Bay-Friendly Boater's Guides Now Available

Custom-designed Bay-Friendly Boater's Guides are now available through the Manatee Awareness Coalition.

"It's a low-tech way of getting information into the hands of people who want it," says Nanette Holland, chairman of the coalition and public outreach coordinator for the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. "We'll ask people where they expect to boat and what they plan to do, then create individualized kits."

Along with information on bay-friendly boating practices including protection of seagrasses, manatees and nesting birds as well as the prevention of invasive species and oil spills, the kits feature a detailed map of the region with public boat ramps, clean marinas, piers, tide stations, artificial reefs and speed zones. "Goodies" from the coalition's membership also will be included.

Postcards announcing the new kits will be distributed in early April. For more information, or to request a personalized kit, contact Holland at 727-893-2765 or nanette@tbep.org.

Dredge Holes Mostly Good

A two-year study of 11 dredge holes in Tampa Bay has confirmed what some fishermen already knew: manmade holes in the bottom of the bay often create better habitat for fish than the sand flats surrounding them.

The Dredge Hole Assessment Advisory Group asked fishermen - both recreational and commercial - to report on the number and quality of fish caught in 11 of the bay's dredge holes, compared to the fish caught in surrounding areas.

Based on those reports as well as more scientific surveys of fish and benthos, the committee recommended no changes be made to seven of the 11 holes. Three of the holes - one near Northshore Beach and Coffee Pot Bayou, another just north in Shore Acres and a third in McKay Bay - should be filled to photic levels where seagrasses are likely to grow, the group advised. A fourth hole near Cypress Point should be partially filled.

"The recommendations are a good compromise between people who are philosophically committed to restoring Tampa Bay authentically and the fishermen who use the dredge holes," said Holly Greening, senior scientist at the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. Other factors, including historic value or use by other wildlife, were not considered in this report although they would likely be included in more in-depth studies completed before a hole was actually filled.

For more information, visit the Tampa Bay Estuary Program website at www.tbep.org.

Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Announces Future of the Region Award Winners

Three organizations have been recognized for excellence in environmental management and planning by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council with “Future of the Region” awards. Top honors in the environmental category went to the Pinellas County Environmental Fund, a partnership of Pinellas County and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which has invested more nearly $15 million in projects to restore and protect Tampa Bay through matching grants to 85 recipients (including Bay Soundings). The second place award went to the Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve Restoration, spearheaded by the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, in partnership with Hillsborough County, Scheda Ecological Services, Tampa Contracting Services and National Audubon Society. The second phase of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, a project of the Hillsborough Greenways program, won honourable mention.

Greenways Task Force and Tampa Audubon Ink Agreement

The Hillsborough River Greenways Task Force recently became a program of Tampa Audubon Society, cementing a close relationship between the conservation organizations. Established in 1992, the task force has been a vocal advocate for the protection of the Hillsborough River and its watershed, particularly the upper corridors, which are a haven for wildlife and the source of drinking water for the City of Tampa. “We originally wanted to combine forces because we figured we could do more to highlight watershed issues working together,” says Gina Miller, task force director.

The task force continues its popular Frog Listening Network, which teaches residents how to recognize the distinctive calls of frogs and toads — creatures whose sensitivity to habitat changes and pollution make them excellent indicators of environmental health. For more information, visit www.hrgtf.org or www.tampaaudubon.com.

Pinellas County Receives National Conservation Award

Pinellas County’s environmental initiatives have been recognized with a prestigious award for County Leadership in Conservation from the Trust for Public Land and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Commissioner Susan Latvala accepted the award at the NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

The county’s conservation and environmental activities, along with its award-winning parks and spectacular preserves, were cited for the award. Pinellas County boasts 47 miles of urban trail, 4,200 acres of park and 14,000 acres of preserves. Ft. DeSoto Park is the number-one ranked beach in the continental U.S.

“Balancing growth while preserving our environment is always a challenge, but Pinellas County leadership is committed to preserving our quality of life for future generations,” said Jake Stowers, assistant county administrator. “Receiving this award is a testament that we are doing that and doing it well.”

Since 1948, the Pinellas County Park Department (now the Parks and Recreation Department) has acquired park and environmentally sensitive land. In 1972, citizens passed a tax referendum to fund land acquisitions. Through 1999, more than $166 million has been spent on park and preserve land in Pinellas County, including the acquisition of Brooker Creek Preserve.

The county’s partnerships with the school district to establish environmental education centers, with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to establish the Pinellas County Environmental Fund, and with the Southwest Florida Water Management District are all examples of the county’s commitment to environmental conservation.

Tampa Bay is getting better
You can help

Buy a Tampa Bay Estuary tag and help keep Tampa Bay on the road to recovery. They're available year-round in your local tax collector's office or request a Tampa Bay Estuary tag with your annual renewal.

The cost is $27 for the first year and $17 after that - with $15 going directly to projects that benefit the estuary, including the publication of Bay Soundings.