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Welcome Readers: In This Edition
Bay Reflections presents information about the progress being made to help restore and protect Sarasota Bay. This edition includes a summary about the Sarasota Bay Awards Program with a link to the photo gallery, a reminder to hold the fertilizer this summer, a teaser about the Sarasota Bay Water Festival set for October 6, a report about two recent volunteer outings with the Bay Guardians, a news item about the ongoing SBEP macroalgae study, a link to new interviews at Sarasota Bay Today, and a handful of news briefs. Enjoy Bay Reflections and thank you for forwarding a link to other people that value Sarasota Bay.
Randy Moore, Editor
randy@triple3marketing.com
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SBEP Presents Five 2012 Blue Dolphin Awards at Region's First Sarasota Bay Awards Program April 4
 | | Jon Thaxton with Jack Merriam |
More than 145 guests attended the Sarasota Bay Awards Program at Powel Crosley Estate Mansion April 4 to acknowledge the recipients of the 2012 SBEP Blue Dolphin Awards. Award recipients included Charles Edwards, Jack Merriam, Martha B. King Middle School, Raindrops Cisterns, and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring.
The presenters at the awards program included Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton, Manatee County Commissioner Michael Gallen, Bradenton Commissioner Marianne Barnebey, Town of Longboat Key Commissioner Lynn Larsen, and SBEP Director Mark Alderson. Sara Kane with SBEP welcomed guests and Randy Moore, the owner of Triple 3 Marketing, served as the master of ceremonies.
Other guests included Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell, Albert Joerger with Southwest Florida Water Management District, Jeff Greenwell with Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Longboat Key Vice Mayor David Brenner, Manatee County Commissioner John Chappie, Danny Bilyeu, the field representative for Congressman Vern Buchanan, Cris Costello with the Sierra Club, Lourdes Ramirez with Community Organization of Neighborhood Associations, Glenn Compton with Manasota-88, Jeanne Dubi with Sarasota Audubon, Holly Greening with Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Charlie Hunsicker with Manatee County Natural Resources, and many other respected leaders from the private and public sector.
The event sponsors included Stantec, Reef Innovations, Inc. Scheda Ecological Associates, Janicki Environmental, Inc. and Triple 3 Marketing, LLC. Click here to visit the photo gallery. |
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Hold the Fertilizer this Summer to Help Sarasota Bay
 SBEP encourages residents to use fertilizers with slow-release nitrogen if they plan to fertilize their lawn or flower beds during the late spring season. Slow-release products (also called controlled release or timed release) feed your lawn or plants gradually and for a longer period of time. They are more easily absorbed by the plants and less likely to run off your yard when it rains. Excess fertilizer ends up being picked up by stormwater runoff and transported through local tributaries and storm pipes into Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
SBEP also encourages residents not to fertilize anytime during the summer months from June through September. Bay-friendly living is one of the goals of the Be Floridian fertilizer education campaign being supported by Tampa Bay Estuary Program and other partners including SBEP. The idea behind Be Floridian is that many lawn care practices in other regions of the U.S. are not good for Florida's environment and its vital water bodies. Too much fertilizer can have an adverse impact on water quality and aquatic life. Learn more at befloridian.org. |
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Region's Inaugural Sarasota Bay Water Festival October 6 to Celebrate Bay-Recreation, Bay-Science & Education, and Bay-Photography & Art
 Planning for the region's first Sarasota Bay Water Festival is underway with the formation of a team of volunteer coordinators. Members includes Randy and Bryan Moore with Triple 3 Marketing, Sherri Swanson with HDR Engineering, Sara Kane and Christine Sciarrino with SBEP, Brad Tanner with Mote Marine Laboratory, Karen Fraley with Around the Bend Nature Tours, Rebecca Madden with Madden Designs, Frank Gomez with Frank's Designs, and Paige Taggart-Long. Tanner is also a member of the SBEP Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). Click here to visit the event website.
The free event will be held Saturday, October 6 at Ken Thompson Park near Mote Marine Laboratory. Highlights include live music, local food vendors, activities for kids, interesting science and environmental education exhibits, a wildlife photography and art contest, demonstrations and displays promoting boating, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, scuba diving, birding, cycling, running, and other fun activities. A companion event includes an afternoon show by the award winning Sarasota Ski-A-Rees Water Ski Show Team.
Visit the Sarasota Bay Water Festival to meet local experts and make new connections with other people and groups that enjoy and value Sarasota Bay. Click here to learn more and to review the sponsor package. Contact Randy Moore at randy@triple3marketing.com if you are interested in being a sponsor, exhibitor or volunteer coordinator. |
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Bay Guardians Complete Projects at North Water Tower Park and Quick Point Preserve; Next Outing Set for May 12 at Emerson Point Preserve
 | | Kimber Fraley, Karen Fraley and Greta Man |
On April 14, 25 volunteers with the Bay Guardians removed 342 pounds of air potato vines and seeds at the fourth annual Air Potato Roundup held at North Water Tower Park. Air potatoes are an invasive species that strangle and cover native plants. The April event was supported by area disc golfers who enjoy playing the popular 18-hole disc golf course located at the park.
