Community Spotlight Community Spotlight: SBEP Bay Guardian Volunteers to Host Clean Up Event in Sarasota February 7

BRADENTON – The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP) will host a Bay Guardian volunteer event at North Water Tower Park on Saturday, February 7 starting at 9am.Volunteers will be removing air potato which is an invasive vine that covers and shades beneficial native plants. Lunch will be provided with registration at 12pm. The park is located at 4700 Rilma Ave., Sarasota, FL 34234.

The air potato vine grows a large tuber that looks like a hanging potato. There will be a contest with prizes for the smallest, biggest, weirdest-looking, and most air potatoes collected. Volunteers will also remove trash.

Participants must wear closed toed shoes and its recommend to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants. The event is suitable for all ages. Online registration is required. Please visit SarasotaBay.org.

The volunteer event will also be the kickoff of a three-year restoration, stormwater improvement and environmental education project at North Water Tower Park. The project was made possible from two grants. Funding was awarded to SBEP from the EPA Gulf of Mexico Program for community engagement and education, exotic species removal and beautification elements. Sarasota County was awarded a grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for design and construction of the stormwater improvements. SBEP, Sarasota County, and the City of Sarasota are the managing partners of the project.

Please contact Sara Kane at Sara@SarasotaBay.org to learn more about the project or to get involved as a Bay Guardian volunteer.