Through a first of its kind, public-private partnership, the public will learn more about the importance of a fisheries habitat. The project will be within walking distance from the MVC.
It will provide broad-based benefits to the community and the environment as follows:
The Manatee Viewing Center will expand the existing trail network to allow visitors to access the restoration sites. A canoe launch is also planned as part of the restoration. Students will participate in restoration planting.
Partners include: Tampa Electric Company®, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Pinellas County Environmental Foundation (PCEF), Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM), and Protecting the Environment through Ecological Research (PEER).
Prior to construction, wildlife studies and plant inventories will take place (fish, invertebrate). Bird surveys will be conducted every season for two years. Nearly 12 acres will be improved.
The goal of this program is to educate children and adults on:
Booklets targeting grades 2-5, will be distributed to teachers, who visit the Manatee Viewing Center. Based on grade level, teachers will have pre- and post-visit Manatee Viewing Center activities.
Interpretive signage, activity booklets and video tapes will be developed to emphasize these goals.
Tampa Electric Company officials, along with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission representatives, announce a state grant to fund expanded environmental education programs at Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Center.
