 History has proven that Hurricane Andrew's destruction of Matheson's mangrove habitat was actually a gift. Tom lovingly referred to it as "a university of biodiversity." Project Baitfish's curriculum provided a deeply gratifying education to those volunteers who gave over 10,000 hours of their precious lives to make a difference. Together, we learned that every day is different in a tidal-cleansed habitat. Each sweep of the water could bring us a surprise, many of them unpleasant. We kept our knives handy to cut ropes from crab traps, fishing line, and strings from party balloons which wind around mangrove roots and endanger wildlife. We extracted giant logs from the ooze and cut them underwater if there was no other way. Our muddy, banged-up canoes were barges, tool carriers, fulcrums and everything except pleasure craft. But Matheson's woods rang with our laughter and shouts of triumph. Most of us didn't realize until then that we could do so much just by removing dead wood and debris from a creek.
 We learned that a small piece of dead wood in the wrong place could be the key to restoring complete tidal flushing to a corridor. We watched as Tom's methodology worked, that of "helping Mother Nature help herself." We observed shallow, muddy, hot and stagnant waterways grow deep, clear, cool and clean once the blockages were removed by our teams and tidal scouring restored. We were thrilled to see fish immediately discovering the newly-unclogged corridors, exploring their long-lost homes.
We were elated and grateful to learn that there were people in giant NOAA who became devoted to our project. It was the guidance and funding of NOAA's Restoration Center and FishAmerica Foundation, that made Project Baitfish a touchstone of hope for so many. In 2003, NOAA made Tom an Environmental Hero. He cherished that award over any other of the many he received in his all-too-brief but extraordinary life. Project Baitfish is his legacy, and a lesson that lives on to inspire us: that one dedicated and passionate individual can make a difference to both humans and our home planet that is simply beyond measure.
References:
Marsh, G. Alex, and Leni L. Bane. Life Along the Mangrove Shore. Hobe Sound, Florida: Florida Classics Library. 1995.
Odum, William E., Carole C. McIvor, Thomas J. Smith, III. The Ecology of the Mangroves of South Florida: A Community Profile. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. 1982, reprinted 1985.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/everglades/Estuarine/Fish.html, accessed December 20, 2008.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/mangrove/Importance.html, accessed December 21, 2008.
http://foragefish.org/mission.html, accessed December 27, 2008.
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| Volunteers: Top, Kevin Rapczynski; Center, Robert Council, Donna Kazo, Rose Resendez; Bottom, Robert, Kevin, Rose. Photo Credits: Dr. Tom Kazo, Wildlife Research Team |
