PENSACOLA, Fla. - Oct. 3 2007 - Six area wetland restoration projects from Pensacola to Destin have been awarded grants through the Five Star Restoration Program – a partnership that includes Southern Company and Gulf Power.
A second phase of the landmark Project GreenShores, Restoration of Deadman's island in Gulf Breeze and coastal projects in Fort Walton Beach and Destin were among this year's recipients.
It is the best year so far for local area projects to receive a share of the grants. These grants are among 14 projects throughout the Southeast. Southern Company's $231,000 in grants combine with partners' matching funds for a total of $928,000 to benefit projects in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi.
The Five-Star Restoration Program provides modest financial assistance on a competitive basis to support community-based wetland, riparian and coastal habitat restoration projects that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship through education, outreach and training activities.
Southern Company entered into the Five-Star Restoration Program in 2006 with the National Association of Counties, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since then, Southern Company has contributed $375,000 through 23 grants that will result in an on-the-ground conservation impact of $1.36 million.
This partnership is one of three Southern Company environmental stewardship programs. Power of Flight and Longleaf Legacy are both partnerships with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
- Power of Flight – Launched in 2002 to conserve birds characteristic of the southern U.S. through habitat restoration and education. Each partner contributes $250,000 annually to this 10-year program, which is matched by grantees. It is the largest public/private funding effort for bird conservation in the South.
- Longleaf Legacy – Launched in 2003 to restore the South's most famous and unique ecosystem, longleaf pine, and to sequester carbon dioxide. Each partner contributes $500,000 annually to this 10-year program, which is matched by grantees. It is the largest public/private funding effort of its kind for this ecosystem of which only 3 percent remains today.
Local 2007 Five Star Restoration Grant recipients:
- Project Greenshores Site II, Pensacola , $20,000
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will propagate, care for and restore 21 acres of emergent submerged aquatic vegetation along the northern shoreline of Pensacola Bay. Seven acres of oyster reef habitat and fourteen acres of salt marsh will be created at this site along with sidewalks, observation platforms and a nature trail.
Project partners also include: City of Pensacola/Escambia County/Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties Sea Grant Extensions
- Restoration of Deadman's Island, Gulf Breeze, $20,000
Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserves Office is a partner to restore 4 acres of emergent salt marsh and protect 1,240 feet of shoreline near Deadman's Island.
Project partners also include: City of Gulf Breeze/Escambia and Okaloosa County School Districts/University of West Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission/Florida Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas.
- Northwest Florida Grasses in Classes Program, $19,905
Partnership for Community Programs, Inc. will conduct a "Grasses in Classes" program that will produce enough vegetation to restore and enhance 7.63 acres of wetland and restore 3,673 feet of riparian corridor. The program is a hands-on, interactive education project that will enable students to play a direct role in shoreline stabilization and restoration projects.
Project partners will also include: University of Florida Sea Grant Extension Program/Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Extension/Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay School Districts/Florida Department of Environmental Protection/Bay Area Resource Council/Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance.
- Oyster Lake Restoration, Pensacola, $17,101
Partnership for Community Programs Inc. is restoring 2.71 acres of Oyster Lake by removing invasive species and planting woody and herbaceous species. The project will improve the habitat for animal and plant species, such as the Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, the Florida Panhandle Spiderlily, Southern Milkweed and Godfrey's Golden Aster.
Project partners also include: University of Florida Sea Grant Extension/Bay Area Resource Council/Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance/Walton Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Boards/South Walton Community Council/Northwest Florida Water Management District.
- Living Shoreline Restoration, Destin, $20,000
Walton College is restoring three acres of land at Mattie Kelly Park by removing invasive plant species and replanting native wetland vegetation. The project will also create an oyster reef at Joe's Bayou Recreation Area to improve water quality, create fish and invertebrate habitat, and act as a living breakwater to help protect the shoreline from increased erosion.
Project partners also include: City of Destin/University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/Florida Department of Environmental Protection/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Mattie Kelly Cultural and Environmental Institute.
- Ecosystem Restoration at Liza Jackson Park, Fort Walton Beach, $20,000
Walton College is restoring about 1,000 feet of creek shoreline in Liza Jackson Park by altering a channelized, storm water outfall canal to form a meandering stream. Returning the creek to a more natural, vegetated setting will reduce storm water velocity runoff.
Project partners also include: Northwest Florida Management District/City of Fort Walton Beach/University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/University of Florida Sea Grant/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.