay have lost significant amounts of seagrass in recent years.

The SCCF Marine Lab has been analyzing the available data and Research Associate Mark Thompson will present its findings on Feb. 28.

Free advanced registration is required to attend.