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Bay Area Scientific Information
Symposium Returns October 27, 2003
The event credited with first building the partnerships that helped Tampa Bay become a national success story returns in October.
The Fourth Tampa Bay Area Scientific Information Symposium -- or BASIS IV - is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 27, through Thursday, Oct. 30, at the Sunspree Resort Conference Center in St. Petersburg.
Bay champions attending the first BASIS conference helped establish the Agency on Bay Management back in 1984. ABM has served as an important watchdog group for the bay, and was instrumental in bringing about the creation of the Surface Water Improvement & Management (SWIM) program and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP).
The four-day event closely tracks the comprehensive bay restoration blueprint developed by TBEP, bringing together the region's top scientists to share data on restoration and monitoring.
It opens with a keynote address by Dr. Ernie Estevez, director of the Center for Coastal Resources at Mote Marine Laboratory and long-time bay advocate. Highlights follow:
Monday sessions:
- Fish and Wildlife, chaired by Paul Carlson, Florida Marine Research Institute, from 1:30 to 3:15.
- Invasive Species, chaired by Nanette Holland, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, from 3:30 to 5.
- Evening Reception and Poster Viewing, sponsored by Mote Marine Laboratory, from 5:30 to 7.
Tuesday highlights:
- A day-long focus on water and sediment quality, water quality and atmospheric deposition will conclude with a "Journey Through Time," as the U.S. Geological Survey opens a sediment core from Tampa Bay that may yield new insights into its history.
Wednesday sessions:
- Bay Habitats, chaired by Brandt Henningsen, Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Water Management Program (SWIM), from 8:30 to 2:50, with a break for lunch.
- Dredging and Dredged Material Management, chaired by Holly Greening, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, from 3:10 to 4:10.
- Spill Prevention and Response, chaired by George Henderson, Florida Marine Research Institute, 4:10 to 5:35.
- An Evening Reception and Slide Show, sponsored by the USF Center for Marine Technology, from 6 to 7:30.
Thursday session:
- Watershed management, from 8:30 to noon.
Download a complete agenda, including a break-down of sessions and their presenters.
There is also an online registration form, or call 727-893-2765.
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A Few Seats Remain For "Estuary Academy"
As we go to press, a few seats remain available for "Estuary Academy," a one-day workshop created for the nonscientists among us. It's a chance to learn what's happening in and around Tampa Bay, and to meet the researchers who are documenting changes - and making recommendations for future actions that will help Tampa Bay continue to improve.
Scheduled for Saturday, October 25, from 9 am to 3 pm at Weedon Island Preserve, Estuary Academy will feature presentations by well-known experts on various aspects of the Tampa Bay environment, as well as workshops, field trips and interactive learning stations with the latest in state-of-the-art scientific equipment. The event's mission is to introduce citizens to the wealth of scientific research being conducted on (and in) Tampa Bay, and explain how this research provides information about the bay's overall health.
The morning session will feature brief, engaging lectures on bay ecology, fisheries and habitats. Afternoon sessions will include workshops where participants can learn how to conduct basic water quality sampling, identify edible native plants, or even construct their own underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Field trips will explore the varied habitats of Weedon Island by both land and water.
Sponsors include the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, U.S. Geological Survey and Eckerd College.
Pre-registration is required and the $10 registration fee includes lunch, a goodie bag loaded with great freebies, door prizes, and a handsome certificate identifying the participant as a graduate of Estuary Academy. To sign up, contact Nanette Holland at (727) 893-2765 or via e-mail at nanette@tbep.org.
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