A New Meaning to Restoration: Duke Energy, Tampa Electric Come Together With State, Local Agencies to Plant Nearly 700 Mangroves at Two Shorelines in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties
Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric have joined forces with state and local agencies to plant nearly 700 mangroves at two shorelines in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. This collaborative restoration project aims to protect Tampa Bay's ecosystems and increase environmental resilience. Over 40 volunteers, employees, and environmental experts participated in planting red and black mangroves at EG Simmons Regional Park and Keystone/Carlton Road in Northern Pinellas County.
The initiative highlights the importance of mangrove ecosystems in reducing coastal erosion, improving water quality, and providing habitat for wildlife. The mangroves were grown and donated by CCA Florida and the Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, which has released nearly 5 million fish and crustaceans along Florida's coasts and donated approximately $200,000 worth of aquatic vegetation for habitat restoration projects.
Duke Energy Florida e Tampa Electric hanno unito le forze con agenzie statali e locali per piantare quasi 700 mangrovie lungo due coste nelle contee di Hillsborough e Pinellas. Questo progetto di restauro collaborativo mira a proteggere gli ecosistemi della Baia di Tampa e aumentare la resilienza ambientale. Oltre 40 volontari, dipendenti ed esperti ambientali hanno partecipato alla piantagione di mangrovie rosse e nere presso il Parco Regionale EG Simmons e Keystone/Carlton Road nella parte settentrionale della contea di Pinellas.
L'iniziativa sottolinea l'importanza degli ecosistemi di mangrovie nella riduzione dell'erosione costiera, nel miglioramento della qualità dell'acqua e nella fornitura di habitat per la fauna selvatica. Le mangrovie sono state coltivate e donate da CCA Florida e dal Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, che ha rilasciato quasi 5 milioni di pesci e crostacei lungo le coste della Florida e ha donato circa 200.000 dollari in vegetazione acquatica per progetti di restauro degli habitat.
Duke Energy Florida y Tampa Electric se han unido a agencias estatales y locales para plantar casi 700 manglares en dos costas en los condados de Hillsborough y Pinellas. Este proyecto de restauración colaborativa tiene como objetivo proteger los ecosistemas de la Bahía de Tampa y aumentar la resiliencia ambiental. Más de 40 voluntarios, empleados y expertos ambientales participaron en la siembra de manglares rojos y negros en el Parque Regional EG Simmons y en Keystone/Carlton Road en el norte del condado de Pinellas.
La iniciativa destaca la importancia de los ecosistemas de manglares para reducir la erosión costera, mejorar la calidad del agua y proporcionar hábitat para la vida silvestre. Los manglares fueron cultivados y donados por CCA Florida y el Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, que ha liberado casi 5 millones de peces y crustáceos a lo largo de las costas de Florida y ha donado aproximadamente 200,000 dólares en vegetación acuática para proyectos de restauración de hábitats.
Duke Energy Florida와 Tampa Electric가 주 및 지역 기관과 힘을 합쳐 Hillsborough 및 Pinellas 카운티의 두 해안에 거의 700그루의 맹그로브를 심었습니다. 이 협력 복원 프로젝트는 탬파 만의 생태계를 보호하고 환경 회복력을 증가시키는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다. 40명 이상의 자원봉사자, 직원 및 환경 전문가들이 EG 시몬스 지역공원 및 Pinellas 카운티 북부의 키스톤/칼튼 로드에서 붉은 맹그로브와 검은 맹그로브 식재에 참여했습니다.
이 이니셔티브는 맹그로브 생태계의 중요성을 강조하며, 이는 해안 침식을 줄이고 수질을 개선하며 야생동물 서식지를 제공하는 데 기여합니다. 맹그로브는 CCA Florida와 Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center가 재배 및 기부했으며, 이 센터는 플로리다 해안에서 거의 500만 마리의 물고기와 갑각류를 방류하고, 서식지 복원 프로젝트를 위해 약 20만 달러의 수중 식물을 기부했습니다.
Duke Energy Florida et Tampa Electric se sont associés à des agences locales et nationales pour planter près de 700 mangroves sur deux côtes dans les comtés de Hillsborough et Pinellas. Ce projet de restauration collaborative vise à protéger les écosystèmes de la baie de Tampa et à augmenter la résilience environnementale. Plus de 40 bénévoles, employés et experts en environnement ont participé à la plantation de mangroves rouges et noires au Parc Régional EG Simmons et sur Keystone/Carlton Road dans le nord du comté de Pinellas.
L'initiative souligne l'importance des écosystèmes de mangroves pour réduire l'érosion côtière, améliorer la qualité de l'eau et fournir un habitat pour la faune. Les mangroves ont été cultivées et données par CCA Florida et le Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, qui a libéré près de 5 millions de poissons et crustacés le long des côtes de la Floride et a fait don d'environ 200 000 dollars de végétation aquatique pour des projets de restauration d'habitat.
