Tampa Bay - saltmarsh restoration

Losses of emergent vegetation habitat have occurred in Tampa Bay (http://www.tbep.org/) since 1950 totaling 4,370 acres between 1950 and 1995. Much of these losses have been caused by shoreline development, with filling of emergent habitat. These losses have occurred at disproportionate rates for the different emergent habitat types. The bay-wide emergent habitat proportions of Mangrove-Spartina Marsh : Juncus Marsh : Salt Barrens have changed from 67:28:5 in 1950 to 76:22:2 in 1995 (Janicki Environmental 2000).

Here volunteers support the Tampa Bay Estuary Programme (TBEP). Their involvement allows the governmental and non-governmental groups to accomplish estuary protection and restoration activities that they could not afford otherwise. The Bay Conservation Corps, administered by the non profit group Tampa BayWatch through a grant from the programme, facilitates the involvement of thousands of volunteers in a wide variety of Bay improvement activities described below.

Saltmarsh grass and seagrass planting projects

Tampa BayWatch coordinates the planting of salt marsh grasses (primarily Spartina alterniflora) and seagrasses to address the loss of 44% of the Bay’s salt marsh habitat and 80% of the Bay’s seagrass habitat. To date, over 200,000 plants have been installed at sites throughout Tampa Bay.

References

Janicki Environmental 2000. A Summary of Emergent Wetland Habitat Coverage Data for Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay Estuary Program, St Petersburg.