The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored two Citrus County projects at the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East Hotel. A total of 26 projects were recognized Wednesday during the event.
- Jennifer Jabo and Marie Bienkowski, Forest Ridge Elementary School teachers, were recognized for their hands-on water conservation education program. This 2007–2008 Splash! mini-grant project helped students develop a better understanding of the importance of water and water conservation. Students conducted water surveys in their homes and documented ways their families could save water. To further promote awareness, students conducted a showerhead trade-in day, where community members signed pledges and turned in their old showerheads for low-flow devices.
- Ron Miller and the Homosassa River Alliance were recognized for teaming up with the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to educate residents in the Homosassa River watershed through a 2007 Community Education Grant. Participants attended a watershed presentation, toured the springs and learned how to test water quality. Group meetings and water quality tests results were published in the St. Petersburg Times and the Citrus County Chronicle.
Portions of Citrus County are represented by the District’s Coastal Rivers and Withlacoochee River Basin Boards, which fund projects in the county.
To select the awardees, District staff reviewed school projects funded through the Splash! mini-grant program and grants applied for by community members, local governments and non-profit groups through the community education grant program. District-sponsored programs that use volunteers to educate others about water conservation were also considered.
Many of the District’s grant projects focus on various aspects of all four of the District’s areas of responsibility — water supply, water quality, natural systems protection and flood protection.