Public Outreach Grant Projects: List, Descriptions and Reports

 

Public outreach grants are considered once a year for no more than $3,000 for each award. In FY11 the maximum award will be increased to $5,000.

 

This page provides brief descriptions of each application that was funded as well as links to reports that were produced. Additional details (dates and awards) about each project are provided on a separate web page.

 

Click on any header or project title to learn more about that project. Reports that are available as PDF files can be found both at the project title and the project description.

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Public Outreach Grant projects supported by the CHNEP are listed on this page as are links to brief project descriptions and PDF files, if reports have been completed. The projects are listed by year funded.

+ A few projects have been supported more than once. These projects are described only once under the first year of support received. If a project received funding more than once the project title ends with a plus sign (+) to indicate the first year of support for that project. All links to the project description will go to the first year the project received an award.

 

* Project titles that end with an asterisk (*) indicate that the project has been previously supported.

 

! There are a few projects that were initiated with a grant but that the Program now supports on a regular basis. These are marked with an exclamation point (!).

 

Projects withdrawn by the applicant are not described on this page.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2010 (with FY11 funds)

Contracts are being signed. This is not yet updated.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2009 (with FY10 funds)

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2008 (with FY09 funds)

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2007 (with FY08 funds)

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2006 (with FY07 funds)

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2006 (with FY06 funds)

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2005

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2004

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2003
Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2002

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2001

Submitted to CHNEP but supported by an anonymous donor.

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2000

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1999

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1998

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1997

 

Project Descriptions

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1997

 

Myakka Connectivity Project: Final Report

Myakka Conservancy

In the Myakka River Basin Connectivity Project, the Myakka Conservancy researched and mapped a composite picture of planned and proposed public infrastructure and major land use changes for the Myakka River basin. The Myakka Conservancy then initiated a coordinated planning effort among stakeholders to locate and build new public infrastructure in a way that reduces or eliminates unnecessary fragmentation of ecosystems and ranches in the Myakka River basin. The effort revealed trends contrary to the maintenance of large, interconnected ranches and natural areas. There are at present no plans for easements or buffers along the river between Flatford Swamp and the Myakka River State Park. Phosphate mining and the development of rural lands into subdivisions pose special challenges in the Manatee County portion of the valley. Additional subdivision of land is occurring, or may soon occur, along the Myakka River south of Laurel Road. Highway improvements in southern Sarasota County and Charlotte County will increase access to previously undeveloped lands. Finally, economic pressures are causing grazing lands to be converted to more intensive agricultural uses.

This project unearthed information about proposed projects within the Myakka River basin that could fragment the land and involved the identification, collection, interpretation, and mapping of natural resources and future project data. The geographic and information inventory included mapping and database development of natural features, land and cover, and existing and proposed projects. Persons, agencies, and organizations having information concerning the Myakka River basin were contacted and meetings were held in June and November 1997 to brief landowners and discuss findings. Appropriate information was reviewed, verified, and assembled into a Geographical Information System database (ARC/INFO 7.0.4) that can be updated.

 

Charlotte Harbor Conference: Proceedings

Mote Marine Laboratory

A public conference and technical symposium was held March 15-16, 1997. The conference sought to present a “big picture” understanding of the region’s geography, natural history, human experience, and management challenges. The technical symposium combined invited and contributed papers to review the status and trends of resources bearing on the goals and priority problems identified by the NEP Management Conference.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1998

 

Keep the Estuary Clean: Estuary Study Curriculum Guide, Report

Hardee County Outdoor Classroom

Hardee County Outdoor Classroom coordinated and conducted a public educational campaign to reduce water quality degradation of the Peace River and the Charlotte Harbor estuary. The Outdoor Classroom enlisted 100 fifth grade students from Bowling Green, Wauchula and Zolfo Springs to participate in one of three field trips to the Charlotte Harbor estuary. The value of the field trips to the students was so great that teachers obtained funding from another agency (Southwest Florida Water Management District) to give the rest of the fifth grade students the opportunity to travel to Charlotte Harbor and conduct water quality tests. Their experiences and knowledge were immediately put to use in an art contest and creation of antipollution signs, which were placed at public accesses to the Peace River in Hardee County. These turned the students into teachers of others in the community.

 

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program for Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center and the Charlotte County Cooperative Extension Service

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center partnered with the Charlotte County Cooperative Extension Service to provide an aggressive and enhanced Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Program (FYN) for the Charlotte Harbor proper area. Community workshops, lectures, meetings, and field demonstration events were offered in order to promote participation in the FYN Program, and to educate the public about the CHNEP itself. Each time, FYN preliminary surveys were completed by those in attendance, and CHNEP materials were given to participants. This project doubled the impact of each event in this way, and involved members of the public by demonstrating numerous ways in which they become empowered to make a difference in the health of their watershed. The Program was evaluated through the use of events’ rosters, pre- and post-event surveys and post-event evaluation activities. Participants learned a great deal and were able to do more after they were shown and offered hands-on activities to learn about native plants as opposed to being simply provided with publications and lectures.

 

History of the Upper Peace River Watershed

Fort Meade High School

The Peace River is a 36-mile river that meanders through the four counties of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, and Polk. Since the river flows to the Gulf of Mexico, it had historically been used as a major waterway to the inland counties and has been vital to the development of the central portion of Florida. Environmental science students at Fort Meade High School learned about the significance of the Peace River from Cantor Brown, a renowned local historian, and then conducted their own research of historical information. After learning about the past, they collected data at four locations on the Peace River: boat ramp at Fort Meade, Homeland (between IMC Park and Fort Meade), Pioneer Park at Zolfo Springs, and Payne’s Creek State Park at Wauchula. They observed and collected data on the width, depth, volume, velocity, turbidity, odor, and water quality of the river and the flora and fauna at these locations. The students then analyzed and summarized their findings in reports and compiled their findings for the public as a video.

 

Estuaries For Kids’ Sake: Guide and Report

Myakka River Elementary School

Lemon Bay and the estuaries that flow into it provide a source of recreation for children and young adults that live in the Venice, Englewood, and Port Charlotte areas. As these students grow into adults, they continue to work, live, and play within its special habitats. All too often those who live in this region are unaware of how fragile these habitats are and what their part is in keeping them healthy. This project is a continuation and enhancement of the vision that through cooperative education among different age groups of students (primary, at risk intermediate, and high school), children will gain a new understanding of the place in which they live, the water quality and fish and wildlife habitat loss found there, and spread the word to others that the environment can survive and thrive. The project involved 125 Myakka River Elementary first grade students and 30 Lemon Bay High School students. This project enlarged the working group to two classes of “at risk” fourth and fifth graders who will produce education curriculum materials that will be disseminated to classrooms in both Charlotte and Sarasota Counties. These materials will reach a minimum of 1,500 students. This Program helped children of all ages learn more about the fragile natural environment they live in.

