Uploaded April 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
The Florida Aquarium has been partnering with the St. Pete College STEM Center near Maderia Beach, along with Keep Pinellas Beautiful helping to preserve and restore 50 acres of conservation land surrounding the college's STEM Center. This land is currently home to 11 relocated Florida gopher tortoises that rely on Florida Native plants to forage. Recently native plants like Blue-eyed grass; Sisyrichium angustifolium. (That is not actually a grass, however, it is in the Iris family.) and other true native grasses species were planted by The Florida Aquarium and volunteers from Chase Manhattan Bank to provide a long-term sustainable food source for these endangered gopher tortoises.
"These tortoises are considered a “keystone species.” This means that they play a crucial role in their ecosystem, and other species depend on them for survival. According to FWC, there are an estimated 350+ species that rely on the tortoise’s burrows." (marinelife.org 2021)
This is why The Florida Aquarium has found it important to participate in conservation efforts like these related to gopher tortoise habitat restoration.
Another keystone species that The Florida Aquarium has found to be of high value in adding to the perimeter water's edge of this conservation site, is mangrove trees. These trees will provide protection to the gopher tortoise habitat by anchoring the shoreline, and provide shelter and a food source to other Florida Native species that interact and rely on the Florida gopher tortoise.
This ongoing project is just one example of how The Florida Aquarium and community partners are helping to preserve, protect, and restore our big blue planet.
-Stephen Schwanebeck, Horticulturist for The Florida Aquarium.
Community Partners
• St. Petersburg College Bay Pines STEM Center
https://www.spcollege.edu/friends-partners/about/locations/bay-pines-stem-center
• Keep Pinellas Beautiful
kpbcares.org
The Florida Aquarium has been partnering with the St. Pete College STEM Center near Maderia Beach, along with Keep Pinellas Beautiful helping to preserve and restore 50 acres of conservation land surrounding the college's STEM Center. This land is currently home to 11 relocated Florida gopher tortoises that rely on Florida Native plants to forage. Recently native plants like Blue-eyed grass; Sisyrichium angustifolium. (That is not actually a grass, however, it is in the Iris family.) and other true native grasses species were planted by The Florida Aquarium and volunteers from Chase Manhattan Bank to provide a long-term sustainable food source for these endangered gopher tortoises.
"These tortoises are considered a “keystone species.” This means that they play a crucial role in their ecosystem, and other species depend on them for survival. According to FWC, there are an estimated 350+ species that rely on the tortoise’s burrows." (marinelife.org 2021)
This is why The Florida Aquarium has found it important to participate in conservation efforts like these related to gopher tortoise habitat restoration.
Another keystone species that The Florida Aquarium has found to be of high value in adding to the perimeter water's edge of this conservation site, is mangrove trees. These trees will provide protection to the gopher tortoise habitat by anchoring the shoreline, and provide shelter and a food source to other Florida Native species that interact and rely on the Florida gopher tortoise.
This ongoing project is just one example of how The Florida Aquarium and community partners are helping to preserve, protect, and restore our big blue planet.
-Stephen Schwanebeck, Horticulturist for The Florida Aquarium.
Community Partners
• St. Petersburg College Bay Pines STEM Center
https://www.spcollege.edu/friends-partners/about/locations/bay-pines-stem-center
• Keep Pinellas Beautiful
kpbcares.org
