Accomplishments
Accomplishments
Sustainable Living and Water Stewardship Resources Empower Residents
A variety of new online resources like The Green Living Toolkit and Neighborhood Best Practices Course provide expert resources on sustainable-living practices and protecting local waterways. Programs like the Florida Water Stewards educate and train residents to lead community-based water quality initiatives.
Urban Rewilding Efforts Encourage Climate Resilience
Since 2020, Suncoast Urban ReForesters (SURF) has planted 10 microforests. VABI’s 33-acre planted forest in Venice became Florida’s largest urban afforestation project. Sarasota Audubon and Big Waters Land Trust are rewilding 33 acres at the Celery Fields Quad to enhance habitat, water quality, and stormwater retention.
Expanding Residential And Commercial Composting Opportunities in Sarasota
The city has conducted composting pilot programs to explore how commercial composting could be implemented in the community. Additionally, the Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with Sunshine Community Compost and local neighborhoods to launch small-scale composting initiatives in select parks, reducing waste and improving soil health.
Macroalgae Monitoring for Water Quality Insights Expands to Sarasota and Manatee Counties
The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, in coordination with Mote Marine Laboratory and Sarasota County, monitors macroalgae seasonally at dozens of sites to track nutrient storage and release, improving understanding of its impact on and response to water quality.
Florida Adopts Stricter Biosolids Regulations to Protect Water Quality
In 2021, revisions to Ch. 62-640, F.A.C., were adopted under House Bill 1309 to reduce nutrient loading in water bodies. The updated regulations impose stricter limits on land-applied biosolids, particularly to control phosphorus levels.
Healthy Ponds Collaborative Advances Stormwater Pond Management
The Healthy Ponds Collaborative (HPC) created the award-winning Healthy Ponds Guide to help homeowners and associations improve pond health and reduce nutrient pollution. The HPC has funded over 25 miles of living shoreline plantings in 27 ponds, providing hands-on support and educational resources through HOA workshops and expert guidance.
UF/IFAS Sarasota County Develops Reclaimed Water Tool for Smarter Fertilization
Launched in 2021, the tool helps homeowners and professionals adjust fertilizer use by calculating nitrogen levels in reclaimed irrigation water, promoting more sustainable landscape management.
Sarasota County Government Continues Investing in Wastewater Infrastructure
In 2021, Sarasota County Government Utilities continued to inspect, maintain, upgrade, and replace priority failing wastewater infrastructure with millions of dollars of new investments in pipes, manholes and lift stations.
Sarasota County Government Moves to Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plants
Sarasota County Government approved upgrading Bee Ridge, Venice Gardens, and Central County Wastewater Reclamation Facilities (WRF) to Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT). The Bee Ridge WRF AWT facility broke ground on March 22, 2022.
Strategic Plans to Improve Water Quality In Local Waterways Are Published and Initiated
In 2022, SBEP’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and an update to Sarasota County’s Sarasota Bay Watershed Management Plan were released. In 2025, CHNEP’s CCMP and the SBEP’s Water Quality Protection Plan was released, while updates to the Little Sarasota Bay and Lemon Bay Watershed Plans were begun.
Innovative Oyster Restoration Efforts Enhance Sarasota Bay and Manatee River Habitats
In 2022, Sarasota Bay Watch launched a 5-year submerged shellfish lease to grow clams in Sarasota Bay, while Oyster River Ecology received approval for a 10-acre oyster restoration site in the Manatee River. Additionally, vertical oyster gardens (VOGs) are being installed throughout the region to restore oyster habitats, with over 20,000 lbs of shells recycled and 1,000 VOGs built in 2024 alone.
Sarasota County Strengthens Sewer Protections With New Ordinance And FOG Management Program
Sarasota County adopted Ordinance No. 2022-061, which limits inflow and infiltration into the sewer system. Meanwhile, Sarsota County Ordinance 2019-023 implements a FOG (fats, oils, and grease) Management Program for commercial operators involved in food preparation and grease hauling.
Stormwater BMP Map and Water Quality Storymap Bring Visibility to Projects
The City of Sarasota and Sarasota County Government mapped public demonstration sites showcasing stormwater quality BMPs on the Sarasota Water Atlas. Sarasota County’s Water Quality Storymap provides the public a comprehensive view of Sarasota County water quality initiatives.