Duke Energy Florida und Tampa Electric haben sich mit staatlichen und lokalen Behörden zusammengeschlossen, um fast 700 Mangroven an zwei Uferlinien in den Counties Hillsborough und Pinellas zu pflanzen. Dieses gemeinsame Restaurationsprojekt zielt darauf ab, die Ökosysteme der Tampa Bay zu schützen und die Umweltresilienz zu erhöhen. Über 40 Freiwillige, Mitarbeiter und Umweltexperten haben an der Pflanzung von roten und schwarzen Mangroven im EG Simmons Regional Park und an Keystone/Carlton Road im nördlichen Pinellas County teilgenommen.
Die Initiative hebt die Bedeutung von Mangroven-Ökosystemen hervor, die zur Reduzierung der Küstenerosion, zur Verbesserung der Wasserqualität und zur Bereitstellung von Lebensräumen für Wildtiere beitragen. Die Mangroven wurden von CCA Florida und dem Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center angebaut und gespendet, das fast 5 Millionen Fische und Krebstiere entlang der Küsten Floridas freigesetzt und etwa 200.000 Dollar an Wasserpflanzen für Projekte zur Wiederherstellung von Lebensräumen gespendet hat.
- Collaboration between utilities and agencies to enhance environmental resilience
- Planting of 700 mangroves to protect coastal ecosystems
- Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center's contribution to fish population and habitat restoration
- None.
ST. PETERSBURG and TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2024 / While restoration is a critical part of Duke Energy Florida's and Tampa Electric's everyday work and hurricane response plans, this is the first time the two local utilities have combined resources to protect Tampa Bay's ecosystems and increase environmental resilience within the region.
Today, more than 40 volunteers, employees and environmental experts from Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, Hillsborough County's Conservation and Land Management and Pinellas County's Environmental Management Division, led a unique restoration project by simultaneously planting nearly 700 red and black mangroves at two locations impacted by tidal influence.
"Teaming up with our neighboring utilities, governmental leaders and key community organizations to prepare, protect and power our communities is not something new for our company and industry," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "As we've learned from decades of storm response and service, collaboration is essential to addressing our communities' most pressing needs. Today's event is no different. We thank Tampa Electric, CCA Florida, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, among the many others, who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe, resilient and thriving."
The two locations, EG Simmons Regional Park and Keystone/Carlton Road in Northern Pinellas County, were selected based on need, environmental factors and consultation with Hillsborough County's Conservation and Land Management and Pinellas County's Environmental Management Division.
"This project is a win for the shoreline, a win for our partners, and it reflects our continued commitment to environmental stewardship," said Archie Collins, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. "We are delighted to collaborate with like-minded neighbors - including Duke Energy Florida - to complete this important coastal resilience project."
Florida's mangrove ecosystems serve a vital role in the overall health of the state's coastal estuaries. Mangroves reduce coastal erosion caused by storm surges and improve water quality by absorbing excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Mangrove soils and roots also sequester carbon dioxide while providing habitat and refuge to a wide variety of fish and wildlife.
The mangroves are grown and donated by CCA Florida and the Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, a company-owned-and-operated environmental restoration and conservation center dedicated to rebuilding and maintaining Florida's fish populations and habitats.
More than 30 years ago, the Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center started as an environmental compliance requirement to operate nearby power plants and has since grown into one of Florida's most successful fish hatcheries and conservation allies.
Instead of shutting down the operation when the power plants closed and the environmental requirement was no longer necessary, Eric Latimer, Duke Energy Florida's manager of the Mariculture Center, found ways to work with nonprofits, universities and state agencies, like CCA Florida, among others, to rebuild and maintain Florida's fish populations and habitats that were being impacted by declining water quality and disasters such as red tide and hurricanes.
To date, the Mariculture Center, with help from CCA Florida, has released nearly 5 million fish and crustaceans along Florida's coasts and has donated approximately
For more information about the Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center, click here.
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.
Tampa Electric
Tampa Electric, one of Florida's largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves more than 840,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
CCA Florida
The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) was founded in 1977 after drastic commercial overfishing along the Texas coast decimated redfish and speckled trout populations. One of 19 state chapters, CCA Florida became the fifth state chapter in 1985. A 501(c)3 non-profit, the purpose of CCA is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. Through habitat restoration projects, water quality initiatives and fisheries advocacy, CCA Florida works with its over 18,000 members including recreational anglers and outdoor enthusiasts to conserve and enhance marine resources and coastal environments. Join the conversation on Facebook or learn more at ccaflorida.org.
Duke Energy Media Contact: Audrey Stasko
Media line: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS
Tampa Electric Media Contact: Cherie Jacobs
Cell: 813.334.7779
Email: CLJacobs@TECOEnergy.com
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Duke Energy on 3blmedia.com.
Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Duke Energy
Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/duke-energy
Email: info@3blmedia.com
SOURCE: Duke Energy
View the original press release on accesswire.com
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