Tampa Bay Watch is a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs. Founded in 1993, they perform a variety of habitat restoration and protection activities throughout the year utilizing thousands of volunteers to help the bay recover from its environmental threats.
PROTECTING AND RESTORING THE TAMPA BAY ESTUARY.
Individuals of all ages from families, community groups, and schools participate in oyster bar installations, native plantings, coastal cleanups, and wildlife protection each year demonstrating environmental stewardship in its purest form. The efforts of Tampa Bay Watch to restore and protect the bay's habitat through stewardship provide effective long-term improvements to the bay and empower our community to counteract local environmental problems. Learning how to achieve and maintain a healthy environment is a legacy that will influence our children and future generations for years to come.
Education is a vital part of Tampa Bay Watch’s mission.
The Estuary EDventures program was founded in 2007 and strives to empower students to act as stewards of the Tampa Bay estuary by providing field experiences that combine classroom resources with hands-on field experiences at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center in Tierra Verde. Estuary EDventures focuses on estuary dynamics through activities such as the “plankton encounter” where students collect and use microscopes to study some of the smallest animals and plants that play an integral role in estuary and ocean health. The goal of the program is to develop students’ commitment to their local environment by increasing their understanding of the function of the Tampa Bay estuary. Estuary EDventures teaches about the importance of the Tampa Bay estuary in daily life, impacts on the estuary, as well as what can be done to restore the health of our local estuary. Over 42,000 students and teachers from over 150 schools have participated in their field trips since the program was founded.
“It is our hope to instill in all students who participate in our field trips a genuine love and respect for Tampa Bay and the animals that inhabit it.”
Tampa Bay Watch opened the Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier in July 2020 with a goal to inspire visitors to become stewards of their own environment by sharing the story of the recovery and ongoing restoration of Tampa Bay. The center’s Exhibit Gallery features aquariums that showcase a variety of species found in local waters, interactive displays, video presentations, and docent-led tours. There is also a state-of-the-art classroom that hosts field trips, after-school programs, summer camps, and fun and engaging marine science public programs—there is something for everyone!
To learn more about Tampa Bay Watch and how you can get involved, visit their website by clicking on the link below
Protect our seas and look good doing it.
15% of profits of every tee sold goes to Tampa Bay Watch and their mission to protect and restore the Tampa Bay estuary.
