THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
Come for the pictures of seagrass and birds.
Stay for the science.
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From February 28th to March 4th, 2022, scientists, resource managers, and environmental educators gathered in Downtown St. Pete to share their research and address a diversity of environmental issues facing estuaries nationwide. In the spirit of open science, we’ve made the conference session recordings available on our YouTube channel. Don’t worry, this isn’t one 15-hour long zoom call recording. Each session has its own video with individual presentation chapters so you can easily find what you’re looking for. We’ve also created a library of photos taken by conference attendees and TBEP staff. Access these resources by visiting tbep.org/basis/basis7/. |
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Attention BASIS7-ANEP Presenters
We are currently seeking publication of the full conference proceedings, but we need your help. Please prepare a manuscript based on the work you presented and submit it for review no later than June 30th. 2022. View submission instructions.
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March was a big month for fans of urban exploration in the region. Among the many unique characteristics of the bay, its proximity to a densely populated urban environment is quite impressive. It’s not everywhere that views of a city skyline can be enjoyed from inside a mangrove tunnel, busy with the guttural calls of pelicans, cormorants, and anhingas nesting overhead. To really paint the picture, USFSP English Professor Thomas Hallock, TBEP’s Maya Burke, and the City of St. Pete’s Kira Barrera set off on an adventure to trace a course through Boyd Hill’s “Creek with no name.” Take a step into nature by reading Hallock’s written account of the experience in this Creative Loafing piece titled “A creek with no name: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve captures the true paradox of Florida.”
If you still haven’t gotten your fix, you can visually navigate the flow of St. Petersburg’s Booker and Salt Creeks on kayaks with Hallock and Eckerd College’s Amanda Hagood in a two and a half minute YouTube video titled “Exploring The Urban Watershed of Tampa Bay.” Alternatively, check out this interactive Salt Creek StoryMap created by the Friends of Salt Creek: View StoryMap.
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Advances in the aerial imagery technology used to survey the bay’s seagrass habitats have bay managers anxiously awaiting the release of the 2022 survey results later this year. This information will be used to understand seagrass and macroalgae trends, especially in areas where losses have been occurring since 2018. Tampa Bay’s Environmental Journal Bay Soundings has the story.
We can’t talk about seagrass without also mentioning water quality. The 2021 Tampa Bay Water Quality Assessment was released in February and features a report card used by bay managers to target areas where projects are needed to improve water quality. Despite the emergency discharge from Piney Point and subsequent red tide event, water quality remained supportive of seagrasses in Hillsborough Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay in 2021. In Old Tampa Bay, a harmful algae bloom (Pyrodinium bahamense) was observed during the summer months. Pyrodinium bahamense has been observed almost annually in Old Tampa Bay since 2000. The persistent blooms in this bay segment contribute to an overabundance of microscopic algae (chlorophyll-a) in the water column, making it harder for light to reach the seagrasses below, and have resulted in more than 4,000 acres of seagrass loss. The purpose of this monitoring is to inform bay management, so while the plan is to “Stay the Course” throughout most of Tampa Bay, Old Tampa Bay remains a priority for projects that reduce nitrogen loads, improve circulation and natural flow patterns, and restore habitats. Learn more about how this report card guides the management of Tampa Bay.
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The Legislative Review Committee is seeking members to join the committee. The next meeting is on April 14, 2-4 pm. Find more information at the link above or contact Alana Todd at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council: (727) 570-5151 ext. 40 or alana@tbrpc.org. |
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EVENTS
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Join Florida Suncoast Sierra Club and TBEP for a DIY celebration of Earth Day. Participate onshore or by water (must bring your own paddling equipment) to find & identify various plants and animals using your cell phone. Download the iNaturalist app ahead of time, as we will kick off our event with instructions on how to navigate & use the app. Trash cleanup supplies will be made available to folks interested in a digital detox without their phones. The event is free, but registering via the link below will help us get an idea of who’s coming.
Join us for an exciting, new three-part workshop that combines macroalgae, education, adventure, and art! Macroalgae, also known as seaweed, is a plant-like organism commonly found on our local shorelines. Week one will introduce participants to the fascinating biology of macroalgae and the important role they play in the environment. The following week, participants will kayak to Flamingo Cay to collect and press macroalgae specimens. Finally, the course will conclude with an art session where participants will create their own piece of algae artwork and take home their own algae pressing kit. Kayaks are included in the registration. Register online at https://parks.mymanatee.org/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/search.html?primarycode=110008 $50 Registration.
Pick a weekend and throw on your closed-toed shoes. These Bay Mini-Grant-funded volunteer events are a great way to enjoy a Saturday morning spent outside. Coordinated by Keep Pinellas Beautiful and the Campbell Park Community.
Save the date for this trash cleanup and native planting event at Bartlett Park from 9 am-12 pm. Registration has not yet opened, but you can always visit the TBEP Volunteer page to keep an eye on our events.
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting volunteers to build an oyster shell bar to restore 2D Island on May 19 and 20 from 9 am- 12 pm. The project involves shoveling fossilized shell into mesh bags, transporting the bags via boat and placing them on the shoreline to create a series of oyster bars. This project is an effort to restore lost habitat systems to the bay, prevent further erosion of the shoreline and improve water quality through natural biological filtration.
This 7-week, 25-hour, web-based course is usually offered twice per year and helps participants begin applying social science research-based Strategic Framing techniques to climate change communications. Training includes a series of online video modules, facilitated webinars, and practice assignments to provide a comprehensive introduction to Strategic Framing, an overview of NNOCCI tools and messaging, and access to experienced trainers to support you in crafting impactful climate messages. The course costs $249/person, but discounts are available for organizations that send multiple participants. Registration closes on or before April 11, 2022.
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GRANTS
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The AWRA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship, established by the AWRA Board of Directors, provides a one-year association membership and one complimentary conference registration to each of up to three scholarship winners from under-represented groups in the water resources field. Applications are accepted from March 1 to May 2, 2022. Recipients will be contacted directly by AWRA and notified by May 27.
(Deadline Approaching)
The 2022 Student Grants Program supports students with demonstrated interests in research and conservation that are relevant to Audubon’s mission. Students from the state of Florida are eligible to apply and awards range up to $1500. The grant application deadline is April 5th, 2022.
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JOB BLAST
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Didn’t get a chance to snag a copy of our 30th Anniversary Photo Journal? Check it out online by visiting tbep.org/photo-journal
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The mission of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program is to build partnerships to restore and protect Tampa Bay through implementation of a scientifically sound, community-based management plan.
TBEP is a partnership of Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas counties; the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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