Letter of support for the League of Women Voter's partnership with Sea and Shoreline Aquatic Restoration project titled: "Tackling Estuarine Based Climate Change via Wrack Harvesting/ Planting of Manatee Seagrass Rhizomes within the Fort Pierce Inlet - Tucker's Cove area,"  seeking a grant for the Indian River Lagoon Council for our St. Lucie County area-- Fort Pierce inlet-- Tucker's Cove. 

The League and its member volunteer corps will be harvesting seagrass (Manatee grass) in particular for transportation and implantation, as well as to improve the genetic diversity of seagrass species in the Tucker Cove- Fort PIerce Inlet area. The League and its members volunteers will go through training prior to harvesting with Sea and Shoreline Aquatic Restoration (our partner) in this grant, to learn the following:

• Identification of Manatee grass and other native Florida seagrass species, 
• Rapid visual assessment methods in the field for identification of specific seagrasses,
• Seagrass biology and ecology. 

Recording of long- range data on seagrasses: 

• Document specifically growth and proliferation of harvested species, document impacts, threats and damage to loss of seagrass in areas within and around St. Lucie County,
• Document population returns and increases of marine mammals, such as manatees, fish populations, and crustaceans ( clams, oysters) that use seagrasses as nesting sites and nurseries, and document waterfowl and other bird populations that fish, nest and rest upon seagrasses in estuaries and waterways.  
• Photograph seagrass quadrants in emerging growth stages/ and/or damage loss phases. 
• Assist in identification of new donor sites for harvesting of seagrasses, prior to transplantation and implantation for both Tucker's Cove and larger Fort Pierce inlet. 

Approve letter of support.

Do not approve or approve with modifications.

Linda W. Cox, City Clerk

Linda Hudson, Mayor
Nicole Fogarty, Legislative Affairs Director
Sabrina Taylor, League of Women Voters