Sister Keys Clean Up

Bay Friendly Suggestion from Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

"SBEP reminds residents to use fertilizers with slow-release nitrogen for their lawn or flower beds during the Spring season. Slow-release products feed your lawn and plants gradually and for a longer period of time. They ultimately help reduce the flow of fertilizer chemicals into Sarasota Bay as a result of stormwater runoff. Another important Bay-friendly suggestion is not fertilizing during the summer months from June through September. "

Spring at South Lido

 

Spring is nesting season at South Lido.  Portions of the back beach are roped off

 Castles and multitudes of tourists appear at New Pass beach

Various vehicles park along the beach.

Sea Grape - Spring Colors

Manatee River @ Bradenton Downtown

 

Manatee Statue at Marina

Yachts at Bradenton Marina

Protest on bridge over Manatee River

Shell spots 10 mile oil sheen in the Gulf of Mexico

http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/12/news/companies/shell-oil/index.htm?hpt=hp_t3

- CNN.com

Sarasota History Alive: City Pier (part 1)

http://www.sarasotahistoryalive.com/index.php?cid=510621&src=directory&view=video&srctype=detail&refno=710&category=This%20Week&curlid=209

- Sarasota History Alive website  and Sarasota County History Center

Venice identifies source of beach contamination

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120313/ARTICLE/120319809/2416/NEWS?Title=Venice-identifies-source-of-beach-contamination

- Venice Gondolier Sun

Venice's sand is vanishing and a fix is years away

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120312/ARTICLE/120319863/2416/NEWS?Title=Venice-s-sand-is-vanishing-and-a-fix-is-years-away

- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Sarasota Bay Watch Upcoming Events

March
24th:  Second Annual Skiers Island Cleanup with Riverview High School National Honor Society.
27-28th Community Foundation's Giving Partner's Project.  A 36 hour challenge with matching funds!
April
TBD:  Second Scallop Larvae Release.  Funded by the 2011 Scallopalooza event, the release date is dependent upon scallop development.  Stay tuned for the announcement.
22nd:  Oscar Scherer Earth Day.  a one day festival with family activities, and exhibits.  Come by our booth!
 

May
12th: 4th Annual Sister Keys Cleanup.  A boating workday partnered by Town of Longboat Key and Mar Vista on our adopted island.
June
9th: Scallopalooza.  The Sarasota Yacht Club hosts this event that launched our scallop restoration project.  An fun evening of entertainment, presentations, silent auction, and food.
August
TBD: 5th Annual Scallop Search.  A terrific family activity that helps us monitor the local scallop populations.  Stay tuned for details.

Bay Guardians at Quick Point Preserve

The above photo was taken at a recent Saturday volunteer outing with the SBEP Bay Guardians at Quick Point Preserve on Longboat Key. Fifty-six student and adult volunteers helped remove invasive plants and debris before enjoying a picnic lunch. The photo shows students with Future Leaders Academy in Sarasota. Other participating groups included Martha B. King Middle School in Bradenton and the Mote Marine Laboratory High School Intern Program.

Bay Guardians do more than help complete projects that enhance our local preserves and Sarasota Bay. They also learn about local aquatic life, birds, habitat and the importance of conservation.

Waterway blacklist updated

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100210/ARTICLE/2101040/2416/NEWS?Title=Waterway-blacklist-updated

- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Craig Tucker's Snow Birds

 We call all our winter visitors to Florida, "SNOW BIRDS".

That includes white pelicans and other seasonal residents.

Photos by W. Craig Tucker

6 acres in Manatee on conservation land sale list

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120307/ARTICLE/120309595/2416/NEWS?Title=6-acres-in-Manatee-on-conservation-land-sale-list

- Sarasota Herald Tribune

McClash: Jettison Longboat Key jetty plan

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120306/COLUMNIST/120309750/0/FRONTPAGE

- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Bay-friendly landscaping.: Sunbow Bay Open House March 24

Sarasota Bay Estuary Program has supported the project with Bay Partners Grants in 2010 and 2011. SBEP also provided technical assistance along with Michelle Atkinson with the Florida Yards and Neighborhood Program and Jim Derwenko, a green-certified landscaper. The key contact person at Sunbow Bay is Denise Elliott and you can reach Ms. Elliott at dndelliott@gmail.com. Denise has provided timely leadership in making Bay-friendly landscaping a priority at Sunbow Bay.