 

Keeping the Peace Water Conservation: Curriculum

Port Charlotte Middle School

The Port Charlotte Middle School student community is comprised of children who are environmentally sensitive, eager to learn, and interested in their community. Some of the students are native Floridians and some are students who have recently moved to the community. Most of the students are relatively unaware of the history, problems, and issues of the Charlotte Harbor area. This project was meant to inform, enlighten, and motivate students to have a vested interest in their immediate surroundings, including the Peace River and the Charlotte Harbor watershed. Their proximity to the Peace River allowed them the opportunity to view and experience, first hand, the many facets of the river and estuary system. This project brought students together to learn about the natural environment that surrounds them. The project’s interdisciplinary unit of study involved the history of the Charlotte Harbor area, the importance of clean water, the value of water systems, and the technology and scientific data that are needed to measure, research, and maintain a healthy water supply.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 1999

 

Estuary Awareness and Education Project: Resource Guide

Center for Environmental Studies at Florida Atlantic University

Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on earth. One means to ensure the long-term understanding and protection of estuarine systems is through education and awareness. The Florida Center for Environmental Studies Education and Outreach Program conducted a one-day teacher workshop on February 21, 2000 to provide science teachers with a chance to explore estuarine ecosystems. The workshop, Estuarine Aquatic Ecology, incorporated water quality testing and analysis with invertebrate and seagrass sampling and identification techniques. Twenty secondary science teachers and 10 nontraditional agency educators from the greater Charlotte Harbor study area participated in a four-hour pontoon-boat trip through San Carlos Bay in the tidal Caloosahatchee River watershed. They learned about the delicate balance of water quality, seagrasses, and invertebrates comprising the ecology of the estuary.Teachers who participated received a resource guide, laminated identification keys, and water quality monitoring kits. As a result of the workshop, teachers now have the background and resources available to conduct a series of estuarine lessons, which incorporate the field techniques and analysis methods learned in the workshop. Ultimately, teachers can select a site in the estuary for long-term monitoring of water quality as well as seagrass and invertebrate communities and use the estuary as a living laboratory for student field studies. The estuary resource guide and laminated seagrass identification keys are available on the Internet from the CES website at www.ces.fau.edu.

 

A Study of Old Mill Pond

Fort Meade High School

The Old Mill Pond in the upper Peace River watershed is located approximately 50 feet from the east bank of the Peace River in Fort Meade. This waterbody was once connected to the Peace River by a natural channel. Approximately ten years ago, the pond was dammed, the original shape of the pond was altered, and natural drainage into the Peace River decreased. Environmental science students at the Fort Meade High School investigated the effect of damming on the water quality and macroinvertebrate communities in both the pond and the river. The students conducted an in-depth water quality study of the pond, where the stream enters the Peace River and the Peace River itself. To learn about reclamation, the students visited scrub and wetland areas that had been reclaimed by two local companies, IMC and USAgrichem. This project created an outdoor classroom to help students better understand the hydrology, water quality, and ecological connections of the Peace River watershed. The students determined the feasibility of returning the pond to a more natural state, which they will do by removing an exotic plant, Hydrilla, from the pond.

 

Watershed Education Workshop

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Educators from Polk and Hardee counties – where the Peace River originates – spent a day learning about the Charlotte Harbor estuary. The Peace River watershed is a 2,300 square mile system originating in Polk County. The river flows southwest for 105 miles through Hardee, DeSoto and Charlotte counties to Charlotte Harbor. The field trip was a wonderful way for our up-river neighbors to experience the various ecosystems found within the lower Charlotte Harbor area. It was also great to network with the many knowledgeable people who are so involved in the preservation and conservation of our watershed. The time on the bus to and from Bartow to Charlotte Harbor was spent networking – learning from each other. A total of 24 educators participated, representing schools, cities, counties, state, nonprofit organizations and industry. Once at the harbor, they took part in hands-on capture and release of aquatic organisms in Charlotte Harbor estuary during an educational boat ride provided by Grande Tours. They toured CHEC’s two environmental centers and received a full notebook of educational resources. By the end of the day they had learned a great deal about what happens to the water that flows from the Peace River.

 

Lake Hancock Monitoring and Education

George Jenkins High School

Lake Hancock is a 4,500-acre lake near Bartow that is known for poor water quality. This lake discharges to the Peace River, a primary drinking water resource in southwest Florida. Students from the George Jenkins High School in Lakeland conducted monthly water quality monitoring (dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, temperature, total nitrates, phosphates, carbon and turbidity), soil monitoring (nitrates and phosphates), and invertebrate and sediment sampling in and around Lake Hancock. The students then developed a water quality index from these data. Students also participated in two canoe trips on the Peace River to compare their findings from the lake to their analysis of the river. Students then designed and presented a demonstration for students at Valleyview, Sikes and Highlands City Elementary Schools on the topic of pollution and how to better care for Lake Hancock and the Peace River. The teacher anticipates making this project a yearly tradition because it was so successful in providing the students hands-on experiences and giving them an opportunity to teach younger students.

 

Treasures of the Sea

Town of Fort Myers Beach Marine Resources Task Force-Education

The Town of Fort Myers Beach provided environmental education field trips called Treasures of the Sea. These successful easy-paced beach and mangrove forest walks teach residents and visitors the importance of habitat preservation, conservation, restoration, and environmental stewardship. Beach identification walks provided information about the importance and value of preserving habitat and treasures in the wrack line. A walk into the Matanzas Pass Wilderness Preserve gave participants the sense of how pristine the island once was and urgent need for action to maintain natural resources for future generations. Experiencing the aquatic preserve gave meaning to the expression, “the cradle of the ocean,” when participants learned the importance of the estuary. A quarter-fold brochure with facts of local flora and fauna was given to each participant as well as other material to promote restoration, conservation and preservation. From July 1999 through May 2000 this project provided 60 three-hour tours to groups of 15 to 20 people. Each tour included two hours in the field and one hour of video and discussion. Approximately 407 adults and many children’s groups participated, discovering the importance of being part of the pollution solution and protecting habitat. One in four who participated are people who do normally participate in environmental education opportunities. The walks were also offered every Tuesday and Thursday, weather permitting, from November 2000 to April 2001. The walks will resume November 2001.

 

Upper Peace River Education Strategy: Final Report

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) researched the demographics and other community features of the upper Peace River watershed, including effective avenues of communication for public outreach and environmental education. CHEC assimilated research findings and developed a strategy for public outreach and environmental education in the upper Peace River watershed, including potential methods of increasing public participation in future environmental education events and community issues. In essence, CHEC paved the road for a “refreshing” of environmental education, recreation, and public involvement in the upper Peace River watershed by networking existing cooperators into a regional force with a method for addressing issues such as water conservation, habitat preservation, water quality, and sustainable development.

 

Boater’s Guide to Charlotte Harbor

Charlotte County Cooperative Extension Service

The Charlotte County Cooperative Extension Service developed an attractive, user-friendly boater’s guide to Charlotte Harbor that combines graphics and text to educate the users of the natural resource – boaters – about the fishery habitat and seagrasses. The guide covers Charlotte Harbor, including Lemon Bay in the north to Pine Island Sound in the south, the Peace River to Fort Ogden (Route 761) and the Myakka River to North Port (SR 41). It lists boat ramps, marinas, anchorages, and restaurants and provides information on manatee protection, boater safety zones, navigational symbols and markers, boater safety requirements, and safe boating tips. The 22 x 22.5 inch guide folds to 4.5 x 8.5 inches. This free guide can be picked up at many locations throughout Charlotte County, including marinas, bait and tackle shops, public boat ramps, Chambers of Commerce, tourist contact stations, libraries, realtors offices, the Cooperative Extension Office, and tag offices. The guide is also available at select sites in other counties, including the CHNEP office. If you would like to distribute copies, call the Extension Office at 941/639-6255.

