The Southwest Florida Water Management District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2006 Community Education Grant Program. The grants, which are up to $5,000 each, will help fund projects that provide communities the opportunity to learn about water resources.
This year the District awarded 34 grants Districtwide for a total of $151,278. Of those 34 grants awarded, five were awarded to groups in Pinellas County.
The overall goal of the Community Education Grant Program 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 water protection through various activities and educational formats.
This is the ninth year community education grants have been available. Funding for the following projects comes from the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board, which includes Pinellas County and a portion of Pasco County.
The Pier Aquarium, Inc. will receive $5,000 for the “Education Station Interpretive Center: Encouraging a Sense of Wonder.” This project is an expansion of the cooperator’s previous efforts. Approximately 1.5 million people visit the aquarium’s education station each year. This project involves transforming the facility’s exterior into an outdoor learning center by painting environmental education murals on the walls. The murals will feature the ecology of the Tampa Bay Estuary and watershed conservation, including a water cycle illustrating water flow through St. Petersburg and into Tampa Bay, groundwater illustration depicting aquifer protection, water conservation activities in the home, water quality concerns and interactive displays and an underwater ecosystem graphic with images of Tampa bay’s diverse habitats.
The Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department will receive $4,083 for the Chestnut Park Habitat Restoration and Interpretation project. This project is an expansion of the cooperator’s previous efforts. Volunteers will participate in a hands-on workday to remove invasive exotic plants at the park. Interpretive signage will be installed to educate the estimated 870,000 annual visitors to the Pinellas County park. The signage will focus on the importance of watersheds and the impacts of invasive species on natural systems. It will also encourage responsible stewardship of natural communities and water resources.
The City of St. Petersburg will receive $5,000 for the “Do It Yourself Sprinkler Check Up and Repair Kit” program. The goal of this project is to overcome homeowners’ resistance to evaluating their sprinkler systems and modifying their systems to improve water efficiency. This project will supply approximately 7,500 homeowners that use irrigation systems with lawn sprinkler kits. Each kit includes information about irrigation system inspections, calibrating sprinklers, how to program an irrigation time clock and how to install a rain shutoff device. The kits will be distributed at water- and environmental-related community events, training courses and irrigation seminars.
The University of South Florida College of Marine Science will receive $5,000 for the Clam Bayou Marine Education Center Coastal Restoration project. Approximately 400 people will be impacted by this waterfront restoration project that will demonstrate environmental and economic benefits of habitat restoration. Participants will learn about native and non-native plants, wildlife habitat and how landscapes contribute to water quality. They will also monitor the water quality before, during and after the restoration is complete. Wildlife surveys and behavioral assessments will be completed to measure the effectiveness of the project.
The Placido Bayou Community Association will receive $5,000 for a restoration project. Approximately 640 homes in the Placido Bayou area will be impacted by this Brazilian pepper tree eradication project. Residents will learn about the environmental impacts of invasive plants and the benefits of native plants. Volunteers will remove the invasive plants and participate in the ongoing maintenance of the site.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s 2007 Community Education Grant Program will begin its application process in August of this year if funding is approved by the Basin Boards. The deadline for applications is tentatively scheduled for September. To be added to the mailing list to receive the 2007 application, call the District’s Communications Department at 800-423-1476 or 352-796-7211, ext. 4757.