Current Projects
Statewide Seagrass Restoration Initiative
Ecosphere Restoration Institute is leading a $5 million effort to replant coastal seagrasses in key Florida waterways to enhance overall water quality and provide a critical source of food for imperiled manatees.
Planting will focus on areas where submerged aquatic vegetation, such as seagrass have been essentially lost, such as the Indian River Lagoon, or areas severely impacted by red tides or other harmful algae blooms, such as Sarasota and Tampa Bays. The funding, approved in July 2022 by the Florida Legislature, will facilitate a network of aquaculture nurseries to grow and plant regionally specific seagrasses where they are most critically needed. The goal is to jump-start seagrass recovery so that natural recolonization can occur.
Initial plantings will occur in several locations in Tampa Bay, a designated priority for restoration under the statewide Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program. Following that, suitable locations in Sarasota Bay will be identified. Project managers hope to plant 100 acres of seagrass within two years in waterways from the Florida Panhandle to the Florida Keys, with a special focus on the Indian River Lagoon.
Both bare-root plants and seagrass “plugs” in small, biodegradable peat pots will be used. For the Indian River Lagoon, a variety of techniques will be employed to protect the young seagrasses until they are rooted, including:
Once rooted, enclosures will be removed and the grasses available for grazing by manatees. Currently the complete loss of seagrasses in the Indian River Lagoon has forced state biologists to provide supplemental food for manatees there. Additionally, surveys show continued declines in seagrasses in many Florida bays and estuaries because of algae blooms and excess nutrient pollution.
The seagrasses will be grown and then transplanted by AquaTech Eco Consultants and Aquaticus Plants, with monitoring of plant survival and subsequent predation by manatees or other aquatic animals conducted by the University of South Florida. Monitoring also will evaluate the success of different installation and protection methods for the seagrasses. The project is being administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
COST: $5,000,000
PARTNERS: AquaTech Eco Consultants and Aquaticus Plants, University of South Florida
Planting will focus on areas where submerged aquatic vegetation, such as seagrass have been essentially lost, such as the Indian River Lagoon, or areas severely impacted by red tides or other harmful algae blooms, such as Sarasota and Tampa Bays. The funding, approved in July 2022 by the Florida Legislature, will facilitate a network of aquaculture nurseries to grow and plant regionally specific seagrasses where they are most critically needed. The goal is to jump-start seagrass recovery so that natural recolonization can occur.
Initial plantings will occur in several locations in Tampa Bay, a designated priority for restoration under the statewide Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program. Following that, suitable locations in Sarasota Bay will be identified. Project managers hope to plant 100 acres of seagrass within two years in waterways from the Florida Panhandle to the Florida Keys, with a special focus on the Indian River Lagoon.
Both bare-root plants and seagrass “plugs” in small, biodegradable peat pots will be used. For the Indian River Lagoon, a variety of techniques will be employed to protect the young seagrasses until they are rooted, including:
- planting multiple small patches within former seagrass beds to “hide” the new sprigs; and,
- temporarily enclosing some newly planted sites in fences or within domed cages.
Once rooted, enclosures will be removed and the grasses available for grazing by manatees. Currently the complete loss of seagrasses in the Indian River Lagoon has forced state biologists to provide supplemental food for manatees there. Additionally, surveys show continued declines in seagrasses in many Florida bays and estuaries because of algae blooms and excess nutrient pollution.
The seagrasses will be grown and then transplanted by AquaTech Eco Consultants and Aquaticus Plants, with monitoring of plant survival and subsequent predation by manatees or other aquatic animals conducted by the University of South Florida. Monitoring also will evaluate the success of different installation and protection methods for the seagrasses. The project is being administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
COST: $5,000,000
PARTNERS: AquaTech Eco Consultants and Aquaticus Plants, University of South Florida
Thomas Tract
Located on Hillsborough County’s South Shore, this long-abandoned tropical fish farm with more than 200 man-made ponds has tremendous restoration potential. The Thomas Tract was purchased in 2012 by Hillsborough County through its Environmental Lands Acquisition and Preservation Program. Restoration work is being conducted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, implementing an Ecosphere design incorporating removal of invasive vegetation and recontouring of tidal wetlands to serve as fish and wildlife habitat. The project also will accommodate rising seas associated with our changing climate through creation of “stepping-stone” slopes that allow habitats such as salterns and mangrove forests to migrate inland as waters rise. When completed, the Thomas Tract will feature an ecologically rich tapestry of saltwater lagoons, freshwater wetlands and coastal uplands directly connected to Tampa Bay.
Finally, with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, one acre will be designed and planted with sustainable native milkweed plants to support the Monarch Butterfly.
COST: $1,240,000
PARTNERS: Hillsborough County, Southwest Florida Water Management District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Finally, with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, one acre will be designed and planted with sustainable native milkweed plants to support the Monarch Butterfly.
COST: $1,240,000
PARTNERS: Hillsborough County, Southwest Florida Water Management District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
MacDill Air Force Base Mangrove/Saltern Restoration - Site 20
Ecosphere was asked to hire a contractor to remove these permitted spoil mounds. Approximately $323K (out of their $423.5K) was used to remove ~120 spoil mounds, the remaining were within a restricted area. This was completed in December 2022; as-built survey to be obtained in February. The remaining funds will be applied towards hydro-blasting within Site 20a.
COST: $157,000
PARTNERS: MacDill AFB, Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County
COST: $157,000
PARTNERS: MacDill AFB, Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County
TECO Newman Branch Canal Living Shoreline
Ecosphere was awarded a 2022 Tampa Bay Ecosystem Restoration Fund grant ($120K) to implement a 575 linear-foot living shoreline on TECO property, with a $126 match from TECO. Site data collection (Survey & Geotech) for this project will begin in early 2023.
COST: $246,000
PARTNERS: Tampa Bay Ecosystem Restoration Fund, TECO
Black Rail Habitat Restoration Construction Project
5Ecosphere will seek grant funding to implement this ~4-acre marsh restoration to provide habitat restoration for rare Black Rails, a small ground-dwelling bird found in saltern, or high marsh, habitats at MacDill AFB.
COST: TBD
PARTNERS: MacDIll AFB, others TBD
COST: TBD
PARTNERS: MacDIll AFB, others TBD
Hillsborough River Living Shoreline (Residential Sites)
Ecosphere is assisting two Hillsborough River waterfront landowners along N. Riverside Drive near the North Blvd. bridge to design and permit a living shoreline project along the river. This is the first private Living Shoreline project that we have worked on, and it will hopefully provide an example for the adjacent waterfront landowners.