 

Knowing Our Ecosystems

4-H Sharks Club of Charlotte County

The 4-H Sharks Club of Charlotte County provided educational workshops and free classroom instruction concerning the Charlotte Harbor watershed to provide instructors and teachers of science with material that will help them teach marine education. The focus was on children, ages eight and up, because the 4-H material is suitable to this age group. The 4-H Sharks Club also trained its leaders, the parents of students, and members to be part of a teaching staff providing estuary instruction to the public. The programs were offered to all Charlotte County Schools, both public and private, either during school hours or after school. The goal of the project is to lay the groundwork in marine science so that the 4-H School Enrichment Program in Charlotte County can continue the program after the grant period. For instruction in identification, a color plant and animal booklet was created containing some of the species found in the watershed. Members of the 4-H Club took thousands of pictures of plant and animal species to illustrate a species identification booklet.

 

Seagrass Education in Lemon Bay and Beneath the Crest of a Wave: A Seagrass Adventure

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center offered small-group “get wet” wading trips into the shallow seagrasses of Lemon Bay for 125 citizens of the Englewood area. After a brief land-side introduction to marine life, the group entered the hip-deep waters of Lemon Bay. Scooping seine nets through the seagrass beds, a multitude of marine creatures were captured, discussed and released unharmed. The wading trips taught people about the value of seagrasses, their habitat and their inhabitants, and the CHNEP goals for restoration and preservation of these important resources. Beginning in May 1999, wading events were offered on the last Wednesday of each month for 12 months, participants and the general public received additional information, and the seagrass reference section at the Cedar Point Environmental Center library in Englewood was expanded. The groups were kept small (15 participants maximum) to minimize potential damage to the seagrass beds. Additional continuing education took place by distribution of seagrass information at the Center, and by allowing the public to use the books in the library. This 2001 program provided citizens near Lemon Bay with opportunities to learn about seagrasses - their value, habitat, and inhabitants -- at 5 three-hour workshops.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2000

 

Peace River Basin Agricultural Education Initiative

Central Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council

A portable, educational display of the natural resources and issues specific to the Peace River Basin was created. The display will highlight the benefits of conservation practices currently being applied on agriculture lands and will encourage others to utilize these practices. The display will be used at functions such as the Farm Bureau’s annual meetings, Farm-City Days, county fairs, and other basin-wide events. The Central Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council is working in conjunction with Polk, Hardee, and DeSoto Soil and Water Conservation Districts to prepare and use this display.

 

Calusa Land Trust Junior Ranger Program

Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island, Inc.

Exotic vegetation is invading Pine Island at a rate faster than it is being eradicated. The Calusa Land Trust and Nature Preserve of Pine Island, Inc. (CLT) has developed a Stewardship/Ranger Program to, among other things, safely and effectively eliminate exotic invasive species from CLT preserves on Pine Island. With support provided by this project, new nature trail signs were placed to identify vegetation and a Junior Ranger Program was created to prepare students and accompanying adults to act as restorers of fish and wildlife habitats. The Junior Ranger Program will include three phases: an instructional learning Program, a hands-on Program to learn about the natural environment of pine flatwoods, coastal strands, scrubby flatwoods, oak scrub and mahogany hammocks, and a hands-on phase to learn about the tools and chemicals used to eradicate invasive exotics.

 

Charlotte Harbor User Education Project

Florida Sea Grant/Charlotte County Cooperative Extension Service

People who use our water resources, including boaters, anglers, swimmers, and others, often unintentionally have a negative impact on aquatic plants and animals. By providing more and better information at water access points, well-intentioned users’ impact on the natural resources may be decreased. Funds for this project purchased, installed, and maintained weatherproof outdoor display boards at 15 public launching ramps, fishing piers, and beaches in Charlotte County. The Cooperative Extension Service, Charlotte County Parks and Recreation and Charlotte County Aquatic Preserves will provide the information for the displays and maintain them.

 

Lakeside Education Displays

Lakes Education/Action Drive

The Peace River, the major tributary to Charlotte Harbor, has its headwaters in Polk County. While the people are enjoying the recreational and aesthetic opportunities of the lake, they can become more aware of the interconnection of the lakes in the Upper Peace River watershed with the entire Charlotte Harbor watershed. The display also includes information on lake ecosystems and watersheds, water quality issues, and information on pollution. The project initiated in 2000 helped create a lakeside education displays at public parks on Lakes Bonny and Morton in Polk County. The projects initiated in 2005 helped create lakeside educational displays at public parks on Lake Howard (Winter Haven, Polk County) and Lake Hollingsworth (Lakeland, Polk County). The project initiated in 2006 helped create lakeside educational displays at Lake Parker Park. The project initiated in 2010 helped create lakeside educational displays at Lake Bonny Park.

 

Marine Cleanup aka Monofilament Madness

Keep Lee County Beautiful

Fishing line and debris are unsightly, and they harm the environment. Since 1982 volunteers in Lee County have picked up debris found in waterways and mangroves during an annual marine cleanup. In 1999, more than 8,500 pounds of debris, mostly fishing line, cigarette butts, cans, glass and plastic bottles, bags, and cups, were collected. This project supported the cleanup held on November 29, 2000. The collection sites included Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral and Fish-Tale Marina and Mid-Island Marina in Fort Myers Beach. The 421 volunteers collected 16,000 pounds of marine debris. Media coverage continues to help raise awareness about this preventable litter problem and the threatening circumstances it poses for marine life. Marine Cleanup is one example of volunteers taking direct, immediate action to help restore the health of our waterways, providing immediate tangible results.

 

Courtland Waterway - Restoration 2000

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc.

CHEC, along with the Cooperative Extension Service and Environmental Services in Charlotte County, offered 12 lectures and four demonstration workshops on the devastating effects of hydrological alterations. Participants learned about hydrologic alterations, water quality, and simple solutions that can be implemented in their own yards and communities. Once restoration is complete, the site will provide acceptable habitat for Florida’s native wading bird species in a man-made waterway. A permanent outdoor educational display and an outdoor lecture site were planned for Courtland Waterway but due to vandalism, educational signage will be displayed at CHEC’s Alligator Creek site in Punta Gorda.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2001

 

Don’t Dump It!

Caloosahatchee River Citizen’s Association

Ordinary citizens can protect our water resources. This nonprofit organization will help by providing information to both children and adults about the problems associated with dumping wastes into the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries. Citizens will be encouraged to adopt storm drains in their neighborhood by placing permanent placards near each drain as a reminder to others to “don’t dump it.”

 

The Extinction of Experience

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

CHEC, with Charlotte High School and the Peace River Audubon Society, will develop a backyard habitat that will educate and demonstrate to the public how to provide a place in their backyards for native wildlife and plants. By creating these small habitats, homeowners can maintain a bond between people and nature that will in turn foster a sense of stewardship for the land and the natural world.

 

Estuary Education through Art: Guidance Document, Teachers Guide

Peace River Center for Writers

The River of Words National Environmental Poetry and Poster Contest for Students was created by Robert Hass, U.S. Poet Laureate on the belief that writing and creating art about a watershed requires students to closely observe and interpret the natural environment. Such observation and interpretation in turn will inspire students to preserve and conserve. The Arts and Humanities Council of Charlotte County has successfully held local contests. This project will develop a guidebook to help others in the Charlotte Harbor watershed to plan, conduct and conclude successful local River of Words contests.

 

Pick Preserve Bird Blind

The Sanibel School

This project will build a bird blind at Pick Preserve on Sanibel Island. The Preserve is part of a conservation corridor that has been restored and includes an educational trail and a teaching shelter. Pick Preserve is located directly across the road from the Sanibel Elementary and Middle School which makes it ideal for expansion of classroom learning into the outdoors. The bird blind is one aspect of a three-year project that is providing hands-on learning for students to foster respect for themselves and the environment. The project will also promote social and personal competencies through self-exploration and leadership opportunities.

