You are here:
We Have Come A Long Way Since The Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services Demonstration Project (2010-2014)
Citation:
Russell, M. We Have Come A Long Way Since The Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services Demonstration Project (2010-2014). Restore Americas Estuaries, NA, Virtual, September 29 - October 01, 2020. https://doi.org/10.23645/epacomptox.14642256
Impact/Purpose:
One of the first tasks in the project was to engage with community stakeholders to identify how they defined sustainability. A major question was: What needs to be sustained, at what levels, and for how long? Key responses were: the bay supported the economy, as well as it’s recreational and aesthetic qualities. All of these could be directly linked to the ecosystem and it’s functions and services it provides to human users.
Description:
Tampa Bay is Florida’s largest open-water estuary, supporting one of the world’s most productive natural systems, and is home to a large and growing urban center. Tampa Bay regional authorities want to balance urban growth with provision of valuable ecosystem services in Tampa Bay. U.S. EPA partnered with local stakeholders to engage the public in recognizing and incorporating the value of ecosystem services in their decision-making process. The EPA Website and EPA H2O tool are actively being used by regional planners to assess ecosystem benefits and has been incorporated into a suite of community studies. Decision makers recognize the importance of nature in human health and well-being and have a tool to consider these benefits in their decision-making processes. This tool is also transferable to other states and communities.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: We Have Come A Long Way Since The Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services Demonstration Project (2010-2014)
SEPTEMBER 29 1230 PM SESSION RUSSELL MARC.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 5114.582 KB, about PDF)