Three Highlands County projects expected to reach up to 2,200 people were awarded Community Education Grants from the "Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":http://watermatters.org. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.
This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants/projects.php for a total of $144,052. This is the 13th year Community Education Grants have been available.
The overall goal of the "Community Education Grant Program(Community Education Grant Program)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District's Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in watershed protection through various educational activities. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.
The following two projects receive funding from the District's "Peace River Basin Board(Peace River Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/peace.php. The The Peace River Basin includes Hardee, DeSoto, and portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Polk counties.
The *Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District* received a $4,900 grant to encourage the community to explore Highlands County's lakes by participating in an educational and interactive shoreline experience. The Day at the Lake! event will include canoeing, bait casting, a litter cleanup and other activities for adults and children. Informative environmental booths will educate participants about the environment and conservation. As a participation fee, visitors will be encouraged to bring a bag of trash that they have picked up along a lake or water body in Highlands County. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 10 at the Sebring City Pier Beach Civic Center.
*South Florida Community College* received a $5,000 grant to teach residents about water conservation, human impacts to water supplies and ways to protect the water resources. The college will educate residents through mass mailings, workshops, community events, newspaper advertisements, one-on-one educational sessions and a high-efficiency showerhead exchange program. The showerhead exchange will benefit water resources by reducing water use as well as the consumer's energy and water costs. Participants will be required to sign water conservation pledges and exchange their old showerheads to receive high-efficiency showerheads.
The following project received funding from the District's "Alafia River(Alafia River Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/alafia.php, "Manasota(Manasota Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/manasota.php, and *Peace River basin boards*. The Alafia River Basin includes the southern half of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County. The Manasota Basin includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.
The *Range Cattle Research and Education Center* received a $5,000 grant to offer free soil and tissue testing and educational materials to regional beef and forage producers. Reductions in the amount of fertilizer applied to pastures could decrease pollution of surface and groundwater resources in ecologically sensitive areas in west-central Florida. If you are a rancher who would like to participate in the project, please contact Reyna Speckman, range cattle station Extension specialist, at (863) 735-1314.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's 2011 Community Education Grant program will "begin its application process in June 2010(2011 Grant Dates)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants/dates.php. For more information, please call the District's Communications Department at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4757.
This year the District awarded "35 grants Districtwide(2010 Community Education Grant Projects)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants/projects.php for a total of $144,052. This is the 13th year Community Education Grants have been available.
The overall goal of the "Community Education Grant Program(Community Education Grant Program)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants is to actively engage adults in water-related issues pertaining to conservation, protection and preservation. Funded by the District's Basin Boards, the program is intended to motivate communities to get involved in watershed protection through various educational activities. These grants offer up to $5,000 to help fund projects that provide communities an opportunity to learn about water resources.
The following two projects receive funding from the District's "Peace River Basin Board(Peace River Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/peace.php. The The Peace River Basin includes Hardee, DeSoto, and portions of Charlotte, Highlands and Polk counties.
The *Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District* received a $4,900 grant to encourage the community to explore Highlands County's lakes by participating in an educational and interactive shoreline experience. The Day at the Lake! event will include canoeing, bait casting, a litter cleanup and other activities for adults and children. Informative environmental booths will educate participants about the environment and conservation. As a participation fee, visitors will be encouraged to bring a bag of trash that they have picked up along a lake or water body in Highlands County. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 10 at the Sebring City Pier Beach Civic Center.
*South Florida Community College* received a $5,000 grant to teach residents about water conservation, human impacts to water supplies and ways to protect the water resources. The college will educate residents through mass mailings, workshops, community events, newspaper advertisements, one-on-one educational sessions and a high-efficiency showerhead exchange program. The showerhead exchange will benefit water resources by reducing water use as well as the consumer's energy and water costs. Participants will be required to sign water conservation pledges and exchange their old showerheads to receive high-efficiency showerheads.
The following project received funding from the District's "Alafia River(Alafia River Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/alafia.php, "Manasota(Manasota Basin Board)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/basinboards/manasota.php, and *Peace River basin boards*. The Alafia River Basin includes the southern half of Hillsborough County and the southwestern portion of Polk County. The Manasota Basin includes Manatee and Sarasota counties.
The *Range Cattle Research and Education Center* received a $5,000 grant to offer free soil and tissue testing and educational materials to regional beef and forage producers. Reductions in the amount of fertilizer applied to pastures could decrease pollution of surface and groundwater resources in ecologically sensitive areas in west-central Florida. If you are a rancher who would like to participate in the project, please contact Reyna Speckman, range cattle station Extension specialist, at (863) 735-1314.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District's 2011 Community Education Grant program will "begin its application process in June 2010(2011 Grant Dates)":http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/business/communitygrants/dates.php. For more information, please call the District's Communications Department at 1-800-423-1476 or (352) 796-7211, ext. 4757.