 

Fire on the Buffer

Friends of the Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves, Inc.

Fire is a naturally occurring force that has been misunderstood since the Smokey the Bear campaigns of the 1960s. This project will create a display providing information about fire ecology, the use of prescribed fire as a resource management practice, and the benefits of prescribed fire to wildlife. The display will be on exhibit throughout the Charlotte Harbor watershed in libraries, government buildings, colleges, nature and environmental education centers, at public meetings and elsewhere.

 

San Marino Brazilian Pepper Removal

San Marino Volunteers

Brazilian pepper is an invasive exotic tree that has proliferated along the waterways of Charlotte County, causing the death of underlying native grasses and plants. Volunteers will remove about 2,400 square yards of this exotic from vacant lots in Harbour Heights, located on Charlotte Harbor. The removal of the trees will allow native plants to again flourish. The plants will help prevent erosion and filter runoff. This in turn will reduce the silt in the water, improving seagrass beds and fish habitat. The volunteers will also provide a report of their project to encourage others to take action. In just nine months, the San Marino Volunteers cleared Brazilian pepper trees from 14.5 lots with only 9.5 lots left.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2002

 

Upper Peace River Educational and Interpretive Kayak Programs

City of Fort Meade Leisure Services

The City of Fort Meade in Polk County is now able to offer free or low-cost educational and interpretive kayak programs on the upper Peace River. Six kayaks will be acquired as well as a kiosk and outdoor message center with the support of this grant. The kayaks will be used during biweekly paddling trips, summer camps, river cleanups, fossil-hunting trips, kayaking courses and on demand.

 

Sailing Through the Environment of Charlotte Harbor

LA Ainger Middle School, Rotonda West

Seventh grade students in Englewood (Charlotte County) will participate in one of six environmental field trips on Charlotte Harbor as a result of this grant. Each of the 240 students, including special needs children, will be able to enjoy being out on the water of Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay – some for the first time – while they collect and analyze data.

 

Grandmothers Garden

Susan Henry

This project restores 2.8-acres in the heart of Bartow from a defunct park and stormwater catchbasin into a demonstration garden creating an urban wildlife refuge and restoring a neighborhood park in a Community Redevelopment District while using environmentally responsible plants and management techniques.

 

Keep our Creeks Clean

J. Colin English Elementary School

Fifth grade students become scientific analysts and stewards of Yellow Fever Creek, Powell Creek, Daltry’s Creek and Billy’s Creek. They will map, sample, test, collect and analyze data gathered on these creeks that flow to the Calooshatchee and that are known for their high levels of pollution. They will then become educators – preparing the fourth grade students to continue the work the next year and sharing their knowledge in presentations to the community. This is the second year of support from the NEP.

 

Southwest Florida Amphibian Monitoring Network

CREW Land and Water Trust

Amphibians are an important indicator of the health of an ecosystem – and frog populations are in decline throughout the world. The North American Amphibian Monitoring Program developed guidelines that were implemented in southwest Florida during the summer of 2000. People voluntarily began monitoring routes – 25 volunteers on 7 routes in the first year and 40 volunteers on 14 routes the next year. This grant will provide teams with the data collecting equipment to identify the exact location using GPS and record temperature and wind speed at each location.

 

Manatee Park Outdoor Classroom Project Florida Native Plants and Habitats: An Outdoor Classroom at Manatee Park

Lee County Parks and Recreation & Florida Native Plant Society Coccoloba Chapter

Six of Florida’s flora and fauna habitats, a large native butterfly garden and a south Florida oak grove have been developed at Manatee Park as a result of a partnership between the Park and the local chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. The state-of-the-art outdoor classroom is used by fifth grade students throughout Lee County as part of their environmental education curriculum, by students at Florida Gulf Coast University, for workshops that teach homeowners and landscapers how to use and maintain native plants, and to 100,000 visitors who annually enjoy the guided and self-guided tours. Two grants each added two educational interpretive habitat panels on oak/rosemary scrub, pine flatwoods, freshwater wetlands and oak/pine hammock.

 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Surveillance and Education Network

Southwest Florida Watershed Council

Aquatic nuisance species pose threats to water resources. This project will increase public awareness of these non-native species and potential threats to the water resources of southwest Florida through a public information poster and a web-based surveillance network. This network will track the occurrence, distribution and relative abundance of the nuisance species throughout southwest Florida, including all of the NEP study area, and will be an important sentinel for the early detection of potentially harmful species and, where feasible, the coordination of eradication efforts.

 

Experience Estero Bay

Estero Bay Buddies

If people don’t know or understand an issue, how can they appreciate, respect and care about it? This project will develop outreach and interpretive materials focused on the Estero Bay Aquatic and State Buffer Preserves. The materials to be prepared include a slide show, trail guide and interpretive signs. In addition, at least three volunteer workdays will be scheduled to remove exotic species and cleanup trash.

 

Gopher Tortoise Habitat Restoration

Estero Bay Buddies

Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), found throughout the NEP study area, are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a threatened species and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a Species of Special Concern. The population statewide is estimated to have decreased by 30 percent in recent years. Habitat restoration efforts focused on the gopher tortoise benefit the entire sandy upland habitat ecosystem since the animals burrows provide shelter for more than 360 species of animals. Approximately 173 tortoises were counted in 1997 on the Estero Bay Scrub, 1,245 acres added to the Estero Bay Buffer Preserve in February 2000. A prescribed fire will be conducted on the property, which according to the Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative, will increase the average carrying capacity of an acre from two or three to four or six tortoises.

 

The Power of Fire and Water: Center Tract Interpretive Signage

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

The Center Tract is 262+ acres of riparian corridor that has been hydrological restored and invasive exotic plants have been removed. It is the centerpiece of SCCF’s habitat management within the island-wide wetlands management program. SCCF now mimics wild fires through the use of prescribed burns. These fires benefit the ecosystem by recycling nutrients, controlling woody vegetation and opening up forage areas for wading birds. Because of this success, there is important demonstration value to the 15,600 visitors who annually walk the trails. This grant helps SCCF provide interpretive signage on the ecological value and function of land and water.

 

An Outdoor Study Along the Peace River

Fort Meade Middle-Senior High School

An outdoor study area along the Peace River in Fort Meade will provide environmental science students access to the river, a spring fed pond, cypress swamp, hardwood forest and other ecosystems. Approximately 50 students in grades six through 12 will construct a wetlands survey, conduct various water tests on both the pond and river, prepare a report of their findings as well as introduce approximately 100 to 120 students in elementary grades to the life along the Peace River during field trips.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2003

 

Environmental Education Conference

Lakes Education-Action Drive

Teaching teachers has a multiplying effect as the teachers teach students. Due to staffing changes and re-consideration, this project changed LE/AD organizing an environmental education conference, tentatively scheduled August 2003, for educators in Polk, Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties to learn about concerns within the Peace River watershed, to development of a resource notebook. This resource notebook continues to be made available.

 

Greater Charlotte Harbor Watershed Guide: Watershed Guide

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Positive attitudes, perceptions and actions flow from active participation in learning about the environment, especially through experiences such as field trips. CHEC will develop curriculum for local educators at environmental associations, agencies and schools to use to help educate people from second grade students to adults. This project will help others provide experiences to change attitudes, perceptions and behaviors that will help protect and restore the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed.

