For Hometown news
ST. LUCIE COUNTY --
Alto "Bud" Adams Jr. will be the guest of honor at the second annual "Love Your Lagoon" dinner on Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 5600 U.S. 1 North in Fort Pierce.
Proceeds from the event will support HBOI's research of the lagoon.
"In order to alleviate the flooding and drought cycle, Adams Ranch builds a system of reservoirs connected by canals with risers to retain the water," said Mr. Adams.
"We store billions of gallons of water in the reservoirs, the canals and pastures, which helps to ensure the health and wellbeing of the Indian River Lagoon."
Mr. Adams is best known for presiding over Adams Ranch, a 40,000-acre cattle ranch spanning St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Osceola counties. The ranch helps preserve rivers, swamps, marshes, prairies, wooded areas and a vast array of wildlife.
He was selected by the HBOIF board of directors to serve as this year's guest of honor because of his leadership in using best practices in agriculture, greatly benefitting the lagoon.
The Indian River Lagoon is the most biologically diverse estuary in North America. Like estuaries and coastal waters throughout the world, the lagoon faces mounting threats related to increasing population and economic pressures.
The "Love Your Lagoon" dinner will be held waterside, at HBOI's newly constructed, open-air plaza. Guests will enjoy cocktails and music under the stars, while savoring the flavors of sustainably sourced seafood and local produce.
Tickets are $125 per person and sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Proceeds from the dinner will also support the second annual Indian River Lagoon symposium and forum on L
lagoon health, which will be held the same week in Harbor Branch's Johnson Education Center on Feb. 7 -8.
HBOIF is a nonprofit organization whose mission supports Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, a research institute of Florida Atlantic University.
For more information about the dinner and other events, call (772)466-9876, email jmalford@hboifoundation.org or visit www.indianriverlagoon.org.