Gena Parsons at Florida Keys Audubon on March 6

The Florida Keys Audubon Society’s speaker series will continue on Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the Key West Garden Club, 1100 Atlantic Boulevard.

The speaker will be Gena Parsons of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. 

Parsons will give a talk called “Navigating the Challenging Waters of the Florida Keys.”

“The sustained health of the nearshore marine environment is vital to the tourist-based Florida Keys economy, and supports the coral reef ecosystem in many ways. Hardbottom communities and seagrass beds provide important feeding and nursery grounds for numerous commercially-important fish and protected species. Sea turtles and birds forage in seagrass beds and tidal flats. Disturbance and direct impacts, including prop scarring, groundings, turbidity and water quality, are major contributing factors to declines in these habitats, which are essential for birds, fish and other animals,” said Parsons.

Parsons will talk about strategies for avoiding damaging marine habitats and a free online boater education course that will be released in April promoting responsible, sustainable boating Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has developed.

Parsons moved to the Keys from Texas nine years ago, following a hankering for bluer waters. She has been with the sanctuary since 2017.

Admissions is free and open to anyone who is interested.

For more information email keysaudubon@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at 305-771-5807.

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Caption: Gena Parsons, who will speak to the Florida Keys Audubon Society on March 6.