Audubon's Dr. Paul Gray submits this post from his adventure on Lake Okeechobee with University of Connecticut Professor Robert Wyss and his journalism students. Enjoy:

Journalism professor Robert Wyss of the University of Connecticut brought his class on a tour of South Florida this month and I, along with Don Fox, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Stu Appelbaum, Deputy District Engineer, US Army Corps of Engineers, took them on a tour of Lake Okeechobee.

The weather was beautiful and the students were able to see areas of Lake Okeechobee that have recovered very well from recent droughts, and some areas that have more recovery to do.  Being journalism students, they spent the entire time taking notes, recording, and filming the trip.

After completion of their tour, Professor Wyss wrote us, “You guys win.  Of all the places we went, of all the rides, hikes, visits, talks in Florida, I have to say that judging from the reaction from my students the time we spent with all of you guys had the biggest, greatest, most landing impression.”

The students now are working on news stories and multimedia reports that will be posted on a website and made available to news organizations if they want to re-publish.  Stay tuned: we will post that site when it becomes available.

**UPDATE: The students' work is now available by clicking here!