Presentation of a Check From the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Project with Stewart Middle School in the Amount of $50,000 to Restore the Hillsborough River Shoreline Habitat at Stewart Middle School on Property Owned and Managed by the School Board of Hillsborough County (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)

SWFWMD awarded $50,000 to Hillsborough County Publics Schools (HCPS) for the restoration of five hundred feet of shoreline located between Stewart Middle Magnet School, Just Elementary School and Blake High School. The site is currently dominated by non-native vegetation and is experiencing erosion issues. The restoration plan will be developed in concert among SWFWMD, HCPS, and Ecosphere Restoration Institute, a not-for- profit organization. Activities include removal/recycling of all non-native vegetation, restoration/enhancement of the river bank by grading, adding rip rap, and installing native plant material. A strong educational component will benefit students at Stewart Middle Magnet School, Blake High School, and Just Elementary School, as well as nearby Dunbar Elementary School and MacFarlane Magnet School. Students will have the opportunity to observe the restoration and participate in planting events as well as study conditions of the river habitat and the ecosystem. The project will result in shoreline enhancement, creating restored habitats for this area of the Hillsborough River.

The anticipated cost of the project is $100,000 dollars, with $50,000 from SWFWMD and $50,000 from HCPS (see related agenda item – matching funds for project).

HCPS will maintain all documents including reports, drawings, programs and manuals, and specifications. Each stage of the plan will be subject to review by SWFWMD, HCPS, and Ecosphere Restoration Institute.