Volunteer to help restore St. Andrew Bay!

You can help restore seagrass habitat in a portion of St. Andrew Bay known as West Bay. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is looking for volunteers to assist with the assembly of oyster reef materials for this Bay County project. The oyster reefs will improve water quality, protect the shoreline, enhance fisheries habitat, and promote seagrass recovery in this area.

St. Andrew Bay is recognized among Gulf of Mexico coastal estuaries for its biological diversity and clear high-salinity waters in which seagrasses flourish. However the West Bay area has suffered significant seagrass degradation and needs help to restore its historic seagrass habitat. Your efforts will aid not only the oysters but also the fish, birds and other wildlife living here and the people who enjoy the bay. Project partners include the St. Andrew Bay Resource Management Association, UF/IFAS Bay County Extension/Florida Sea Grant, AMIkids - Panama City Marine Institute, The St. Joe Company, Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Volunteers are invited to assist with project efforts in the Panama City area, beginning in April and continuing through May 2015. Call 850-617-9506 or email Katie.Konchar@MyFWC.com for more information on volunteering.