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Become a Manatee Friendly Neighborhood!

Neighborhood Action Menu

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
    • The Tampa Bay Estuary Program ID