Pinellas Florida Waters Stewardship Program - 2025 - Class VIII

Working With Water, Working With People

To make a difference concerning the issues surrounding water quality and quantity in our communities, we must understand the various ways in which we interact with water. As Floridians, we are connected to our oceans and bays by our faucets and laundries, to our neighborhood ponds and lakes by our yards and streets, and to our regional and statewide neighbors by our surface and groundwater supplies.

This program will use expert presentations, online explorations, experiential learning, field experience in watershed science, and communication skills training to foster a greater understanding of these interactions and provide the tools necessary to become stewards of our water resources.

During this seven-session course, participants will travel to locations across Pinellas County to explore the natural beauty, learn about emerging water issues, and meet with local experts.

Participants will also plan and implement an individual (or group) stewardship project that makes a difference in the community, attend a relevant stakeholder meeting and explore online resources to learn more about water between class sessions.

Each class session will be three hours long and include Working with Water instructor-led presentations looking at water at the state-level as well as Working with People instructor-led presentations highlighting communication best-practices. Classes will also include time for discussions, guest speaker presentations highlighting local water resources, and a field tour.

This course has limited seating/availability. Register early to reserve your spot. Youth (under 18) are eligible to register as long as an accompanying adult is also registered for the program. A minimum of 15 participants must be registered one week prior to the course or the course will be rescheduled. A full refund will be issued if this is the case.

Schedule

Session 1 - Thursday, January 30 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*:

• Watershed Basics and Stewardship @ Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs with guest speaker Robert Burnes, Project Manager, Pinellas County Public Works, Environmental Management

Session 2 - Thursday, February 13 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*:

• W ater Flow, Then and Now @ Clam Bayou Marine Education Center with guest speaker from Southwest Florida Water Management District, Surface Water Improvement & Management Program

Session 3 - Thursday, February 27 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*:

• Water Laws and Other Tools @ South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility with guest speaker Lauren Twele, Education Coordinator, Pinellas County Utilities

Session 4 - Thursday, March 13 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*:

• Future Water Supply and Emerging Issues @ Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant in Oldsmar with guest speaker Tirusew Asefa, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, Manager, Planning & System Decision Support, Tampa Bay Water

Session 5 - Thursday, March 27 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*: Panel

• Panel Discussion with local environmental non-profit groups and Stewardship Project Updates @ Ozona Village Hall

Session 6- Saturday, April 5 (9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)*:

• Speaking for Water, Reflection & Graduation @ Weedon Island Preserve in St. Petersburg with private guided kayak tour from ECOmersion.

*Locations and speakers are subject to change.

Before You Register

Please review course requirements should you wish to receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program:

• Attend at least five of the six sessions, two of which MUST be the first and last ones (Session #1 and Session #6)
• Attend and briefly describe a stakeholder gathering
• Complete online mini-sessions
• Participate in the online discussions
• Submit a summary of your individual or group stewardship project

Cost: $125

If the cost of the program will prevent you from participating, please complete a scholarship application. Application deadline is Wednesday, January 15.

Questions?

For more information about this course, please contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County Natural Resources Agent, Lara Milligan at [email protected] or 727-453-6905.

Host or Publisher Brooker Creek Preserve Env. Education Center