Greetings!
Feature Article |
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For insight into our area’s public-use land policies and
programs, Bay Reflections interviewed Melissa Cain,
Volunteer Education Coordinator for the Conservation
Lands Management Department of Manatee County,
and Brie W. Ondercin, Public Use Coordinator for
Sarasota County Environmental Services - Natural
Resources. In their own words, they describe what
they do and its impact on our
community.
Interview with Melissa
Cain
What conservation projects are
you
working on now?
We are hosting tours
at Robinson, Rye and Emerson Point Preserves. At
Robinson, tour-goers receive updates on the
restoration and transformation of the preserve. These
tours give people a rare opportunity—a sneak preview
of a preserve while it is being built. At Rye and
Emerson Point, new morning tours are scheduled for
photography buffs. We are planning new and exciting
programs for the 2006-2007 season. Visit our website
for details.The Conservation Lands Management
Department just published a new version of the
Manatee County Paddle Guide. This 47-page, free
resource includes maps of the county’s blueway
trails, GPS coordinates, Manatee County history and
much more. The public is welcome to contact me via
email or phone for a copy.
Any big, future-
planned projects coming up?
Yes, we are
developing a unique system of intertidal canals within
Robinson Preserve that will connect Palma Sola and
Tampa Bay. These blueways will allow paddlers to
experience the beauty of the entire preserve. A
state-of-the-art canoe/kayak launch, trails,
boardwalks and observation towers are in the
planning stages as well. We expect to open in
2008.
What are the biggest challenges
you
face in your line of work?
I’ve found
that people have become disconnected with the
environment. With all of the technological stimuli in
the world today, people are not spending as much
time outdoors. Awareness of what’s out there is
another problem. In Manatee County, for example, we
have 12 public conservation lands, but this isn’t well
known. I’ve also noticed that many people are
misinformed about local flora and fauna and how they
link to the ecosystem. As an environmental educator,
I am working to overcome these misconceptions and
educate the public about our connections to the
environment around us.
Contact
Information:
Melissa Cain, Phone: 941.748.4501 x3654
Email: [email protected]
www.co.manatee.fl.us/conservation.html
Interview with Brie W.
Ondercin
What significant projects
are
you working on now?
A major push is
developing the Conceptual Plan for Public Access to
Natural Areas. This plan, now in draft form,
encompasses all natural lands suitable for public
access and use in Sarasota County. The document
highlights the forms of recreation suitable for these
lands, as well as relevant criteria and timelines for
establishing public use within each natural area. The
plan will be ready for public review in September and
October (look for meeting dates, times and locations
in your local newspaper). Once approved by the
Board of County Commissioners, the plan will serve as
a model for implementing public access and use of
natural lands. How would you describe
public
perceptions of natural lands?
Generally,
people
want more! They want more trails, kayak launches,
camping areas, etc.—what we call public use
features. We always strive to provide as much
access as possible, however, it’s a fine balance—
providing land for public use while preserving
environmentally sensitive lands.
What
new
sites are opening?
Curry Creek Preserve,
which
spans 80.63 acres in Venice off Albee Farm Road, will
open in the fall with a kayak launch and nature trails.
A second site, Pocono Trails in Nokomis, is slated to
open in 2007. Additionally, Sarasota County Natural
Resources plans to open a 213-acre site on North
River Road in Venice for public access in 2007. These
sites will provide the public with plenty of trails,
waterfront access and opportunities for bird
watching.
What do you like best about
what
you do?
I work with incredibly dedicated
staff and
interested citizens. I also get to explore the lands
and encounter the beauty of native habitat and
wildlife.
Contact Information:
Brie W. Ondercin,
Phone: 941.861.6286 Email: [email protected]
www.
discovernaturalsarasota.org or
www.scgov.net
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Restoration and Outreach |
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Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s (SBEP) restoration
projects continue to enhance the beauty and
productivity of the Sarasota Bay watershed. SBEP, in
partnership with Manatee County Conservation Lands
Management Department, Florida Department of
Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, has recently kicked off a nine-month project
to enhance and restore Robinson Preserve (northwest
of Palma Sola Bay). Plans for this restoration have
been in the works since the 480-acre parcel was
acquired by Manatee County approximately three
years ago. The goal is to remove all invasive/exotic
species, such as Brazilian pepper and Australian pine.
In addition, earthwork will be conducted on 150 acres
of the property to re-establish tidal inlets. This
environmental “cleansing” will restore the function of
rare native coastal habitats like mangrove swamps
and salt barrens. Even though Robinson Preserve is
currently closed to the public, scheduled tours of the
park are available. To learn more about restoration
efforts and tours, call Melissa Cain, Volunteer
Education Coordinator for the Conservation Lands
Management Department of Manatee County, at
941.748.4501 x3654. Hot weather and
heavy
rain this summer have not slowed down SBEP’s
outreach efforts. SBEP recently participated in the
Florida Gulf Coast Outdoor Festival at Coquina Beach
on June 24. The event showcased organizations from
the greater Bradenton area that promote eco-
recreation, such as kayaking, wildlife-watching and
hiking. Live music, nature games, kayaking clinics and
raffles made this festival fun and interactive. SBEP
raffled off a complimentary nature tour of Joan M.
