THE JOURNEY TO PROTECT AND
RESTORE THE ST. JOHNS RIVER,
FOR THE PAST 13 DAYS THE RIVER
KEEPER AND A TEAM OF ACTIVISTS
HAVE BEEN MAKING THEIR WAY
ALONG THE ENTIRE 300 MILE
LENGTH OF THE RIVER.
THEY STARTED FROM VERO BEACH
AND THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO THE
NORTH AREA AND THE SUNSHINE
STATE.
TODAY, THEY ARE AT THE
MEMORIAL PARK, LAST DAY OF THE
SAVE THE ST. JOHNS TOUR.
JOINING US LIVE RIVER KEEPER
LISA, GOOD MORNING, GOOD TO
SEE YOU OUT THERE.
IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?
IT GORGEOUS DAY.
IT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC TRIP.
WE HAVE A BUILDING COALITION
OF RIVER LOVERS AND WE ARE
ENERGIZED MORE THAN EVER TO
SAVE THE ST. JOHNS.
TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE ST. JOHNS RIVER.
OBVIOUSLY IT IS SOMETHING
BEAUTIFUL.
BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING
IT CLEAN AND PROTECTING IT.
HEALTHY RIVERS DRIVE
HEALTHY ECONOMIES.
WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGHOUT THE
310 MILES OF THIS MIGHTY RIVER
IN OUR TRIBUTARIES AND
SPRINGS.
OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGER
WHEN WE HAVE A , BEAUTIFUL,
HEALTHY RIVER.
DID YOU SEE ANYTHING ON
YOUR TRIP THAT WAS AN
INDICATION THAT WE NEED TO
STEP IT UP A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE
TRASH OR THINGS THAT PEOPLE
ARE DOING TO DAMAGE OUR
BEAUTIFUL RIVER?
UNFORTUNATELY, YES.
WE SEEN ALGAE BLOOMS ALREADY,
OUTBREAKING IN THE ST. JOHNS
AND TRIBUTARIES, RIGHT NOW
FILLED WITH GREEN ALGAE,
INDICATION OF TOO MUCH
NUTRIENT POLLUTION, SEPTIC
TANKS, FERTILIZERS, RUNOFFS,
THINGS WE CAN DO TO BETTER
PROTECT THE ST. JOHNS.
CAN YOU GIVE US TIPS ON
WHAT WE CAN DO?
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE DAMAGING
THE RIVER AND NOT REALIZING
THEY ARE DOING IT.
MOST DEFINITELY.
YOU NEED MAKE SURE YOU ARE
USING LITTLE OR NO FERTILIZER.
FERTILIZER RUNOFF IN OUR URBAN
AREAS IS A BIG PROBLEM.
SIMPLE THINGS LIKE PICKING UP
AFTER YOUR PETS HELPFUL, NOT
USING TOXIC CHEMICALS, USING
WATER WISELY.
THE LESS WATER YOU USE THE
MORE YOU CONSERVE, THE MOTHER
WATER WILL STAY INTO
THE SYSTEM.
BESIDES THOSE SUGGESTIONS,
WHAT ELSE CAN PEOPLE DO?
IS THERE A WAY TO DONATE, IS
THERE A CLEANUP DAY?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
PEOPLE CAN DO TO GET INVOLVED?
WE NEED MORE PASSIONATE
PEOPLE TO JOIN TOGETHER AND
STAND UP FOR THE ST. JOHNS.
YOU CAN GO TO SAVETHESTJONES.ORG
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE
RIVER-FRIENDLY AND JOIN THIS
EFFORT.
THAT IS WONDERFUL.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR TRIP.
DID YOU STOP OFF AT
PLACES WHERE DID YOU STAY?
HOW DID IT WORK?
WE DID.
WE VISITED ALONG THE WAY, WE
--
[ UNINTELLIGIBLE ]
WE DIDN'T JUST GO TO ENJOY THE
-- MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO MEET
THE PEOPLE.
THERE ARE PASSIONATE PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT THIS RIVER THAT
CARE ABOUT OUR RIVER AS MUCH
AS WE DO IN JACKSONVILLE.
WE MET WITH THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL OF THOSE
INDIVIDUAL TO CELEBRATE THEIR
PORTION OF THE RIVER BUT
MOST LY TO CONNECT ON THE
WATERS OF THE ST. JOHNS.
I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T
DO ANY FISHING BUT NOW IS A
GOOD TIME THIS WEEKEND IS A
GOOD TIME FOR PEOPLE IF THEY
DON'T HAVE THEIR LICENSE.
TALK ABOUT THE RECREATION.
WE WANT IT TO BE BEAUTIFUL TO
GROW OUR BUSINESSES BUT IT IS
A FUN PLACE TO BE.
I SAW YOU WERE KAYAKING THAT
IS FUN IN GENERAL, THROWING IN
THE FISH SOMETHING EVEN
BETTER.
MOST DEFINITELILY.
MY BOYS ARE FISHING AS WEIGH
SPEAK I'M ON THE BANKS OF THE
RIVER WE'VE MET WITH
COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL
FISHERMAN.
STRIVING FISH CAMS ARE DRAWING
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
WE MEET PEOPLE FROM OHIO,
KENTUCKY, PEOPLE COMING TO
ENJOY AUTHENTIC FLORIDA ON THE
BANKS OF THE ST. JOHNS.
A THRIVING ECOSYSTEM.
THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY AND
MORE AND MORE HERITAGE TOURS
AND ECO-TOUR ALONG THE RIVER.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO
EXPERIENCE OUR JOURNEY AND
HOPEFULLY FULLY HAVE ONE OF
OUR OWN ALONG THE BANKS OF THE
ST. JOHNS.
I APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US
I'M SURE YOU WILL BE IN
RECOVERY MODE, I CAN'T IMAGINE
BEING ON A KAYAK FOR THAT MANY