Southwest Florida has a unique environmental ecosystem consisting of preserves, sanctuaries, swamps, estuaries, and coastlines. Most notably, Charlotte Harbor, the Everglades, and the Gulf of Mexico reside in our backyard. Water is the lifeblood of the region, allowing a spectacular array of flora and fauna to flourish here. UNDERCURRENT: Florida Artists & Water, features local artists and their reflections on the waters of Southwest Florida. The variety of mediums, textures, and materials in the exhibition mirror the eclectic nature of Florida’s wildlife, as well as its human inhabitants.
The artists’ works in UNDERCURRENT highlight the deep connection between the people of Southwest Florida and the local water ecosystem, an ecosystem that faces an uncertain future. The region is enduring a historically unprecedented ecological disaster in the form of blue-green algae spreading through our inland canals and coastal waters and a persistent red tide bloom impacting our coastal waters. High concentrations of red tide (Karenia brevis) are toxic to fish, marine mammals, and birds. The recurring freshwater discharges from Lake Okeechobee create a deadly environment for our marine life, fueling the blooms and threatening the delicate water ecosystems of the region. The FGCU Library humbly thanks the contributing artists for helping to bring awareness to the Southwest Florida water ecosystem and the current environmental threats in the region.
To this end, Florida Gulf Coast University Library is honored to announce the acquisition of the Erwin Environmental Ecology Collection. Kevin Erwin, an internationally known ecosystem ecologist, has pioneered wetland restoration and watershed management evaluation more than 40 years ago. His local projects include the design and permitting of Florida Gulf Coast University, the Florida Panther, Everglades Headwaters, and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuges, and thousands of acres of restored coastal and freshwater wetlands. Erwin’s papers will serve as the foundation for the Erwin Environmental Ecology Collection, an environmental research collection at FGCU Library’s Archives & Special Collections.