Durante Park to five lucky winners. Visit
www.theoutdoorfestival.com to
learn about next year’s festivities.
Bay
Buddies,
in conjunction with ManaTeens, SBEP and Sarasota
County Parks & Recreation, recently hosted a two-
day event at South Lido Park. The objective was to
plant native plants such as sea oxeye daisies, sand
cordgrass, beach elder, railroad vine and beach
sunflowers in the recently cleared areas of the park.
Throughout the two days, hundreds of kids, ages 6
to 18, planted nearly 1,600 natives and removed
Australian pine seedlings from the park. For more
information on upcoming Bay Buddies events visit
www.baybuddies.org.
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Guest Column |
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Meet the REEF RAKERS By Rick Smith
Which organization is getting students,
parents
and teachers involved in building, maintaining,
monitoring and cleaning artificial reefs in Manatee and
Sarasota counties? If you didn’t already know, the
answer is the REEF RAKERS.
Started in
2003, this
educational and proactive program trains participants
at all levels of Professional Association of Dive
Instructors (P.A.D.I.) SCUBA diving, from Open Water
to Dive Master and all specialties in between. What’s
really great about REEF RAKERS is that it’s one of
most innovative environmental enhancement
programs in the U.S. What’s more, it’s open to any
student who expresses interest in clean-up dive trips.
The program also has won several local, state and
national awards for its stand-out
efforts.
The idea for
starting the program occurred to me after three of
my students noticed that the reef ball modules they
were building made great fish habitat. The problem
was that some modules were filling up with rubbish,
leaving no room for the fish. The students convinced
me that someone needed to conduct a beach clean-
up under the water. In April 2004, the first five
SCUBA certified students, along with concerned
volunteers, hit the water, and REEF RAKERS was
born.
Since its humble beginnings, the
program has
really taken off. In 2006, Sarasota resident Martin
Watson became the P.A.D.I. instructor for the
program and has spent countless hours training the
next generation of young environmentalists. Many
corporate and individual sponsors make the future of
the REEF RAKERS program viable. The Sarasota Bay
Estuary Program was one of the first sponsors, for
the construction of reef ball modules. They continue
to be an avid supporter and provide technical advice
as well as grant opportunities.
We will
continue to
offer REEF RAKERS training to students of Manatee
and Sarasota counties, regardless of their ability to
cover the cost of the lessons. Everyone is welcome
to get involved, whether they are trained in SCUBA
diving or not. The program will achieve continued
success thanks to the gracious donations and support
of our dedicated volunteers. Visit www.reefrakers.org
for more information.
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Director's Letter |
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Dear Partners and Citizens:
The
Sarasota
Bay
Estuary Program (SBEP) hopes that
residents and visitors of Sarasota and Manatee
counties will have the opportunity to experience and
enjoy the Bay during this hot summer season. Year-
round, SBEP stays committed to our mission—to
improve water quality, increase habitat and enhance
the natural resources of the area for use and
enjoyment by YOU!
This edition of Bay Reflections features reporting on
Sarasota and Manatee counties’ conservation lands—
what is being done to protect them and to create
recreational opportunities for the public. We have
interviewed key counterparts, Brie W. Ondercin,
Public Use Coordinator for Sarasota County
Environmental Services - Natural Resources, and
Melissa Cain, Volunteer/Education Coordinator for the
Manatee County Conservation Lands Management
Department, to get the inside scoop. Also in this
issue, guest columnist, Rick Smith, explains REEF
RAKERS—a hands-on program in association
with Volunteer Services of Manatee County that
helps with underwater clean-up. With the dedication
of environmental stewards like Rick, and the many
students and volunteers active in his program, we
can accomplish great things! The newsletter also
highlights SBEP’s ongoing public outreach and
restoration efforts.
SBEP staff welcomes 14
new
members to our Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).
The CAC comprises residents of Manatee and
Sarasota counties and is responsible for advising the
SBEP staff and Policy Board on important community
issues. These members are integral to the mission of
connecting SBEP programs and resources to the
community. New members are as follows: Tommy
Vaughan-Birch, Michael Bressan, Melissa Cain, Ken
Chapman, Ryan Denton, Cindy Hill Ford,
Steve Foster, Nick Gladding, Charles Hegener, Kurt
Rowe, Jack Taylor, Christopher Warn, Kelly Westover
and Nancy Wiener. SBEP would like to thank the new
members for their participation. If you are interested
in becoming a member, contact Julia Burch at
[email protected] or 941.955.8085.
On
another note, the State of the Bay Report 2006
continues to receive communitywide praise. Positive
feedback keeps rolling in, and we believe it is one of
the strongest reports in the nation. If you would like
to request a copy, please contact Julia Burch at
941.955.8085 or [email protected]. Or you can
download an electronic version (pdf) of the report at
www.sarasotabay.org. If you haven’t had a
chance
to visit SBEP’s new and improved website, what are
you waiting for? Explore every aspect of our Program
in this new, user-friendly and visually appealing
site.
Regards, Mark Alderson SBEP
Director
Find out more....
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