By Rusty Chinnis

Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) has seen phenomenal growth over the last several years. In that time, it has hired an accomplished wetlands scientist as executive director and hired a marketing and communication specialist. The organization also acquired a Waterkeeper boat and launched its Mangrove Rangers and Eyes on The Suncoast initiatives, which encourage and provide resources for citizens to report illegal mangrove trimming, pollution, fish kills and algae blooms. Suncoast Waterkeeper is funded by various local charities and foundations.

Dr. Abbey Tyrna, an experienced educator and scientist, joined Suncoast Waterkeeper in 2022. She grew up in Cape Coral and focused her education on learning about wetlands and protecting Florida waters. Tyrna has a doctorate in geography from Pennsylvania State University, where her research focused on measuring the effects of development on wetlands. Before joining SCWK, she worked with the Sarasota County government and the University of Florida to help bring scientific knowledge and expertise to the public as the water resources agent for UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability.

Before receiving her doctorate in 2015, Tyrna earned a master’s in environmental science from LSU in 2008, concentrating on wetland science and management, and a bachelor’s in environmental studies from Florida State University in 2001. After her appointment to SCWK, it tackled many significant pollution problems, preventing over 1 trillion gallons of polluted water from entering our bays, and driven hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure investments. Not resting on her laurels, Tyrna, working with Communications Specialist Samantha Wassmer, is seeking to expand investments in SCWK operations to take on the water-quality threats to our bays and waterways.

To do this, SCWK will launch a new campaign, Love Your Bays Consciously, to recruit, manage and train volunteers in Manatee and Sarasota counties with the goal of proactively and reactively tackling the ever-growing threats to clean water. Through the campaign, SCWK will seek partnerships with bayfront communities, marinas, boat storage facilities, Realtors and local businesses. There are three commitments necessary for joining Love Your Bays Consciously – protecting aquatic habitats, reducing pollution and helping your community.

From this effort, SCWK expects:

• Increased adoption of clean water behaviors – success would entail a noticeable increase in the number of waterfront homes, boaters and marinas actively posting information about clean water behaviors and implementing these best practices. This could be documented through surveys, interviews or direct observation of adopted behaviors;
• Growth in engagement – the success of the Love Your Bay Consciously campaign would be evident through an increase in the number of volunteers actively engaging with residents and visitors to promote clean water behaviors. This could be measured by tracking volunteer participation rates, the number of individuals reached through outreach efforts and feedback collected from those engaged;
• Effective pollution monitoring and reporting – the project’s success would also be reflected in the effectiveness of the special team of ambassadors trained to spot, monitor and report pollution incidents. This could be documented through the number of pollution events reported, the timeliness of reporting and the responsiveness of relevant agencies to address reported incidents; and
• Progress toward environmental goals – ultimately, the success of the project would contribute to progress toward the overarching goal of achieving fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters for all. This could be assessed by monitoring water-quality indicators over time, tracking improvements in the health of aquatic ecosystems and gathering feedback from community members on their perceptions of water quality.

To be a part of these exciting programs, consider donating during this year’s 2024 Giving Challenge taking place April 9-10. Matched donations will allow SCWK to expand its outreach efforts and increase the number of community members adopting best practices. This increased funding will also enable the organization to tackle complex challenges with greater resources and effectiveness, ultimately leading to a healthier and more sustainable environment for generations to come. Also, consider joining Suncoast Waterkeeper at www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org/membership.