 The public is invited to the open house and a local Girl Scout Troop from Bradenton will be on hand to sell water and lemonade to raise funds for a future camping trip. The Girl Scouts will also be visiting Sunbow Bay March 10 to do some volunteer work in the garden while learning more about Bay-friendly landscaping

Florida group rebuilds vital coral reefs

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/01/us/cnnheroes-nedimyer-coral-reefs/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

- CNN.com

Civil War on Florida's Coasts: March 1, 1862

 March 1, 1862 - The Fernandina Fleet Moves South
http://civilwarflorida.blogspot.com/2012/03/march-1-1862-fernandina-fleet-moves.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CivilWarFlorida+%28Civil+War+Florida%29

CHECK OUT THE GREAT PROGRAMS AT WEEDON IN MARCH!

Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center

1800 Weedon Dr. NE, St. Petersburg, Fl. 33702

Register at least 24 hours prior by visiting www.weedonislandpreserve.org, and click on the “Events, Classes, & Hikes” button on the homepage.  Event information call (727) 453-6500. 

Discovery Reef Exhibit – Special Traveling Exhibit

March 1 – March 31, Thursday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:00pm

For a limited engagement at Weedon Island, the Mote Marine Traveling Interactive Exhibit, Discovery Reef, promotes understanding of Florida’s coastal and marine environments.  Visitors will discover amazing life forms, survival strategies and relationships on Coral Reefs, and their crucial role in the ocean food web.  No pre-registration required.  Free

Salty Topics – Underwater Soundscapes of Coastal Florida

Thursday, March 1, 2012, 6:45pm – 8:00pm

This is the second in the 2012 Winter/Spring Marine Science Speaker series at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. Many are unaware that the underwater environment can be very noisy and air-water interface is a difficult barrier for acoustic energy to overcome. Biological sources of sound production range from invertebrates to mammals, but the most prolific source is associated with courtship and spawning behaviors of fishes. Presented by James Locascio, Ph.D., currently a post-doctoral scholar at Mote Marine Laboratory.  Pre-registration required.  Free

Celebrate Coastal Archaeology

Saturday, March 3, 2012, 10:00am – 4:00pm

Excavation Tours: 11am & 2pm. Lecture: 1pm

Weedon Island Preserve is a significant archaeological heritage site on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Learn about current research in the Tampa Bay area with hands-on activities, professional talks and tours of an on-site excavation. See the new interactive, educational “Archaeo Cart” from Florida Public Archaeology Network and get on the road to discovery. Pre-registration required for excavation tours at 11am or 2pm.  Free

FISH Partnership Award

      Sarasota Bay Estuary Program received a FISH Partnership Award at the recent Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. The award acknowledged SBEP for its ongoing support of the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH). Dianne Rosensweig with Scheda Ecological Associates was also honored with a FISH Partnership Award at the popular festival in Manatee County.

FISH is a non-profit organization that purchased a 95-acre parcel adjacent to Sarasota Bay within the Village of Cortez in 1999. Its mission is to help restore and protect the upland and wetland habitats and adjacent waters. SBEP is supporting the ongoing restoration at FISH Preserve.

The photo shows students from Martha B. King Middle School on a volunteer outing with the SBEP Bay Guardian volunteer program held in November. The next Bay Guardian event is set for March 10 at Quick Point Preserve on Longboat Key. 

Greta Man with Around the Bend Nature Tours pointing out various tree species to Bay Guardian volunteers at FISH Preserve. The Bay Guardians removed debris and invasive plants at the preserve in November 2011.