 

Stingray Ecology and its Effects on Charlotte Harbor

Angela Barker

Working with researchers at Mote Marine Laboratory, University of South Florida graduate student Angela S. Barker will estimate stingray feeding and use of Charlotte Harbor. Healthy elasmobranch populations are indicative of intact ecosystems. Examining the ecology of a large predator, such as the stingray, and its impacts on an ecosystem can provide clues in assessing the health of the estuary. Estimating the extent to which stingrays use the harbor will also allow preliminary conclusions to be drawn regarding habitat use and preferences.

 

Trail Guide

Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium

A 46-page trail guide will be created to provide the estimated 80,000 annual visitors with direct experience of the Fort Myers center as an ecological preserve and environmental education center. Visitors will learn more about the natural environment and issues of concern through habitats, landscapes and exhibits the center provides through its museum and three miles of trails on the 105-acre subtropical natural inland habitat.

 

Enhancing Visitor Experience at the Circle B Bar Reserve: Interpreting Lake Hancock Water, Wildlife and Wilderness

Polk County Environmental Lands Program

Lakeland, Winter Haven and the Green Swamp areas drains into the 4,533-acre Lake Hancock. The water then flows into Peace River, which flows to Charlotte Harbor. The conservation purchase of the Circle B Bar Reserve with its nearly two miles of Lake Hancock shoreline provides the county will opportunities to educate the visiting public about the importance of water resources within Polk County and beyond by providing support for educational panels that will be placed along a hiking/nature trail on the berm of the lake.

 

Self-Guided Trail Booklet

Crowley Museum & Nature Center

During a two-mile walk on the center’s 190 preserved acres, visitors can see pine flatwoods, hammock, swamp, marsh and river habitats and the animals that depend on them. The center will create a self-guided booklet about these natural Florida habitats and their interconnectiveness. Details will be provided at approximately 35 stops, including at the Tatum Sawgrass Marsh, Myakka River and the self-contained composting toilets! The guides will allow the 8,500 annual visitors to determine the pace of their walk.

 

Don Ball School of Fishing

Charlotte Harbor Reef Association

Believing that the education of youth, not directives and laws, is the best way to protect the estuaries system of Charlotte Harbor, hardworking and devoted individuals from the association created an eight-class program known as the Don Ball School of Fishing for 100 seventh-grade students, 25 from each of the four middle schools in Charlotte County. The students, and 50 to 60 parents, learn about protecting marine assets while they learn about fishing. The school began in 2002 and is named for a Charlotte County resident who worked with youth. Mr. Ball passed away in 1998.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2004

 

Eco-Study Tour of the Peace River Watershed

Resurrection Catholic School in Polk County

Fifty seventh grade life science students will be introduced to the upper and lower Peace River watershed through studies at both Paynes Creek Historic State Park and Ponce de Leon Park in Punta Gorda. The hands-on activities will include learning of their impact on the watershed and documenting their analysis of water quality, flora and wildlife at each site in scrapbooks and a presentation to parents.

 

Manatee and Seagrass Education Project for Lee County

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Through an interactive educational puppet skit, discussion and video, 30 third grade classrooms in Lee County will learn about manatees, their natural history, importance of seagrass habitat to their health as well as threats from declining water quality, watercraft and how the students can help protect both local waters and manatees.

 

Watershed Traveling Display

Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Land & Water Trust

A traveling display with interactive activities will be developed to promote the importance of watersheds to water supply and quality, wildlife habitat and human recreation. The display will be used at schools, environmental education facilities, festivals and elsewhere throughout the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed. For information about the display, call 239/657-2253.

Turtle Talks Book: Activity Book

Turtle Talks

Working with authors, artists and educators, this teenager will produce a booklet that features the Charlotte Harbor estuary and the marine lives that depend on its health. The booklet will be given to students who participate in a Turtle Talk, an educational program designed to inform students and adults of the fragile nature of the local environment.

 

Jacaranda Library Native Plant Project

Friends of Jacaranda

The site of this Sarasota County library already includes a large natural area with native plants. The Friends will develop a “Native Walk” in perfect harmony to increase the awareness of the library’s 238,000 annual patrons about the value of using native plant landscaping. The project includes plant identification and plant care signage, benches and tables, programming for adults and children as well as an expansion of the library’s collection on native plants.

 

Down the Caloosahatchee River and into the Gulf of Mexico

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

This game show format educational awareness program will be updated and made available free, targeting home school groups, minority and under-served communities. Sally Splash and Wanda Water are hosts to this team challenge of fast action, fact finding challenges about the Calooshatchee as it travels to the Gulf of Mexico. After the game students discuss issues and solutions.

 

Water Matters! Interactive Panels

Explorations V Children’s Museum

The museum provides hands-on fun-filled adventure in learning. With three floors of kid-powered exhibits and programs, it reaches 72,000 annually. This project will develop four interactive panels that emphasize stewardship and conservation of our important natural resource, water. Water Matters to Plants and Water Matters to Wildlife will increase public awareness of wildlife and habitats near Florida waters, water resources and conservation, and freshwater basins and flows. Contact info@explorationsv.com for more information.

 

Estero Bay Field Map and Interpretive Guidebook

Fort Myers Beach The Mound House

The illustrated laminated field map will provide a backdrop of Estero Bay and Matanzas Pass highlighting the diversity of life in the estuary, its operation and the interaction between humans and this unique environment for the last 6,000 years. The guidebook will integrate the human history of this area with habitat use. The documents will be available to kayaks using The Mound House while on the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail.

 

Learning to Save our Future: The Estuaries and Human Impacts

Sara Scott Harllee Middle School in Manatee County

Approximately 100 students in grades 6 to 8 will tour the headwaters of the Myakka River, visit the Myakka River State Park and tour Charlotte Harbor, testing nitrogen, phosphates, dissolved solids and dissolved oxygen levels as they travel from the headwaters to the estuary. The students will also create a living classroom laboratory and produce an episode of “Science is Cool in the Estuary and Mangrove Forest” for the Manatee Educational Television.

 

Outdoor Permanent Sign on Water Conservation

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

Visitors to the center will learn best management practices for landscape irrigation and micro-drip irrigation from this permanent sign on water conservation. The sign will help 80,000 annual visitors to the center better understand water conservation and how it is being implemented at the center’s Butterfly Aviary and Native Plant Nursery.

 

Instructional Field Modules for K-12 Environmental Education

Florida Gulf Coast University

Teachers will have access to ready-made field modules for each of three preserved areas in Lee County: Estero Bay Buffer Preserve Estero River Scrub, Four Mile Cove EcoPark in Cape Coral and Randell Research Center at Pineland. The teacher guides will include introductory material, photographs, history and preserve issues as well as classroom and field activities.

 

EnviroTEEN Camp 2004 and 2005 Powerpoint created by campers

Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, Inc.(2004) and Volunteer Services of Manatee County, Inc. (2005)

Approximately 100 8 to 14-year-olds in the Boys & Girls Clubs will participate in Enviro Camp 2004, two intensive three-week camps that promote the education, restoration, protection and enhancement of the cradle of the ocean – our interwoven, dynamic estuary system. Five of the 15 days will focus on Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor. They’ll track, chart, restore, clean up the estuaries, becoming “water warriors” who then frequently become environmental activist in their own neighborhoods. In 2005, approximately 150 to 200 teenagers participated.

The kids are so imbued with the dire need to keep our estuaries function and appreciated that they become environmental activities back in their neighborhoods and schools.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2005

 

Incorporating Public Input on Sea Turtle Sightings in Charlotte Harbor

Mote Marine Laboratory

The Laboratory initiated the Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program in 2002 to define critical habitats for three species of endangered sea turtles. To ensure public involvement and sufficient data acquisition, 10,000 doublesided business cards will be distributed to local marinas bearing the message “Wanted: Turtle Sightings.”

