The Southwest Florida Water Management District honored three outstanding Pinellas County projects that focused on water resources education. A total of 27 projects were recognized during the “Partners in Watershed Education Conference” at the Lake Mirror Complex in Lakeland.
The Pinellas County recipients are listed below. Pinellas County is in the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin, which also includes a portion of Pasco County.
Dale Armstrong and Wilma Holley were honored for their roles in the “Curb Appeal Landscape Makeover” project. Armstrong and Holley of the Pinellas County Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program provided their expertise to ensure that the project included all the Florida-friendly landscaping principles. In addition, they also joined District and Wildrose Lawncare staff for a day of inspecting the homes of the six contest finalists in three counties and helped guide the installation of the landscape.
Sue Allen and Tracy Christner were honored for the “Environmental Learning Zone” at the Science Center of Pinellas County. The Environmental Learning Zone features a pond and stream system that is fed with reclaimed water, which is then recirculated through pumps. The pond system was recently expanded to incorporate more of a slope and a transition zone, providing easier access for students conducting water quality tests. The Environmental Learning Zone includes native wetland plants and signage. The expansion and signage was funded through grants from the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin Board and the Florida Lakes Management Society. The Environmental Learning Zone is used throughout the year for water quality testing programs and wetland ecology programs for youth.
David Baker and Pick Talley, Pinellas County Utilities; Nancy Loehr, Progress Energy; and Peter Stangel, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; were honored for their roles in the expansion of the Water Conservation Hotel and Motel Program (Water C.H.A.M.P.)
The Water C.H.A.M.P. started in the Pinellas-Anclote River basin in 2002. Since its inception, 89 properties have joined Water C.H.A.M.P. in the Pinellas-Anclote basin, and the program currently has 224 properties overall.
Water C.H.A.M.P. helps hotels and motels save water, energy and money by following more efficient housekeeping and other operational practices. The program includes a linens and towels reuse program that launders bed linens and towels every third day of a guests stay, unless requested otherwise by the guest.
The Pinellas-Anclote River Basin continues to act as the testing grounds for expanding the reach and results of this conservation project. Water C.H.A.M.P. saves approximately 30 percent of a property’s water usage, but also saves a substantial amount of energy. A recent partnership with Progress Energy, facilitated through Pinellas County Utilities, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation added a new Do Not Disturb, We Are Conserving Our Energy sign to Water C.H.A.M.P. program materials. The new card acts as one more reminder to hotel guests to conserve by reusing their towels and linens.
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.