Sweetwater Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan 2007 Update--Part 2

EXISTING NATURAL SYSTEMS CONDITIONS
identify wildlife and habitat types, the Audubon helps to create and nurture a culture of
conservation.
Within the Tampa Bay area, factors such as the elimination of wetlands development,
decreased water quality, and an increase in population make it essential for residents to
understand the Tampa Bay ecosystem so that growth and development can proceed in
harmony with nature. Being intimately involved with these issues, the Audubon Society has
developed a unique partnership with the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation
Department. Through this partnership, an Audubon Resource Center (ARC) was established in
April 1998 at Lettuce Lake Park. The purpose of the ARC is to help foster a "culture of
conservation" and an environmental ethic in the Tampa Bay region that will encourage
community involvement as part of the Audubon mission. The Hillsborough River borders the
240-acre urban park and visited by 650,000 people each year, including school classes, clubs,
inner-city youth, minorities, and families.
The ARC at the Lettuce Lake Park is designed to enhance Audubon's education and community
involvement goals and helps citizens develop an appreciation, awareness, and understanding of
the natural world and the interplay of forces that affect living things. The ARC is a multi-faceted
hub for conservation and utilizes guided tours, educational brochures and materials, and handson
activities like nest box building and habitat enhancement to reach its goals. The Center
includes a natural history exhibit, nature store, and resource center full of books and
informational materials. The exhibit shows wildlife of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River in
their natural setting, giving students, young and old, a close look at the interrelationship of the
ecosystem.
The attached bibliography includes a list of references used for this study and additional
references that could be cited by readers.
8.9 Bibliography
Australian Commissioner for the Environment. 1988. Rating of stream water quality and health
based on existing vegetation and development activities within a watershed. AOCE. Victoria.
Brown, M.T., J. Schaefer, K. H. Brandt, S. J. Doherty, C.D. Dove, J.P. Dudley, D. A. Eifler, L. D.
Harris, R. F. Noss, and R. W. Wolfe. 1987. An evaluation of the applicability of upland buffers
for the wetlands of the Wekiva Basin. Center for Wetlands, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Florida.
Brown, M.T., J. M. Schaefer, and K. H. Brandt. 1990. Buffer zones for water, wetlands, and
wildlife in east central Florida. Center for Wetlands, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
8-54
Sweetwater Creek Watershed Management Plan