Ballon debris removal effort at Lake Okeechobee supports environmental stewardship mission

Jessica “Skippy” Martin, an invasive species biologist, stands with 28 balloons collected during a three-hour cleanup effort near Julian Keen, Florida, April 22, 2026. The volume of debris highlights the scale of pollution affecting Lake Okeechobee and surrounding ecosystems. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)