On March 10, 56 volunteers with the Bay Guardians removed debris and invasive plants at Quick Point Preserve on Longboat Key. Volunteers included students and adults with Martha B. King Middle School in Bradenton, the Future Leaders Academy in Sarasota, and the High School Intern Program with Mote Marine Laboratory. Guides with Around the Bend Nature Tours escorted students on a nature walk through the preserve and provided dip nets so volunteers could learn more about aquatic life.
The next Bay Guardians outing is May 12 at Emerson Point Preserve in Manatee County near the mouth of the Manatee River. Volunteers will work with professionals with the Manatee Natural Resources Department and guides with Around the Bend Nature Tours to plant Florida-native plants, remove debris and build portable Stow-It-Don't-Throw-It containers for unusable monofilament fishing line. Participating groups include Bradenton Cub Scout Troop 22 and Manasota BUDS. BUDS refers to Bringing Up Down Syndrome and six teenagers plus their adult "buds" will be participating.
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Volunteers at Quick Point Preserve |
The plants for the project at Emerson Point Preserve are being donated by the Elizabeth Eaton Fund through the Manatee Garden Club and the materials for the portable monofilament containers are being provided by the West Coast Inland Navigational District.
Upcoming volunteer outings with the SBEP Bay Guardians include Rattlesnake Key on June 2 and North Lido Beach Park on July 14. Join the Bay Guardians for a single project or as an ongoing commitment. It's a fun way to support Sarasota Bay while meeting other terrific people of all ages. Click here to learn more. Local school, scout and church groups interested in volunteering can contact Sara Kane at sara@sarasotabay.org. |
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Dr. Brian Lapointe Leading SBEP Macroalgae Study
 Dr. Brian Lapointe from Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Ft. Pierce, is leading a study of macroalgae in Sarasota Bay. He is being assisted by SBEP staff scientist, Dr. Jay Leverone. Dr. Lapointe is an expert in algae and nutrient dynamics, and has led many studies on this topic in Florida and throughout the world.
This program is designed to look at the nutrient dynamics of those balls of rolling "seaweeds" on the bay bottom, more commonly known as macroalgae. Like seagrass and phytoplankton, these plants have a voracious appetite for nutrients, and will bloom out of control when the nutrient dynamics in the bay are out of whack. The massive piles of algae that washed ashore along Sanibel Beach in 2007 were an example of this imbalance.
The study approach is to collect macroalgae seasonally from different areas of Sarasota Bay. The most abundant algae are identified and analyzed for stable nitrogen isotope to identify the source of nutrients (wastewater, agriculture, atmosphere for example) that the algae are using. Additional chemical analysis is being done to tell if the amount of nitrogen present is limiting the growth of these algae. Finally, ancillary physical (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) and biological (algae percent cover and biomass) data are collected to understand the environmental setting in which the algae are growing.
This project would not be logistically or financially possible without the participation and contribution of Sarasota and Manatee County, who have donated staff time and boats for essential field work. |
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Visit Sarasota Bay Today to Read Interviews with Tim Rumage, Sara Kane, Zac Cole, and Randy Moore
 | | Zachary Cole |
Sarasota Bay Today features new interviews with Tim Rumage, the head of the Environmental Studies Program at Ringling School of Art & Design, Sara Kane, the Public Outreach Manager with SBEP, Zachary Cole, a University of Florida PhD candidate doing a Florida Sea Grant study of Sarasota Bay, and Randy Moore, the Director of the Sarasota Bay Water Festival.
The interview with Tim focuses on cognitive ecology, systems thinking, the green economy and environmental ethics. The interview with Sara focuses on the SBEP public education goals and programs as well as her journey in becoming an environmental educator. The interview with Zac focuses on the purpose of the Sea Grant Study, the definition of social values, and the plans for using an online survey to collect data. The interview with Randy focuses on the Water Festival theme, niches and highlights. SBEP is the host sponsor for the free community event set for October 6.
SBEP is supporting the Florida Sea Grant Study by setting up focus groups to test the online survey instrument. SBEP is conducting its own comprehensive economic value study of Sarasota Bay with Paul Hindsley, PhD. Paul and Zac have met to collaborate on ways to share data to enhance both projects.
