The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) will host an educational event about creek restoration and its local impact on the once-endangered Okaloosa Darter on March 7, 2025.
- The Secret Life of Creeks the Okaloosa Darter’s Comeback will take place from 12-1 p.m. at the Anderson Pond Recreation Area on Eglin Air Force Base.
Jeff Van Vrancken from US Fish and Wildlife at Jackson Guard will discuss how restoring impounded creeks across Eglin AFB helped remove the small fish from the endangered species list.
After over 30 years of conservation efforts, the Okaloosa Darter was officially removed from the federal endangered species list in August 2023 at Anderson Pond on Eglin Air Force Base.
- The two-inch Darter is only found in the streams of Walton and Okaloosa Counties. Much of the credit for the darter’s population increase goes to Eglin’s Natural Resource Management team and their partnerships.
In 1973, when the darter was first listed as endangered, very little was known about the fish and its habitat needs. But extensive research and population monitoring over the decades provided important insights that could be applied to management strategies.
The conservation efforts paid off as the population of Okaloosa Darters reached over 600,000 in 2023 across its small streams, a dramatic 400-fold increase from its lowest point decades ago.
This event will highlight how converting artificial ponds back to their natural state revived the creek’s ecosystems. Attendees can expect to learn about how aquatic macroinvertebrates, such as insect larvae and snails, are indicators of healthy water quality.
- The session will include hands-on opportunities to explore the creek’s biodiversity and understand what it reveals about environment health.
The event is easily accessible with minimal walking and is suitable for all activity levels, according to the CBA. No Eglin recreation pass is required during the event, but registration is required.
Those interested in attending the event can find the link to register here.