 

The Myakka Wild and Scenic Trails Map

Friends of the Myakka River, Inc.

A much needed educational trail map of the Myakka River and associated conservation lands will be developed. The map will aim to inspire stewardship amongst local citizens through the distribution of information on natural systems and the advocacy of a watershed approach to land management.

 

Florida Yards and Neighborhood Water Conservation Workshops

Polk County Extension Service

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program of Polk County will offer the public an educational workshop stressing the importance of water conservation, the negative effects of stormwater runoff, and the need to preserve water quality. Each participant will learn to construct and use rain barrels as a tool to reduce runoff pollution and conserve water.

 

Life In and Around Charlotte Harbor/Learning about our Estuary/The Estuary in Every Class

Port Charlotte Middle School

Port Charlotte Middle School’s 300 seventh graders will participate in one of four educational field trips to Ponce de Leon Park to facilitate a deeper understanding of the Charlotte Harbor region. Each student seines in the water to examine organisms, test water, and observe the water environment, take a guided tour through the Peace River Wildlife Center, respond to a scavenger hunt of questions about the mangrove boardwalk, and create a sand art painting of wildlife of the area. To ensure the success of this effort, students complete supplemental bookwork focusing on conservation issues, local flora and the importance of wetlands. This is an interdisciplinary project that involves math, language arts, geography, and science classes. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling SG-F.

 

Portable Fisherman’s Educational Kiosk/Display

Florida Sea Grant Program

An educational kiosk will be provided by the Florida Sea Grant program for local fishermen participating in catch and release fishing tournaments. The kiosk will contain information on 18 different subjects ranging from the importance of seagrass protection to circle hook technology.

 

“Curious Kids” Virtual Estuaries Class

WGCU Public Media/ Florida Gulf Coast University

An estuaries video will be developed by WGCU to serve as a central component in the Virtual Estuaries segment of their Curious Kids Club environmental education website. The video will bring real wildlife footage into the classroom and to the desktops of students and teachers, illustrating the interconnections between species living in our watershed and actions that may protect them.

 

Nature Resource Guide

Crowley Museum and Nature Center

Seventy-five laminated cards, each with a photo of one plant or animal accompanied by “fun facts” of that plant/animal, will be developed to supplement guided nature tours and to serve as an online resource for those interested in the flora and fauna of southwest Florida.

 

FYN Highlights at Model Homes

Lee County Overall Extension Advisory Board

To promote responsible landscaping techniques, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods of Lee County plans to persuade local builders and developers to equip model homes with Florida friendly yards exhibiting native plants.

 

Pick Preserve Nature Trail Boardwalk

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

SCCF Pick Preserve acts as an outdoor laboratory for students attending Sanibel School; however, during wet months, the trail becomes too dangerous to tread. To remedy this predicament, SCCF intends to build a 700-foot boardwalk through the preserve to help people navigate the area during the rainy season.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2006 (FY06 funds)

 

Estuary neighborhood: A coloring book for Southwest Florida estuarine community: Coloring Book

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Charlotte Harbor is a rapidly growing region. Many new residents have little awareness of the local ecosystems and the human impact on the region’s natural environment. CHNEP’s efforts to restore and protect the Charlotte Harbor watershed would be addressed through a coloring book targeted at young children and adults as a parent/child interactive activity and focused on native Florida species and their roles in the estuarine environment. The coloring book aims to get children and parents excited and involved in the protection of the Charlotte Harbor estuarine ecosystem.

 

Exploring Water Matters!

Explorations V Children’s Museum, Inc.

In 2005, a Water Matters! interactive exhibit was created with support from an earlier CHNEP grant. This new grant offers two-hour hands-on workshops to 16 classes of third- to fifth-grade Polk County students, thereby extending the learning value of the exhibits and increasing the children’s understanding of Earth’s limited resources and responsibility to conservation.

 

Sea Turtle Adventures: A teachers workshop

Coastal Wildlife Club, Inc.

An expanded two-day workshop will be offered in 2006 to increase teachers’ awareness of coastal resources, including sea turtles and gopher tortoises. The workshop was also offered in 2007 and will be offered in 2008.

 

FYN Builder-Develop Program for Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota Counties

ELM West Coast, Inc.

This program educates builders, developers, realtors, landscape architects/designers, irrigation contractors and others on how to protect the area’s water resources while still creating and marketing attractive and desirable properties. Efforts will include workshops, one-on-one meetings, media, reference material produced as publications and CDs, recognition programs such as Parade of Homes events.

 

Native plant maze and demonstration site

Deluxe Trees and Shrubs in cooperation with DeSoto County Parks & Recreation

A fun but functional native plant demonstration site – the first in DeSoto County – will be developed at Brewer Park, a county park on Hargrove Road. The maze will include a variety of Florida native plants and is expected to be of interest to young and old, gardeners and non-gardeners, tourists and residents. Signage will help guide those interested in planting their own yard with native plants.

 

Peace River study

Hardee County Outdoor Classroom

Students will be learn about the Peace River basin and Charlotte Harbor watershed during a two-week canoe trip, building on knowledge learned during Outdoor Classroom trips offered during the school year. The students will collect data on how the hurricanes of 2004 have affected the Peace River, comparing these new observations against a similar study made prior to the hurricanes. They will then take what they’ve learned and educate the public through the use of newspapers, web sites and newsletters.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2006 (FY07 funds)

 

Manatee and Seagrass Education Project for Lee County

Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Through an interactive educational puppet skit, discussion and video, 30 third-grade classrooms in Lee County will learn about manatees, their natural history, the importance of seagrass habitat to their health, as well as threats from declining water quality and watercraft, and how the students can help protect both local waters and manatees.

 

When Nature is Your Neighbor Brochure and PowerPoint Presentation: Presentation as PowerPoint (9 MB) and Presentation as PDF (1.7 MB))

Lee County BCC (on behalf of Parks & Recreation Conservation 20/20)

Of the 31 preserves managed by Lee County, 30 have at least one adjacent private land owner. Staff have discovered an increased need to provide the preserves’ neighbors with information on restoration activities that are conducted at the preserves as well as how the neighbors’ actions can affect the health of the preserves and, ultimately, the estuary. This program will produce a brochure and an outreach program to explain the interconnected relationship and provide suggestions of simple actions neighbors can take to help protect these conservation areas.

 

Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve 40th Anniversary Celebration Tours

Estero Bay Buddies

This nonprofit citizen support organization, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Aquatic Managed Areas staff, conducted a reception, dinner and boat tour of Estero Bay to celebrate the establishment of Florida’s first aquatic preserve.

 

Water Wonders Student Workshops

G.WIZ, the Hands-On Science Museum

Students in Sarasota County fifth- to eighth-grade classes will participate in a water workshop – a hands-on, science-based educational program that focuses on water quality, pollution and the role individuals have in protecting water resources and local ecosystems.

 

Lakeshore Resident’s Guide

Lakes Education/Action Drive

There are more than 500 lakes in Polk County, many with large residential developments along their lakeshore. This guide provides shoreline residents with information on how water quality in the lake is affected by their everyday actions through stormwater runoff, yard debris disposal, fertilizer and pesticide application. The guide will also include information about water quality, stormwater runoff, aquatic vegetation, wildlife, boating safety, permitting requirements for lakeshore property owners and resources that can provide more assistance.