Click here to read the new interviews and other prior interviews with area professionals. Inquires are welcome at randy@triple3marketing.com. |
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Stu Wilson and Ken Pierce Join the CAC
Stu Wilson is a retired consulting engineer with expertise in water resources engineering. He worked as an engineer for 18 years including 10 years with HDR Engineering in Austin, Texas. He also owned a small adventure travel company for six years. An avid birder since 2000, Stu is an amateur ornithologist and a member of Sarasota Audubon, the National Wildlife Federation and the American Bird Conservancy. He earned a MS Degree in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Kansas and a BS Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois.
Ken Pierce has a home in Sarasota and Rye Town, New York. He's active with the San Remo Homeowners Association and Friends of Roberts Bay. He retired following a career as a consultant for the publishing industry. He worked several years as a consulting editor for National and International Wildlife Magazines published by the National Wildlife Federation. He also served as a consulting publisher for other magazines focused on finance, mutual funds and cruise resort travel. Ken earned a MA Degree in General Studies in the Humanities and a BA Degree in Tutorial Studies from the University of Chicago. |
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CAC Profile: Former Sarasota Mayor Dick Clapp
 Dick Clapp is a former City Commissioner for Sarasota from 2007 to 2011 and he served as mayor in 2009. He moved to Sarasota in 2001 from St. Charles, Illinois with his wife Marti. The couple resides at Sapphire Shores Park where they have a view of Sarasota Bay. They visited the area many times beginning in the early 1970's after Marti's grandparents bought a house in Sarasota in 1952.
His passion for Sarasota Bay includes advocacy for environmental protection and the nuances of landscape photography. He has exhibited black and white prints at art shows in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. Dick had a prior career in the paper industry with expertise in manufacturing management, product development, and new business development. He spent many years in Wisconsin (mostly Appleton and Wausau) and he's originally from Michigan.
"I've always been interested in the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) because of the learning possibilities as well as the opportunities to provide community service," he said. "The CAC is a great group with dedicated and interesting members." |
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SBEP News Briefs:
SBEP Reaching Out to Boating Groups
Randy Moore with Triple 3 Marketing made recent presentations on behalf of SBEP to the Bay Shores Garden Yacht Club and the Manatee Sailing Association in Bradenton. Moore built a new Power Point presentation for SBEP last year and the organization is targeting boating and fishing groups, business associations and social service groups that are interested in learning more about Sarasota Bay, the SBEP mission and local issues. Please contact Sara Kane at sara@sarasotabay.org if your group is interested in booking a presentation.
LID Expo Attracts Expert Speakers
The region's first Low Impact Development (LID) Expo was held March 23 at the Sarasota County Extension Office at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota. More than 80 people attended to learn more about LID from various experts throughout Florida. Click here to see the various Power Point presentations from the LID Expo. Angela Maraj was the event organizer and she was supported by a Bay Partners Grant from SBEP. SBEP has awarded $150,000 in grants to 90 local organizations since 2002.
April FIM Report with FWRI/FFWCC
The April 2012 bimonthly sampling of Sarasota Bay was completed April 3-5 through the Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) Program. Thirty primary samples and twelve additional samples were collected and sent to the laboratory. The crew this month consisted of Chris Stafford, Dustin Brost, Phil Stevens, Greg Poulakis, Jackie Deangelo, Grant McLaughlin, Travis Emory, and Chris Bemelmans. Principal Investigators were Ryan Jones and Eric Weather. The next sampling event is scheduled for June.
SBEP Wraps up Season of Free Kayak Tours
SBEP completed another season of free kayak tours of Sarasota Bay with a professional guide on April 21. Tours were provided from December through April to local residents and visitors. Brad Tanner, the School Liaison Manager with Mote Marine Laboratory and a member of the SBEP Citizens Advisory Committee, led the excursions.
Triple 3 Marketing Selected to Complete Website
Triple 3 Marketing, the marketing contractor for SBEP, was recently retained to build the new website for the Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP). The website supports the 28 national estuary programs and many other national stakeholders focused on restoring and protecting estuarine waters and habitat. The new website will launch this summer. |
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Visit These Bay-Friendly Links
Click here to see 555 photos from 33 local events and programs.
Click here to visit 60 websites of other Bay-friendly organizations.
Click here to visit the websites of the SBEP habitat restoration project partners.
Click here to visit a digital map showing completed, current and planned restoration projects.
Click here to learn more about the 23-members of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).
Click here to learn more about the 26-members of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). |
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Final Reflection with Dotty Motta
Click here to see more images by Dotty Motta of Bradenton on the SBEP Creative Expressions Gallery. New content continues to be added to the Gallery to showcase the passion many people feel about the beauty and importance of Sarasota Bay.
Bay Reflections Editors:
Randy & Bryan Moore
Triple 3 Marketing, LLC
randy@triple3marketing.com |
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