|Who:|
"Southwest Florida Water Management District(Southwest Florida Water Management District)":/, "Tampa Bay Watch(Tampa Bay Watch)":http://www.tampabaywatch.org/ and *200 volunteers*.
||*What:*|Tampa Bay Watch has organized volunteers to plant more than *20,000 plugs plants* at "Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve(Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve Description)":http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/terraceia/description/ located in Manatee County just north of Palmetto. The plants will be harvested from the Port Manatee Fish Hatchery.
Volunteers will break ground at 9 a.m., planting plugs of cord grass along a series of restored and created coastal tidal ponds and islands in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. This project is Tampa Bay's largest salt marsh restoration project and a joint acquisition between the District and the State of Florida. Salt marsh planting projects are an environmental tool for restoring lost coastal habitat.
||*When:*|Saturday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m. to noon.|
|*Additional Information:*|Planting aquatic cord grass is a very muddy project, so volunteers will get dirty. There will be no running water at Terra Ceia, as it is a natural area.|
|*District Contact:*|Brandt Henningsen, District chief environmental scientist, 813-917-0108 (cell)|
|*Directions:*|*From Tampa and I-75 South:* Take I-75 south into Manatee County to Exit 229 (Moccasin Wallow Road). Turn right (west) on Moccasin Wallow Road and drive 2.1 miles to US 41. Turn left (south) on US 41 and drive 0.3 miles. Make a right (west) on Bayshore Road (see Frog Creek Campground billboard). Drive southwest 1.2 miles, passing under I-275 and a pet cemetery (on your right), making a right (west) on 77th Street (also known as "Terra Ceia Road"). Drive approximately 1 mile to a fork in the road, crossing the mouth of Frog Creek via a bridge and passing the Haley Mansion (Florida Department of Environmental Protection offices); at the fork, take the fork to the right and go through the S–curve. As soon as the S–curve turns to the left (west), turn right at "Amerson's Nursery" and follow the asphalt road under I-275 until you come to a dirt/rock road (less than 0.3 miles). Watch for staff or signage instructing you to either park and then be shuttled to the planting area or for you to follow the dirt road to the planting area.
*From St. Petersburg via I-275/Sunshine Skyway Bridge:* After crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge via I-275, take Exit 5 for US 19; drive the off-ramp for 0.7 miles and turn left (east) on Terra Ceia Road (note: there is an "orange juice" business right on this corner). Drive 0.7 miles east on Terra Ceia Road until you get to "Amerson's Nursery" on your left; turn left (north) at the nursery and follow the asphalt road under I-275 until you come to a dirt/rock road (Less than 0.3 miles). At this point, watch for staff or signage instructing you to either park and then be shuttled to the planting area or for you to follow the dirt road to the planting area.
|