Michele Arquette-Palermo of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida will present “Model to Mishap: Protecting Southwest Florida’s Waters Matters to All of Us.”
And as part of Florida Climate Week, Calusa Waterkeeper Joe Cavanaugh will discuss “The Influence of Climate Change and Development on Stormwater Runoff to the Caloosahatchee River.”
Clean water is the lifeblood of Southwest Florida — it drives our tourism, supports jobs, fuels recreation, sustains wildlife, and keeps our communities thriving. But despite its importance, our water quality is in trouble. In recent years, harmful algal blooms — such as blue-green algae and red tide — have repeatedly turned our beautiful bays and beaches into disaster zones. These outbreaks don’t just hurt fish and wildlife; they shutter businesses, cut into tourism, lower property values, and damage the very economy they once supported. The massive bloom of 2018 made headlines, but smaller events happen every year, quietly chipping away at our environment and economy.
Calusa Waterkeeper has invited Michele Arquette-Palermo of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to be its guest speaker at its quarterly State of Our Water meeting to discuss the connection between environmental health and economic prosperity, and why safeguarding our waters is an urgent community responsibility.
The event will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the Calusa Nature Center’s historic Iona House.
Michele studied Biology/Ecology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and additionally holds a M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. Michele’s career has focused on collaboratively working with stakeholders to advance scientific knowledge, education and stewardship of natural communities and water resources. In 2022, Michele moved to Southwest Florida to join the policy team at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and in May of 2024 she was elevated to Chief Program Officer.
Additionally, Calusa Waterkeeper Joseph Cavanaugh will be discussing the Influence of Climate Change on Stormwater Runoff to the Caloosahatchee River. This talk will provide an overview and exploration into how runoff efficiency is impacted by climate change such as more frequent and intense downpours increasing stormwater runoff and overwhelming stormwater and wastewater systems. Local development pressures also exacerbate this issue by reducing wetlands and their natural pollutant filtration processes. This discussion is part of 2025 Florida Climate Week, taking place October 6-12, 2025, and made possible by support from the VoLo Foundation.
Joe has a Bachelor’s in Anthropology from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Master’s in Marine Science from Boston University’s Marine Program in Woods Hole, MA. Joe’s career has spanned the gamut from working in environmental consulting, non-government organizations, and most recently working for the US government in NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service for 15 years. At NOAA, Joe was part of the regional Climate Team and co-authored their Regional Action Plan for addressing climate impacts to fisheries and habitats in the southeast region. Just prior to leaving NOAA, Joe worked in France on developing a climate monitoring plan for Senegal’s MPAs through an Embassy Science Fellowship (2024).
The CWK Ranger Zone Leaders will also contribute to the State of Our Water Address, providing brief updates on recent happenings and the health of our local waterways in various areas of Calusa Waterkeeper’s work area. These Ranger groups currently focus on the Tidal Caloosahatchee, Freshwater Caloosahatchee, Pine Island Sound / Matlacha Pass, and Estero Bay zones.
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