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Gulf Guardian Award 2001 Synopsis of 1st Place Winners
FIRST PLACE BUSINESS
| Project #: | HAB-01-32 |
| Company: | Shell Oil Company |
| Project Name: | Shell Marine Habitat Program |
| Category: | Business or Partnerships |
| Project Type: | Habitat and Nutrient Enrichment |
| Average Rating: | 20.633 |
In 1998 the Shell Oil Company recognized a tremendous need for environmental conservation of the marine environment particularly in the Gulf of Mexico. To address this need, Shell, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, launched a five year, $5 million conservation program known as the "Shell Marine Habitat Program."Shell provides the funding, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation manages the Program.In its initial three years, this Program has supported 60 conservation projects in the Gulf of Mexico basin that are generating substantial tangible, on-the-ground results that benefit the habitats, fish and wildlife of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the projects that have received funds through the Shell Marine Habitat Program have leveraged over three times Shell’s initial seed capital by working with a broad array of partners.
FIRST PLACE YOUTH/EDUCATION
| Project #: | Hab-01-08 |
| Company: | Tampa Bay Watch High School |
| Project Name: | Tampa Bay Watch High School Wetland Nursery Program |
| Category: | Youth/Education |
| Project Type: | Habitat |
| Average Rating: | 20.000 |
In response to Tampa Bay's tremendous loss of coastal wetland habitats, Tampa Bay Watch initiated the High School Wetland Nursery Program in 1994. By establishing a regional program to construct salt marsh nurseries within school science classes, Tampa Bay Watch helps restore wetland habitat while educating students through hands-on participation. The nurseries provide a source of native salt marsh plants, specifically, Spartina alterniflora, to be used in coastal restoration projects throughout the Tampa Bay estuary. The program involves about 2,500 students from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Tampa Bay Watch staff, local scientists, government agencies and other community volunteers.
FIRST PLACE GOVERNMENT
| Project #: | GEN-01-28 |
| Company: | Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee FL |
| Project Name: | Clean Marina Program |
| Category: | Government |
| Project Type: | General Gulf |
| Average Rating: | 18.700 |
The Clean Marina Program is a statewide, incentive-based, criteria-driven, voluntary program for marinas and boatyards in Florida. Clean Marina Facilities meet program criteria that emphasize pollution prevention as well as activities important to boaters. The program was initiated to encourage existing marinas and boatyards to adopt pollution prevention practices rather than using current regulatory disincentive approaches as a basis for environmental protection. The program began development in May 1996 by the Department and its industry partners. Implementation began October 1999 and continues with 13 marinas designated and another 80 facilities working toward their designation.
FIRST PLACE CIVIC/NONPOFIT ORGANIZATION
| Project #: | HAB-01-30 |
| Company: | REEF – Reef Environmental Education Foundation, Hillsborough NC |
| Project Name: | Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Fish Survey Project |
| Category: | Civic/Non Profit Organization |
| Project Type: | Habitat and Nonindigenous Species |
| Average Rating: | 17.786 |
One of REEF's largest programs is the Fish Survey Project in which volunteer divers and snorkelers, using scientifically validated methods, gather data at locations especially important to marine life management and conservation officials. One such location is the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). Annual surveys were initiated in 1993 to aid in the management of the Sanctuary by providing a consistent, reliable count of the fish assemblages found there.
FIRST PLACE INDIVIDUAL
| Project #: | HAB-01-23 |
| Company: | Individual – Will Myers, Austin TX |
| Project Name: | Redfish Bay Seagrass Conservation |
| Category: | Individual |
| Project Type: | Habitat (also Nutrient Enrichment) |
| Average Rating: | 20.571 |
In the fall of 1998, Will Myers assembled a coalition of concerned residents in and around Port Aransas, Texas.
After having spent years fishing and bird-watching in the shallow areas of Redfish Bay (an area bounded by Rockport, Ingleside and Port Aransas), he had become increasingly concerned about the destruction and loss of native seagrasses in the area. Mr. Myers spent literally thousands of his own dollars to gather information and to provide an initial plan for the management of seagrass resources in this bay system.
His initial efforts in building a coalition of concerned citizens led to a broader effort, in which he played a leading role, of bringing private citizens, government and industry together in developing a management plan for Redfish Bay.
FIRST PLACE PARTNERSHIP
| Project #: | HAB-01-11 |
| Company: | USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service |
| Project Name: | Texas Prairie Wetlands Study |
| Category: | Partnerships |
| Project Type: | Habitat |
| Average Rating: | 17.167 |
The Texas Prairie Wetlands Project covers a 28-county area along the Texas Gulf Coast that is a historic waterfowl migration and wintering area. This area was identified by the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Gulf Coast Joint Venture, as critical to migrating and wintering wildlife. The project targets privately owned lands for the purpose of cooperatively managing, creating, developing, restoring, or enhancing wetland habitat in order to maintain and increase waterfowl and other waterbird populations. The project achieves the private land objectives as outlined for the Texas coastal and rice prairie counties by the Gulf Coast Joint Venture, North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
Posted: 12 July 2001
