We are very pleased to announce the development of our fifth Microforest that will be planted on January 18th at Central Park in the Heritage Harbour community in Manatee County. As you know from past articles, START is a partner in the Suncoast Urban Reforesters (SURF), along with the Florida Veterans For Common Sense Fund, [...]
At the end of this month, the Healthy Pond Collaborative Sarasota will complete its fist year of a three-year grant from the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation. As many of our regular readers will recall from previous articles in our Monthly E-Newsletter, this program grew out of a 2021 pond enhancement program initiated by START [...]
START is very pleased to introduce the newest member of our Board, Dr. Charles C. Reith. Charles Reith is a retired restoration ecologist with experience in Africa, Europe and the Americas. His wetlands reconstruction has focused on the reestablishment of valuable ecosystem services such as water purification, flood control, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat. Clients [...]
In September NOAA announced through its Office of Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®) 11 new five-year cooperative agreements that support the continued growth, expansion, and modernization of our nation’s climate, coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes observing capabilities. In the first year, $41 million will be distributed to cover efforts along U.S. national and territorial waters [...]
START is very pleased to announce the formation of an important new three-year water quality partnership known as the Healthy Pond Collaborative. Funded by a major grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, the Healthy Pond Collaborative includes START, the Sarasota County Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST) Program, University of Florida IFAS Extension Sarasota County, [...]
START is pleased to offer the following report about The Meadows community’s exemplary water quality work with their stormwater ponds. The Meadows is a community of 3,560 condominiums, villas and single-family homes built during the period from 1974 to 1995, in the northeast corner of Sarasota County bordered by 17th Street and Honore Avenue. The [...]
Current Conditions A patchy bloom of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists on the Florida Gulf Coast. Over the past week, K. brevis was detected in 98 samples. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 37 samples: one sample from Pasco County, nine samples from Pinellas County, 18 samples from Hillsborough County, eight samples [...]
