Tampa Bay Estuary Program

05/26/2026

Blue and green spaces have a powerfully positive impact on our health. Blue spaces are particularly beneficial to our mental health—just listen to Chris Clark's compelling words about SCUBA diving. But access to and feeling welcome in these places differs for different people.

In "A Splash of Color: Getting Black in the Water", Dr. Hillary Van D**e showcases how black and brown people in Tampa Bay are overcoming the barriers they face using blue and green spaces and the positive impact these places have on their lives. Watch the full film here: https://ow.ly/cxNB50Z4giH

How does being in or near blue spaces affect you?

05/22/2026

We stan a seagrass safe king*

Being seagrass safe is easy as 1, 2, 3:

1️⃣ Stay in deep water (know how to spot and avoid areas that are too shallow for your boat's draft; 😎 polarized lenses, charts, and channel markers help)
2️⃣ Trim up the motor in shallow water (Pro tip: turn it off before you trim all the way up)
3️⃣ Pole, push, or troll through shallow areas (if you hit bottom, turn off the motor, trim up, and push/pole/troll instead of powering off to get to deeper water)

Whether fishing or cruising, following these recommendations will help you keep your boat and the fragile habitats below the waves, safe.

Extra credit! Be seagrass safe at home, too. Spend more time relaxing on your boat instead of fertilizing your lawn this summer. We know we'd rather tackle fish instead of yardwork. 🎣

Learn more about being seagrass safe here: https://beseagrasssafe.com/preventing-damage/

*or queen

05/19/2026

You've touched grass but have you heard* water** today?

You probably know being outside, in places where we can see and feel plants and other living things, i.e., green spaces, is good for your well-being. But did you know that if you add water to the mix, the benefits increase dramatically?

You don't even have to get wet. Scientists have found that just being in the presence of water, i.e., blue spaces, improves our mental health, and in some studies, more so than in green spaces alone. Even the noise of moving water by itself helps. And for those who fully immerse themselves in blue spaces, the benefits to mental health can reach well-beyond the surface of the water.

Like mental health is tied to overall health, this is yet another example of how the health of the Tampa Bay estuary is tied to the health of the people who live, work, and play in its watershed. As such, our collective work to restore and protect the estuary benefits everyone who is able to experience its blue spaces.

*felt or seen
**shrimp snapping (does this count as ASMR? We think so!)

🎥 Underwater video of seafloor covered in live rock and seaweed. Fish swim about while unseen shrimp are heard snapping vigorously.

05/15/2026

We have a little humble brag this Friday. 😌 Our very own Executive Director, Ed Sherwood, was awarded the Herman Goldner Award for Regional Leadership today during the Future of the Region Awards ceremony at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Regional Resiliency Summit.

For the better part of the last two decades with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Ed has been a champion for restoring and protecting the Tampa Bay estuary. From facilitating the Tampa Bay Nitrogen Management Consortium to picking up trash at one of our many Give-A-Day for the Bay events, his stalwart commitment to the environment and our community is clear. As the TBEP Executive Director, Ed's leadership has resulted in pragmatic and evidence-based progress for the region. Finally, he is modest, but cool under pressure, something that was a boon when he led the coordination for the regional monitoring response to the Piney Point emergency discharge in 2021. 'Nuff said.

The Herman Goldner Award for Regional Leadership honors and recognizes notable achievement for resource planning and management in the Tampa Bay Region. The award is presented by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in memory Herman W. Goldner, who founded the TBRPC, the state of Florida's first regional planning council.

Congratulations, Ed! It's no PB red, but a pretty nice catch all the same. 🏆🎣

05/15/2026

You asked and Pepe delivered, so here's part 2

05/14/2026

It's giving mother 🤏

No matter how you prefer to describe them, we thought you should know that estuaries are pretty fantastic places, full of energy and full of life. In fact, they are important nurseries for fish and other wildlife. As transition zones from land to the sea, naturally, they contain many types of wetlands. That's why we're celebrating estuaries this .

The Tampa Bay estuary has fresh- and saltwater non-forested and forested wetlands. Some examples include freshwater marshes, mangrove forests, cypress swamps, and salt barrens.

How would you describe your favorite wetland? All (clean) generational slang accepted.

05/11/2026

TBEP Environmental Social Scientist, Dr. Blake Simmons, discusses the purpose and impact of the recent People and Nature Symposium. Check it out 👇

🎧🌿People & Nature: Episode Two!
Featuring Dr. Blake Simmons of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, this episode explores the purpose and impact of the People in Nature Symposium and the growing field of conservation social science.

Dr. Simmons shares how human behavior, community action, and collaboration are essential to addressing today’s environmental challenges—and how individuals can get involved in making a difference. 🌎
🎙️ Hosted by UF AEC graduate student Emma Lauren Poole, this conversation highlights the power of connecting people, science, and the environment through storytelling and engagement.

🔗 Listen now:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1651813/episodes/18952387
🌱 Learn more about Dr. Simmons and his work:
https://tbep.org/about-tbep/our-team/
🌿 Explore the People & Nature Symposium:
https://tbep.org/people-nature-symposium/

New episodes drop every Friday—join us as we continue exploring the human dimensions of environmental science!

Tampa Bay Estuary Program
UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Oyster River Ecology for winning the 2026 Golden Mangrove Award!

Every year the Tampa Bay Estuary Program honors the previous year's most outstanding Bay Mini-Grant project. Oyster River Ecology was selected by our Community Advisory Committee for its "Oliver the Oyster Trailer" project. More than just the purchase of a trailer, the funding jump-started Oyster River Ecology's community-driven oyster habitat restoration efforts, resulting in 1,000 square feet of oyster habitat created in the Manatee River. Oyster River Ecology used the trailer to foster 26 experiential learning events around the watershed and to involve more than 900 volunteers directly in habitat restoration. And their efforts don't stop now that the Bay Mini-Grant is complete. Oyster River Ecology plans to continue using Oliver the Oyster Trailer to teach and engage the people of Tampa Bay while restoring important oyster habitat in the estuary.

accepted the Golden Mangrove Award today at the Tampa Bay Estuary Program Policy Board Meeting. Congrats again, Damon and