Project Summary

1. Project ID
Name	Seagrass/Coastal Emergent Wetlands Restoration
Region	Gulf of Mexico Region
State	FL
Location	Pensacola Bay
Date of this update	8/10/00

Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)

3. Project description (100 words or less)

Problem Statement: In the Pensacola Bay System, there has been a loss of over 20% of the submerged seagrasses in Big Lagoon and Santa Rosa Sound from 1980 – 1992 (FDEP, 1999). Various historical accounts document much greater seagrass and emergent wetland losses in other more developed areas of Pensacola Bay. In recent years, the public has expressed a keen interest in restoring these threatened habitats. As a result, in 1994 the FDEP Northwest District created an Ecosystem Restoration Section (ERS) in Pensacola to develop seagrass and emergent wetland restoration techniques that could be utilized in northwest Florida. Over the past five years, the ERS has been fortunate to receive several grants that have funded the construction of the Tissue Culture Laboratory and the Coastal and Wetland Plant Nursery with two large greenhouses. With one full-time employee, several part-time workers, and numerous volunteers, the ERS has developed propagation techniques for over 40 species of seagrass and emergent wetland vegetation. The 1998 annual production was approximately 60,000 plants.

The ERS depends entirely on grant funding. There is not an annual budget allocated to the ERS by the FDEP. As a result, the ERS does not have the liberty to choose many of its restoration projects, but rather must follow the money and the funded projects. The ERS needs an annual operating budget to hire additional biologists, purchase additional supplies, and increase annual production.

Proposed Project: The requested funding will allow the ERS to hire 2 full-time employees to work, along with 4 volunteers, in the Tissue Culture Laboratory and the Coastal and Wetland Plant Nursery for 12 months. In addition, the funding will provide plant propagation materials (potting soil, fertilizer, hormones, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, pots, trays, test tubes, racks, etc.) for 12 months. Expected annual production: 80,000 plants. These plants will be used in restoration projects along the shoreline of the Pensacola Bay System to provide habitat and improve water quality.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

	 	  Cash	Federal
			Non Federal 	State government
					Local government
					Private industry
					Public interest groups
			Total


	  In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar 	value)
	
	  Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)
                

7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

9. Project Status

• Initiation date:
• Completion date:
• Current stage (Initiated - I, Underway - U or Completed - C)

10. Contacts

11. Any additional information/comments