In the early 1970s, hundreds of thousands of tires were deposited in the Atlantic Ocean off Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in a failed attempt to create an artificial reef.

Buoyed by state grant funding, the Florida De- partment of Environmental Protection has been engaged in ongoing efforts to remove these tires.

At the June 8 luncheon meeting of the Port Everglades Association, Dr. Pat Quinn, senior natural resource specialist with the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division, looks to provide an update on this vital program.

An expert in artificial reefs and other critical aspects of marine science, with more than 35 years of relevant experience, Quinn holds a bachelor’s degree from Memphis State University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center.