NEWS ARTICLE

For:    Week of June 10, 2002

To:            Pensacola News Journal

By:     Chris Verlinde, Extension Marine Agent

Santa Rosa County Extension Service

Telephone: 850/623-3868 or 939-1259, ext. 1360

 

The Environmental Education Coordination Team,

Serving the Pensacola Bay Watershed

 

The Pensacola Bay Watershed Environmental Education Coordination Team (EECT) is the education subcommittee of the Bay Area Resource Council (BARC).  The BARC is a coordinated effort dedicated to improving the area’s quality of life and the waters of the Pensacola Bay System through community participation and coordination with local governments, citizens, academia, and the private sector.

 

The EECT is a diverse group of environmental educators working together to coordinate and enhance environmental education efforts in the Pensacola Bay System.  Past accomplishments include:  the establishment of a one-stop community environmental website for the Pensacola Bay watershed (www.barc-eect.org), a Florida department of Community Affairs and US Fish and Wildlife Service Partner’s for Wildlife grants to establish a hands-on environmental education Resource Rangers club aimed at 6th grade students in the two county area.  Related curriculum (topics will include stormwater runoff/nonpoint source pollution, seagrasses, habitat diversity, air quality, wetlands, groundwater, threatened and endangered species, water quality, exotic species and the watershed) and a monthly television show will be developed in the future.

 

The EECT has been active in many community environmental events throughout the area, such as Earth Day celebrations, Seagrass Awareness celebration, the BARC symposium, Bay Day, Project Greenshores oyster gardening and supported scout and 4-H youth outreach projects.  Additionally, the group has provided field trip activities for more that 400 area school children! 

 

In August, look for the “From the Estuary” cookbook the group has created.  The cookbook contains over 100 recipes for local shrimp, fish, crabs, oysters and scallops, along with recipes for deserts and side dishes.  Funds raised from the cookbook will go toward EECT’s educational efforts and awards to environmental educators in our area.   

 

June 20, 2002 the EECT will sponsor an informational forum on possible economic and natural resource impacts a dam on the Yellow River would have on the Pensacola Bay System.  Representatives from all sides of the issue will present information relevant to his or her own expertise.  Each speaker will be allowed time to address his or her topic, and then the panel moderator will present questions, submitted by the audience.  The forum will be held at the Milton Campus of Pensacola Junior College in the Student Services Center, building 4220 form 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.  This forum is presented to the residents of Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties as a means to inform the public on this issue.  

 

Don’t forget June is Florida Rivers Month!  Northwest Florida celebrates this special month by coordinating the Northwest Florida Rivers Clean-up.  Local canoe vendors will provide canoes to organized groups who promise to clean litter along our rivers and creeks.  This year the national “Leave No Trace” program goals will be adopted for our local areas.  The “Leave No Trace” program promotes activities that avoid or minimize impacts to natural areas.  The organization provides information on outdoor techniques that can be used in order to “Leave No Trace” while enjoying America’s natural resources.  For more information check out www.LNT.org.

 

For information on these and other environmental and marine issues, please contact Chris Verlinde at 623-3868 (for south county residents 939-1259, extension 1259).  Chris Verlinde is Marine and Sea Grant Agent for Santa Rosa County.

 

Extension Service programs are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin.