From Seagrass to Shorelines: TECO’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

Tampa Electric’s seagrass restoration project is making a visible impact in restoring valuable marine habitat in the waters south of our Manatee Viewing Center. On October 16, Tampa Electric hosted a tour to observe the planting of the third acre of seagrass in the Big Bend waterway, marking another milestone in this ongoing restoration effort.
 
Guests in attendance included:

• Lt. Governor Jay Collins
• Ed Sherwood, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program
• Tom Ries, President of the EcoSphere Restoration Institute
• Brian “Beau” Williams, Founder and President of AquaTech Eco Consultants, LLC
• Brandon Rau, AquaTech Eco Consultants, LLC
• Anthony Nicotera, reporter at the Tampa Bay Times
• Justin Thames, TECO State Affairs Director
• Byron Burrows, TECO Senior Director of Environmental
• Stanley Kroh, TECO Senior Manager of Land and Stewardship Programs

Lt. Governor Collins and other attendees pictured holding the seagrass being planted just south of the Manatee Viewing Center.

 
Tom Ries, who has led the planting effort in collaboration with TECO, shared background on the health of Tampa Bay, the importance of seagrass and the partnership with Tampa Electric that made this restoration possible. This project has been in the works for nearly four years, in large part thanks to Ries, who secured the grant funding to get it started. The project improves water quality, restores estuarine habitat, and provides a sustainable food source for manatees near their warm-water refuge.
This restoration work is supported by a $3.6 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to plant 100 acres of seagrass across the state. Tampa Electric has provided additional funding to expand the local effort, reinforcing our long-term commitment to the health of Tampa Bay. AquaTech Eco Consultants, which also supported Tampa Electric’s Living Shoreline Project, has been a key partner in this seagrass restoration effort.
 
Tampa Electric is also proud to announce that the Newman Branch Creek Living Shoreline/Tidal Creek Restoration Project has been recognized for its positive impact. On October 23, the project received an Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award at the 43rd Annual Planning & Design Awards, hosted by the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission.

Partners in the Newman Branch Creek Living Shoreline/Tidal Creek Restoration Project pictured receiving the Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award at the 43^rd Annual Planning & Design Awards.
 
More than an award, the project is an environmental win. On Tampa Electric-owned land near the Florida Conservation and Technology Center (FCTC), it stabilized 575 feet of shoreline and created a tidal creek for fish and oysters. EcoSphere Restoration partnered on the effort, funded in part by the Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund. Staff from the FWC Youth Conservation Center will lead student field trips to learn how living shorelines protect habitats and prevent erosion.
 
The Living Shoreline project represents a collaborative effort among Tampa Electric, EcoSphere, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish & Wildlife and Port Tampa Bay. Together with the seagrass restoration project, these initiatives reflect Tampa Electric’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and the restoration of Tampa Bay’s natural ecosystems.