How You Can Help
Would you like to do more to increase awareness of the Florida manatee and protect these gentle creatures? Below are some ideas and activities that you and your fellow residents can do to help.
Adopt a Boating Business and provide them with boater's guides, decals, etc
Adopt a school and provide them with teaching guides, videos, etc. about manatees
Adopt a Tampa Bay manatee for the association
Assist with boater education programs at boat ramps
Attend a Neighborhood Manatee Watch Presentation
Build an educational kiosk
Conduct a neighborhood storm drain marking event
Create a welcoming committee for new association members and provide them manatee protection tips or show them a video with information on how to protect manatees
Design a manatee education bulletin board that could be posted in a community area
Distibute doorhangers or other information to residents
Develop a local manatee sighting network and provide reports to SMC, the local government or FWC
Encourage those in your neighborhood to purchase a "Save The Manatee" license plate
Establish an on-site monofilament recycling program
Hold a "boat decal drive" and try to get all the members of the association to each put an SMC manatee protection tips decal on their boat (also keep an FWC Mind Your Waterway card on board)
Insert manatee or bay protection tips in your association newsletter
Put up SMC's Please Watch for Manatees dock signs
Schedule association volunteer days for the Manatee Watch research or boater education project
Schedule a presentation by FWC rescue staff to get educated on what you can do when you see an injured manatee
Schedule association volunteer days to join clean up efforts for Tampa Bay
Schedule an SMC volunteer or FWC education presentation for parents and kids to watch a manatee video, do manatee-oriented activities and ask questions about manatees
Schedule association trips to go see manatees at TECO, Homosassa Springs, Lowry Park Zoo or other manatee viewing areas
Write an article about manatees and put it in your association newsletter
