Join us for a Lecture at the Lagoon, where you will have the opportunity to hear from a diverse range of environmental experts. These knowledgeable speakers specialize in sharing captivating stories about a variety of fascinating topics, from the octopus population under the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach to the importance of manatees in our ecosystem. Our free lectures are held at 2:00 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Don’t miss this chance to learn and be inspired!
Rebuilding the Reef: Florida’s Corals and a Future Worth Saving
Join us for a hopeful and inspiring look at coral reef restoration in Florida and beyond. In honor of World Ocean Day, Manatee Lagoon welcomes back Leneita Fix, Executive Director of The Reef Institute — a West Palm Beach-based nonprofit working to protect and restore coral reefs through science, education, and community partnership.
From emergency coral rescue to biobanking, spawning, and outplanting back into the wild, The Reef Institute’s “Rescue to Reef” approach covers the full arc of coral conservation. Leneita will share what’s being done to save Florida’s reefs, why it matters, and how communities across the Caribbean are building the capacity to steward their own reef futures. Come ready to leave with a sense of hope — and a reason to care.
Light bites and refreshments will be provided by Friends of Manatee Lagoon.
About the Presenter: Leneita Fix is the founding Executive Director of The Reef Institute, where she leads a team maintaining over 8,000 corals representing 28 Caribbean species. Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a regional hub for coral conservation and has engaged over 60,000 people annually through education and outreach.
Speaker: Leneita Fix, Executive Director of The Reef Institute
When: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: 6000 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach, FL 33407
Cost: FREE, registration recommended.
LECTURE SERIES ARCHIVE