 

Cape Water Action

Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association/Riverwatch

Newcomers and residents alike will learn about water quality issues in the Cape Coral area and how they can preserve, enhance and promote their precious waterways. This nonprofit organization was identified as a need after a CHNEP public conference.

 

Charlas de Tortugas libro de actividades: Activity Book

Turtle Talks

Working with authors, artists and educators, this teenager produced a booklet that features the Charlotte Harbor estuary and the marine lives that depend on its health. The booklet will be translated into Spanish, printed and given to students whose first language is Spanish who participate in Turtle Talk, an educational program designed to inform students and adults of the fragile nature of the local environment. With CHNEP support, 10,000 of the English and 3,000 of the Spanish versions of the activity book have been distributed.

 

Upper Peace River Flora and Fauna Study

Hardee County Outdoor Classroom

Students will conduct a study of the Peace River at select sites between Bartow and Gardner to determine the most common plants and animals found during the day. The results will be distributed on a CD to schools and libraries so that it will be a resource for others interested in studying the region.

 

Lemon Bay Watershed Storm Drain Marking

Sarasota County BCC (on behalf of Sarasota County Water Resources)

As part of an education campaign designed to raise community awareness about the direct connection between land activities, storm drains and local water quality, volunteers will mark storm drains with a specialized placard that reads “This drains to Lemon Bay.” Many people do not realize that storm drains in their neighborhoods are direct links to nearby creeks and, ultimately, Lemon Bay. Storm drain marking is an effective way of educating the public about reducing the amount of pollutants entering the stormwater system and protecting surface waters.

 

Rain Barrel Workshops with Polk County Schools

Polk County BCC (on behalf of Extension Office)

This program will provide water conservation and water quality programs to local school children. The children will receive a rain barrel to decorate and use in their school gardens. CHNEP is providing $1,395 toward this $3,078 project. The Smart Way to Grow Your Florida Yard: Yard Maintenance Guide Manatee Friends of Extension (on behalf of Builder-Developer Program serving Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties) While many resources are now available to help explain why and how to develop a Florida-friendly yard, there are few resources available on how to maintain that yard. This outreach program includes such things as workshops, one-on-one interactions and media relations to reach builders, developers, realtors, landscape architects and designers, irrigation contractors and homeowners.

 

The Smart Way to Grow Your Florida Yard: Yard Maintenance Guide

Manatee Friends of Extension (on behalf of Builder-Developer Program serving Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties)

While many resources are now available to help explain why and how to develop a Florida-friendly yard, there are few resources available on how to maintain that yard. This outreach program includes such things as workshops, one-on-one interactions and media relations to reach builders, developers, realtors, landscape architects and designers, irrigation contractors and homeowners.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2007 (FY08 funds)

 

Gopher Tortoise Talks: Gopher Tortoise Activity Book

Turtle Talks

Teenager Zander Srodes began Turtle Talks to educate students of the plight of endangered sea turtles. His program has now expanded to educate children about gopher tortoises, a threatened species that can be found throughout Florida. The tortoise is also considered to be a keystone species in its environment, as its burrows are shelter and refuge to more than 250 species that live in the scrub, pine flatlands and dune areas. This grant allows him to provide an activity book about gopher tortoises to each “talk” participant to help them realize the importance of preserving this treasure.

 

Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Polk County Utilities Building

Polk County Extension

When Polk County residents pay their utility bills, they’ll be treated with a native plant demonstration garden. The demonstration garden will promote the nine principles of Florida-friendly landscaping and serve as a high-profile example to the residents of the county who will learn that using native plants, pervious surfaces, recycled products and appropriate drainage solutions can be beautiful and benefit the environment at the same time.

 

“Water” We Doing? Watershed Rescue Traveling Trunks

Lakes Education/Action Drive

Two traveling trunks called ‘“Water’ We Doing” will be developed with LE/AD in collaboration with the Polk County Environmental Education Resource (PEER) Center. The trunks include ready-to-use student centers, laboratory investigations and facilitator-led demonstrations using the amazing and fascinating Peace River watershed that they live in as the integrative theme. These trunks are user-friendly and ready to be used by teachers throughout the county with no additional preparation required. Each trunk contains supplies for five third-grade classrooms to do a week of meaningful, researched activities and investigations.

 

Protecting Charlotte Harbor: Simple Things You Can Do at Home

Peace River Audubon Society

In an effort to encourage and inform the public how to better protect wildlife, water quality and water quantity in the Charlotte Harbor watershed, the Society will produce two brochures that teach landscaping for wildlife concepts, native plants that do well in our area and simple ways people can reduce their home water and energy use. Sample bags of mulch made from the invasive melaleuca tree will also be given away along, with information on why it should be used instead of cypress mulch.

 

DeSoto Diaries

DeSoto County Parks & Recreation

This project creates a youth activity journal on DeSoto County’s environment, including the ecology of the Peace River. The journal will include worksheets of word searches, coloring, puzzles and matching, as well as collages, fun facts and journal entries on observations, weather and personal reflections. The camper, park visitor or school group that receives this item will also learn the connectivity of how an individual choice in DeSoto County can affect the Peace River and ultimately the Charlotte Harbor estuary.

 

IMC Peace River Park Boardwalk Educational Signage

Friends of the Park Foundation, Inc.

The Friends will develop 12 educational signs along the new addition of the IMC Peace River Park Boardwalk to be constructed in 2008 in Homeland. The signs will inform park visitors of the importance of the Peace River and its floodplain to the Charlotte Harbor estuary, migratory birds and amphibians. The signs will also address man’s impacts on the river ecosystem, including the Floridan aquifer, mining, agriculture, invasive species and urbanization.

 

Upper Peace Kayak Environmental Education Program

City of Winter Haven, Natural Resources

UPKEEP will provide citizens of all ages and diversity with natural resource-based recreational opportunities and experiences throughout the Peace River watershed. The kayaks will allow at least 15 paddlers per outing to join a naturalist and explore lakes in Winter Haven, the Peace River, Charlotte Harbor and more. UPKEEP will provide an avenue for exploration, enjoyment and protection of our water resources.

 

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) Conference

Lee County Extension

A day-long conference will focus residents’ attention on doing the right thing to protect and maintain healthy estuaries. Eco-friendly lawn care practices are learned skills, needing to be integrated into routine landscaping maintenance. NOTE: This conference was held February, 9, 2008.

 

Everglades Coalition Conference

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

For the first time in its 23-year history, the largest annual forum of nonprofit, federal and state government and private interests to focus on the hydrologic system of the Greater Everglades will meet in Lee County. This conference will focus on the Caloosahatchee estuary and the devastating impacts resulting from the discharges of nutrient-laden excess fresh water. NOTE: This conference was held January 10-13, 2008.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2008 (with FY09 funds)

 

Shoreline Stabilization and Habitat Enhancement in the Mullock Creek Basin

Florida Gulf Coast University

This demonstration project is part of a larger effort to improve the entire stormwater drainage system of the East Mullock Drainage District in San Carlos Park, Lee County. The project includes removing invasive exotic plants, such as Melaleuca and Brazilian pepper, along 160 linear feet by a canal, placing a shoreline stabilization product known as Shoresox along the steep incline and installing native plants in the 15 foot buffer between private residences and the canal.

 

Naturalization of a Retention Pond

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Venice

A large retention pond on the church property will be naturalized, bringing out its natural beauty that provides habitats for songbirds and other wildlife. This project will be a demonstration site with a walkway, benches, plant identification signs as well as information on the value of Florida-friendly plantings to reduce watering needs to create a green sanctuary and reduce fertilizer to improve water quality.

