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Area Residents "Give a Day for the Bay"More than 200 volunteers got "down and dirty" to help restore Tampa Bay at the Second Annual "Give A Day For The Bay" volunteer workday sponsored by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Saturday, May 11. In just one morning, the volunteers:
Volunteers ranged in age from under 6 years to mid-60s. Several Boy Scout Troops participated, as did teenage girls attending a reunion weekend of the University of South Florida's Oceanography Camp for Girls. Entire families turned out to help, armed with shovels, trowels, sunscreen and a sense of humor in the 90-degree heat. "Give A Day For The Bay" featured hands-on bay restoration activities in Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties. Boaters and landlubbers in Hillsborough installed an oyster reef at Green Key, the first Audubon bird nesting sanctuary in Tampa Bay. The reef will reduce erosion on the island, improve water quality and provide habitat for fish and shellfish. Volunteers in Manatee County restored an upland habitat within the Terra Ceia State Buffer Preserve. The slash pines and palms they planted replace acres of exotic Brazilian pepper, which was removed from the site earlier this year. And in Pinellas County, volunteers planted sea oats along North Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. The sea oats will help to trap sand, creating natural sand dunes that protect the beach from erosion and provide habitat for coastal wildlife. All volunteers received a free lunch and t-shirt. "Give A Day For The Bay" was created by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. Partners included Tampa BayWatch, Audubon of Florida, the Coastal Conservation Association, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Pinellas County Parks Department and the Friends of Fort DeSoto.
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