The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently recognized four Manatee County projects as outstanding school, community grant or volunteer programs that focus on water resources education. A total of 52 projects were recognized during the October 7 Reflect, Connect, Celebrate Water Resources Education Conference at the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center in Tarpon Springs.
To select the awardees, District staff reviewed grants applied for by teachers 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.
The Manatee County recipients are listed below. Manatee and Sarasota counties are part of the Manasota Basin.
Daughtery Prep School of the Arts, The Future of Water Conservation
Students learned about personal responsibility to conserve and protect natural resources. The students discussed freshwater as a limited natural resource, personal responsibilities, watersheds and their purposes, conservation and animals.
Manatee County Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program
This program educates homeowners, irrigation and landscape professionals and students on Florida-friendly landscaping and how by following the nin – principles, residents can act in ways that protect the watershed in which they live.
Keep Manatee Beautiful, Bag It in the Car and Stash Your Trash on the Bus to Prevent Stormwater Pollution, Phase 2
The group produced litterbags for automobiles and distributed the bags to local government fleet managers and car dealerships in Manatee County. The litterbags were produced after Keep Manatee Beautiful placed anti-litter signs near associated water bodies reminding the public that litter can have an impact on sea creatures and water quality.
Jack Tichenor, Manatee County Extension Service, Water-Wise Gardening Expo
This water conservation education program included outreach to homeowners, landscapers and irrigation professionals to promote the importance of including conservation devices and methods in new and existing homes.
Tampa Bay Estuary Program – raining
The Wetland Education Through Maps and Aerial Photography workshop examines changes in wetland habitats of the Manatee River, utilizing traditional maps and aerial photographs in addition to state-of-the-art tools such as satellite images an – computer technology. This project also includes the Coastal Rivers Basin.