St. Andrew Bay BRIEFING   Published by:

The Friends
Of St. Andrew Bay

Operations Arm of BEST, Inc. a not for profit Florida Corporation.

May 2007

FSAB Launches $500,000 Stormwater Management Project

On May 9, BEST, Inc, signed a contract with the consulting firm, Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc.(CDM) to initiate a pioneering watershed-wide program to reduce the negative impact of stormwater runoff on water quality in St. Andrew Bay. Following the contract signing, BEST, Inc., a non-profit corporation and its operating arm of volunteers, the Friends Of St. Andrew Bay (FSAB), hosted a Stormwater Subcommittee meeting to introduce the consulting firm to local community and government leaders who will play a key role in implementing the program.

Stormwater ranks near the top of the list when it comes to sources of contaminants that reduce water quality in the St. Andrew Bay watershed. Stormwater isn't contaminated when it falls out of the sky. It becomes contaminated as it flows over rooftops, parking lots, paved roads, cultivated yards and fields. Currently federal regulations require Bay County and each municipal government in the watershed to have a permitted stormwater program to minimize stormwater runoff in their jurisdiction.

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Cutting Edge FSAB Projects Anticipate FWS Initiative

Pioneering shoreline restoration work by the Friends of St. Andrew Bay (the volunteer organization formerly known as BEST) was cited by Melody Ray-Culp of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in her April 17 presentation on the Living Shorelines Initiative launched by FWS earlier this year. Ms. Ray-Culp is coordinating implementation of the initiative in the Panhandle and spoke before attendees of the spring seminar hosted by the Friends of St. Andrew Bay (FSAB) at Gulf Coast Community College.

For full story click here.

Unique, Endangered Plant Doing Well In Crystal Lake Area
 Article and pictures by Lisa and Ed Keppner

In 1990, Dr. Loran Anderson of Florida State University discovered a small plant growing on the coarse, white sand along the margins of some of the karst ponds in northern Bay and southern Washington Counties, Florida. He described the plant as a subspecies of the Papery Nailwort that is found along the Lake Wales Ridge of central Florida and nowhere else on Earth.

For full story click here.

Restoration, Protection Measures Planned
For Econfina Recreational Springs Complex

Bill Cleckley addressing Workshop
Bill Cleckley, Director, Division of Land Management and Acquisition for the Northwest Florida Water Management District, describing plans for restoration and protection measures for the Econfina Springs Complex (Pitt, Sylvan and Williford springs) at a Public Workshop held at Pitt Springs on Saturday, May 12.

"Over the years, we've been loving the springs to death," Mr. Cleckley said. "Now, we've got to take steps to protect and restore these vital natural resources."
For full story click here.
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Kid Fest FSAB exhibits at Kid Fest 2007 2007 Volunteers
Volunteers Honored For Work In 2006 		Earth Day 2007 Earth Day 2007 At McKenzie Park