 

Project EAGLE: Winter Haven Chain of Lakes Cleanup

Lakes Education/Action Drive

This project will improve water quality while educating the public about water resources. Project EAGLE is a half-day environmental cleanup of the lakes in Winter Haven that’s followed by lunch and environmental displays. Last year more than 400 volunteers removed approximately two tons of trash and debris from the lakes.

 

Butterfly Garden

Fishermen's Village Yacht Club

This site in Punta Gorda is visited by residences and visitors alike. A butterfly garden approximately 20 x 50 feet in size will be created of native plant species. Signs will be installed and literature will be available to discuss butterfly gardening, emphasizing the need for host and nectar plants.

 

Peace River Paddle Documentary

Mike Britt

Professional watershed managers, wildlife biologists, reporters and citizens will paddle and camp the Peace River from its headwaters in Bartow to the river mouth south of Arcadia. Along the 100 miles they will document the existing conditions through interviews with experts, business owners and the interested public. A video will be produced and widely distributed so others can vicariously travel the river learning about the river’s availability as a recreational and economic resource and actions needed to ensure the long-term health of the river.

 

Outreaching the Hispanic Community

Southwest Florida Latino Environmental Education Network

A network of regional environmental educators aims to communicate, educate and promote environmental and sustainable actions to the Spanish speaking Hispanic community within the CHNEP study area. Meetings will be scheduled in 2009 in cities known to have large populations of adults who speak Spanish. The meeting will be conducted in Spanish and will focus on environmental concerns.

Four free meetings will be held en Español to help the Spanish speaking population learn ways to save money, water and energy at home, protect precious water resources and respect our environment while enjoying nature. Flier n English ~ Flier en Español

"Smart Angler" Program

Snook Foundation

This online educational outreach program will engage anglers to take a series of interactive “teaching” tests on topics ranging from habitat conservation to better fish handling techniques (to increase survival after release) to stock enhancement and state policies. The program will include hundreds of questions divided into five learning levels. Each question will include a link to a reference article where participants can research the topic. Upon completion, the angers will be given the title of “Smart Angler” by the Snook Foundation.

 

The Mangrove Gathering Eco Cafe 2009 Season

Society for Ethical Ecotourism in Southwest Florida

This public event blends information and entertainment into an evening that goes beyond consciousness rising. Long-time and newly-made friends become involved firsthand with the Earth and all its life, on a personal level. The free events are held every other month at the Eco Living Center at the Lee County Parks & Recreation Support Services Facility at Rutenberg Park. They provide a place to socialize and learn how to “live lighter on the planet.”

 

Water, Wings & Wild Things

Polk's Naturefest 2009

This annual event provides an age-diverse audience with an opportunity to spend the day learning about natural resources and nature-based recreational opportunities at Polk’s Nature Discovery Center within the Circle B-Bar Reserve along the northern shores of Lake Hancock in Polk County in the upper Peace River watershed. Presentations, music, educational exhibits, nature based arts and crafts, children’s activities and native wildlife demonstrations highlight the connection to Polk county’s natural resources.

 

Ecosystems and Habitats: A Need for Preservation

DeSoto County Parks & Recreation

With the human population increasing, habitats and ecosystems are decreasing. Education will help increase the awareness of preservation and how decreasing habitats and ecosystems will affect the local flora and fauna. This project will create an interpretive sign that will serve as a compliment to DeSoto Diaries Activity Guide, a project supported with a CHNEP public outreach grant last year.

 

Public Outreach Grants Initiated in 2009 (with FY10 funds)

 

Florida Fresh Water Turtle Activity Book

Turtle Talks

Zander Srodes began Turtle Talks as a young teenage to educate students of the plight of endangered sea turtles. He then expanded his subject to include gopher tortoises. With this project, his program has expanded again to educate children about freshwater turtles. There are an estimated 50 species of freshwater turtles in North America. This grant allows him to provide a children’s activity book about freshwater turtles found in Florida. The CHNEP is providing $3,000 toward this $8,265 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling FW-P.

 

DeSoto County Fourth Grade Classes Visit Charlotte Harbor

School District of DeSoto County Outdoor Classroom

Desoto County Public Schools provide hands-on environmental education fieldtrips to students in grades 1, 3, 5, and 7. This project will expand and develop the mission of the Outdoor Classroom allowing 120 fourth graders the opportunity to travel to Charlotte Harbor. The students will learn about watersheds and the biological importance of Charlotte Harbor as an estuary. While on a boat trip, they'll identify habitats, wildlife, and test the water quality. The participants will be asked to write an essay about their experience. The CHNEP is providing $2,515 toward this $3,703 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling SG-F.

 

Nurture Nature

East (Lee) County Water Control District

ECWCD initiated this multi-tiered program to educate and energize the local community – specifically home and business owners and youth in grades K-8 – on the water cycle, watershed, personal actions that pollute and stress the environment, benefits of native plants, impacts of invasive plants and best-practice solutions so the residents, businesses and students can become better stewards of the environment. The approach includes presentations, an otter mascot and educational materials provided at community events and in local schools. Surveys will be conducted throughout the campaign to gauge awareness and behavior changes caused by this project. The CHNEP is providing $3,000 toward this $69,682 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling HA-P.

 

Pine Island Library Landscaping

Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) Coccoloba Chapter

With the support of others, Lee County has converted the landscape at the Cape Coral and Lakes libraries into one that showcases native plants. Exotics and extensive lawns are removed and replaced with native plants. This project will show patrons and residents the beauty and benefits of using native plants on their own properties. Native plants provide food and habitat for native wildlife and often reduce the need for irrigation and use of chemicals. As with the other libraries, several organizations are supporting this transformation. This project will be made possible with the support of FNPS, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, Pine Island Garden Club and Calusa Land Trust. The CHNEP is providing $3,000 toward this $4,500 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling HA-P.

 

Venice High School and Elementary School Cooperative Conservation

Kay Thorpe Bannon

This project is truly a partnership with students and teachers and with Dr. Bannon. High School Zoology Club students will develop a PowerPoint about gopher tortoises and habitat loss, which they’ll present to students in ten third and fourth grade classrooms. Dr. Bannon will story-tell her book How Gimble Gopher Tortoise Found a New Home. The young students will then construct a picture dictionary of Florida native plants and, with the assistance of the South Venice Garden Club and Master Gardner Lu-Ann Rhoten will create a native plant garden. The older students will create a flier for adults on the many values of replacing lawns and exotic invasive plants with native plants. Their work will be chronicled in school newspapers. The CHNEP is providing $2,987 toward this $4,819 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling SG-F.

 

Lemon Bay/Myakka Trail Scenic Highway Informational Activity Book

Lemon Bay/Myakka Trail Scenic Highway Committee

The Florida Science Highway Program designated 47.9 miles of S.R. 776 from Venice to Port Charlotte, including two loop roads, as a scenic highway. This project will allow the volunteer committee to develop an activity book about the wide variety and exceptional intrinsic resources along the trail. Cultural and historic resources, some of which are one-of-a-kind sites, preserve a Florida from long ago. Natural and science resources provide active and leisured recreational and educational experiences while providing the traveler with vistas of native habitat. The CHNEP is providing $3,000 toward this $5,148 project. This project helps implement the CHNEP CCMP by fulfilling SG-F.

 

Public Outreach Projects Initiated in 2010 (with FY11 funds)