Bay Soundings l Commentary and Opinion

Editor's Desk

It’s hard to believe – even for us – but it’s been nearly five years since Bay Soundings published its inaugural edition in the summer of 2002. Much has changed over that time, but much remains the same.

Created to promote conservation and inspire increased public interest in the region’s namesake estuary, Bay Soundings chronicles the news and issues affecting the bay, while profiling the people and places, creatures and habitat that make it so compelling. In-depth coverage of timely topics offer best-available science written for non-scientific readers, while features like “Backbay Adventures” invite readers to see more of the magnificent waterworld we live in.

Our audience has grown to more than 8,000 subscribers – including opinion leaders – as well as distribution of another 22,000 copies through 250 targeted outlets across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Pasco counties. Our website, at www.baysoundings.com, attracts visitors from all over the world – more than a half-million already this year with about 4,500 hits on an average day.

Later in May, we’ll attend the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2007 Sunshine State Awards banquet to accept an award in their special interest publications category. They don’t tell you what place you’ve won until then, but the list of other winners includes the state’s top publications, from dailies and weeklies to well-known magazines.

We wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of our favorite stories, many of which are just as important now as they were when first published. We’ve also included our reader’s favorite stories, as told by their online requests for pages.

What’s in a Name?, Summer 2002, details the colorful history of Tampa Bay as shown in the names of places like Cockroach Bay, Hooker’s Point and Whiskey Stump Key.
Egmont Key: Wildlife Flocks to Manmade Beach, Fall 2002. Nesting birds and sea turtles – including 30 successful turtle nests – surprise experts by returning to beaches on Egmont Key.
Bat Fans, Winter 2003. Exploding the myths about bats, and tips on encouraging them to live nearby, including directions for building a bat house.
Dream Boats, Spring 2003. Lazzara Yachts makes building boats a family affair from a high-tech plant on Tampa Bay’s eastern shore.
How Well Prepared Are We? Summer 2003. Ten years after the devastating 1993 oil spill, Tampa Bay is far more prepared for another disaster – but some shortfalls still have not been addressed.
Bird stories are always favorites with articles in Summer 2002, Spring 2003 and again in Spring 2004.
Charting the Course for Recovery, Winter 2006. Tampa Bay’s recovery has made the estuary the envy of the nation, but it was a long and winding road.
Building Better, Smarter, Spring 2006. Even “suits” are going green at the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Red Tide, Fall 2006. Scientists are beginning to unravel the mystery of the toxic red tide that kills fish, turtles, birds, manatees and dolphin in southwest Florida.

ANY DAY IN MAY
Our quarterly calendar, issue after issue, always ranks tops on reader surveys. The special section on “Any Day in May” didn’t really fit in our format, but we wouldn’t want readers to miss out on these great opportunities to participate at your convenience.

Keep Track of Litter
Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful is looking for volunteer groups for its annual Litter Index, which runs through May. Designed to demonstrate whether litter is increasing or decreasing in the county, the Litter Index also helps to determine which types of litter prevention and community improvement programs to implement locally.

Volunteers will work in groups of five people to survey 10 to 12 sites, rating each site on a scale of one to four – from no litter to extremely littered. Four volunteers from each group are asked to rate the sites, and a fifth volunteer is needed to drive and take pictures. Days and times are flexible. Volunteers will receive free giveaways for their efforts, and high school students can earn community service hours.

Last year, the county was given an overall rating of 1.6, which is considered slightly littered. While each site was chosen on a random basis, the survey is designed to represent the general status of the county.

For more information on the Litter Index or to volunteer, call 813-960-5121 or visit www.khcbonline.org.

Take Your Bike to Work
Try biking to work as part of a month-long campaign by Tampa BayCycle. Bicycle commuters save money and gas, stay fit, reduce traffic congestion, and most importantly, have fun. Participants are asked to commit to biking to work at least one day in May. For more information visit www.tampabaycycle.com.

Restore Natural Florida
Florida Botanical Gardens, located on McKay Creek in Largo, is restoring 60 acres to its original wild state with funding from a Tampa Bay Estuary Program mini-grant. More than 1,600 native grasses, shrubs and trees will be planted with the help of volunteers starting in early May. Other volunteers will work with our botany team collecting wildflower seeds from other parts of the property for sowing in the restoration area.

In June, the focus will be replanting native vegetation around the McKay Creek Pond, including plants that provide habitat for wildlife species attracted to water. This educational project has been funded by grants from both the TBEP and Southwest Florida Water Management District. For more information, call 727-582-2581 or email flbg@flbg.org.

Audubon Surveys Nesting Birds
The St. Petersburg Audubon Society continues its annual surveys of beach-nesting birds and least terns nesting on rooftops. Call Monique Abrams for information, 727-230-0732.

Catch the Drip!
Lynn Barber at the Hillsborough County Extension dreamed up a way to safely capture air-conditioning condensate for use on newly installed plants.

“You don’t want to connect a hose directly to the condensate outlet because if it backs up, it overflows inside the house,” she notes. “I hung a funnel from the outlet with wire and then put the hose underneath the funnel.”

The funnel directs the water to the hose so the water can be used anywhere the hose reaches instead of dripping in the same spot. But if the hose kinks or otherwise clogs, the funnel overflows outside where it won’t cause any damage.

The slow drip of air-conditioner condensate – which amounts to several gallons a day – helps new plants establish deep roots and keeps less drought-tolerant plants thriving even during the dry season, she says.

Send us your letters

We welcome letters from readers on topics covered in Bay Soundings. The writer’s name, affiliation, address, and telephone number should be included and electronic submission is preferred. Letters may be edited to save space and ensure clarity. Send letters to editor@baysoundings.com.

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