Suncoast Waterkeeper’s Citizen Reporting App Enhances Mangrove Protection
The Eyes on the Suncoast app empowers residents to report excessive mangrove trimming or damage and water quality problems, strengthening community oversight and enforcement efforts to protect vital coastal habitats and water quality.
Shoreline Restorations Enhance Water Quality and Habitat at Warm Mineral Springs and Alligator Creek
The completion of the restoration of Warm Mineral Springs Creek stabilized shorelines, removed invasive plants and sediment, and rehabilitated manatee habitat. A $14.5M NOAA grant is funding the Alligator Creek Stream Restoration, which will restore wetlands, improve water flow, and remove 1,500 pounds of nitrogen annually by 2027.
Environmental Events, Including the Largest Ever on the Suncoast, Educate and Inspire
The 2023 EcoSummit and Green Living Expo attracted more than 2,000 participants, making it the largest environmental event on the Suncoast, while the annual Sustainable Communities Workshop hosted by Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension gathers community members to focus on local sustainability practices.
Sarasota’s Historic Bobby Jones Golf Course Restored As City’s Largest Green Space
Reopened in 2023, the 307-acre site now features 20 acres of wetlands, native grasses, and aquatic plants that filter 9.8 million gallons of stormwater from 5,800 acres, removing an estimated 900 pounds of nitrogen annually. A conservation easement ensures long-term environmental protection.
Increased Funding and Expanding Conservation Areas Boost Florida’s Ecosystem Protection
Florida Forever funding was raised to $229 million for 2024-2025, the largest allocation in 16 years, while the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) received $300 million. Combined with the 2021 Florida Wildlife Corridor Act, which targets land acquisition in key wildlife areas, and the 2024 establishment of the Everglades to Gulf Conservation area, these efforts are driving significant progress in state and regional conservation initiatives.
Award-Winning Dona Bay Restoration Reduces Nutrient Pollution and Restores Natural Flows
Sarasota County and SWFWMD continue efforts to restore Dona Bay by creating wetlands and ponds to manage excess freshwater. Phase 2 has removed 1,800 pounds of nitrogen, while a 2024 water hyacinth harvest extracted 7,636 pounds. The project earned the 2024 Florida Stormwater Association Excellence Award.
New Statewide Stormwater Rule Strengthens Water Quality Protections
Florida adopted and implemented updated rules requiring new and redeveloped projects to improve nutrient removal. The rule ensures post-development nutrient levels do not exceed pre-development levels or meet stricter reduction targets based on waterbody conditions.
Local Bays Removed From FDEP’s List of Impaired Waters
Sarasota Bay, Little Sarasota Bay, Blackburn Bay, and Roberts Bay were delisted as impaired for chl-A during the 2022-2024 FDEP impaired waters assessment, signaling improved water quality. In response, SBEP launched a Water Quality Protection Plan (WQPP) to sustain improvements.
CHNEP Launches Water Atlas 2.0 with Enhanced Visualization Tools
The 2024 update introduced interactive mappers and dashboards that provide real-time water quality data, enabling the public to track nutrient levels and other key indicators across local water bodies.
New Stormwater Initiatives Support Public and Private Water Quality Improvements
An updated Stormwater Utility Rate structure includes changes that will fund stormwater infrastructure improvement projects and incentivize property owners and developers to reduce impervious surfaces in their designs. Complementing these efforts, the new RainCheck rebate program launched in 2025 offers homeowners up to $5,000 for installing water-quality improvements like rain gardens and bioswales.
Local Foundations Contribute 7+ Million Dollars In Grant Funding for Water Quality Improvement Projects
The rewilding of the Celery Fields Quad Parcels, the Healthy Ponds Collaborative, and dozens of other environmental projects were funded thanks to the contributions of organizations like the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation.
Conservation Efforts Expand with New Acquisitions and Partnerships
Through the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program (ESLPP), Sarasota County acquired 17 new properties (totaling 5,603 acres) from Spring 2020 to Spring 2025. Big Waters Land Trust celebrated protecting more than 20k acres since 2003, including the 656-acre Longino Ranch.
