MARCH 2026
MISSION OF THE MONTH
Studying Nutrient-Rich Runoff In Florida With the Power of Flight
Known for its clear water, Florida is facing challenges due to agricultural runoff. The nutrient-rich water flowing downstream has sparked an increase in both sediment plumes and algal blooms, devastating seagrass, a key food for marine wildlife. Photo by Jay Apt.
When you think of Florida, you picture clear blue water stretching beyond sandy beaches. But from above, a different story is unfolding.
Across Florida Bay, sediment plumes and algal blooms are spreading, changing the color, clarity, and health of these waters. Working alongside scientists from Florida International University, LightHawk took to the air to help better understand the scale of these changes and where they are coming from.
LIGHTHAWK IN THE NEWS
Western Region
- How to Save the Colorado River | Time
- Writers on the Range: A Colorado town waits for a water crisis | Aspen Daily News
- Uptapped potential | The Durango Telegraph
- Colorado River may deliver just a third of normal water supplies this spring, projections show | Denver Post
- Why wind & solar power won’t easily replace the energy being produced by the Glen Canyon Powerplant | Coyote Gulch
- Army Corps says a Glades restoration project in West Broward is canceled — but is it? | South Florida Sun Sentinel
- South32’s Hermosa, nation’s first critical minerals mine, nears approval in biodiversity hotspot | Tucson Sentinel
Eastern Region
Northern Rockies Region
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Photo by Lane Gormley.
LightHawk has a long history of flying with conservation photographers, including David Moskowitz. Based in the Pacific Northwest, David has joined LightHawk pilots on seven flights across Oregon, Washington, and even into Canada.
On his most recent mission, volunteer pilot Lane Gormley flew David over northern Washington near the Canadian border to document wolverine trails. Lane, who has completed more than 80 conservation flights with LightHawk, not only piloted the mission, but captured this striking image himself from the cockpit.
Snow-covered peaks stretch across the landscape, prime habitat for the elusive wolverine and a powerful reminder of the wild places these flights help protect.
THE FUTURE, SEEN FROM ABOVE
Photo by Ganesh Marin.
Photos by Ganesh Marin.
Each year, sandhill cranes return to the same wetlands, relying on protected habitat to survive.
Legacy gifts help ensure LightHawk can continue providing the aerial perspective needed to protect these landscapes and the species that depend on them, year after year.
Including LightHawk in your will is a meaningful way to carry your commitment to conservation forward.
If you are considering including LightHawk in your will, the following language may be helpful:
“I give to LightHawk (a nonprofit organization), PO Box 2751, Grand Junction, CO 81502, Tax ID #84-0852104, _____ to be used for its general, unrestricted purposes.”