Saturday: Enjoy Nature Festival following Seagrass Survey in Sarasota
Turtle grass meadow in Sarasota. Credit: Sarasota County
On May 5, citizen scientists will snorkel seagrass beds for research and conservation during the 4th Annual Sarasota County Seagrass Survey — and the public is invited to celebrate the marine environment during the ensuing Nature Festival on shore.
Volunteer spots are full for the Seagrass Survey. The same day, May 5, people of all ages are invited to a free Nature Festival from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Ken Thompson Park, with parking at 1700 Ken Thompson Parkway.
The festival will feature hands-on activities and environmental education, music and food. Dip-net for estuary critters with Around the Bend Nature Tours and take a walk on the wild side with Armando Ubeda, Sarasota County IFAS & Florida Sea Grant to learn about mangroves. Pick up a raffle card and visit at least three booths for your chance to win passes to Mote Aquarium, tickets for kayak eco-tours of Sarasota Bay, a beautiful Clyde Butcher print, snorkel kits, kids' rash guards and more.
Online registration remains open for 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. dip-net wading trips during the May 5 festival. (Register by May 4: 2018seagrasssurvey.eventbrite.com)
The survey and festival are hosted by Sarasota County and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. Mote Marine Laboratory scientists who study Sarasota Bay participate in this event as volunteers, and this year Mote Senior Scientist Jim Culter is the captain for one seagrass survey team.
The Seagrass Survey: Seagrass Keeps the Bay Alive celebrates Sarasota County’s commitment to its water resources and focuses on increasing awareness of the economic and environmental value of seagrass habitat. Survey volunteers will take to the waters around Sarasota Bay to count and identify seagrass species, in an effort to collect data for the county's Seagrass Monitoring Program. Registered volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and free lunch voucher, redeemable at one of the food truck vendors present at the event.
More information:
- Sarasota County Government: scgov.net (keyword: "seagrass")
- Sarasota County Water Atlas: sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu/seagrass/
- Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP): sarasotabay.org
- Facebook event page hosted by SBEP: facebook.com/events/103924287108691/
#SeagrassSurvey and #SeagrassKeepstheBayAlive