Home of the Hope Spot

Published on January 13, 2022

Dunedin is home of the Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot. What does this mean? This means we understand the immeasurable value that the Gulf Coast and our local waters have on our home, our economy, our local habitat, and our way of life. The Gulf Coast defines our area and is the reason many people call this area home. Hope Spots are special places that are critical to the health of the ocean. These areas are about recognizing, empowering, and supporting individuals and communities around the world in their efforts to protect the ocean. Criteria for a place to become a Hope Spot includes the area having:

  • A special abundance or diversity of species present, unusual or representative species, habitats or ecosystems
  • Particular populations of rare, threatened, or endemic species
  • A site with potential to reverse damage from negative human impacts
  • The presence of natural processes such as major migration corridors or spawning grounds
  • Significant historical, cultural, or spiritual values
  • Particular economic importance to the community

While many see the Gulf Coast as a beautiful place to relax under a palm tree or a place of recreational adventures, many may not know that it is also a very large nursery. Countless species reproduce and use the shallow and warmer waters to raise their young and further populate the coast and deeper waters. This nursing ground is critical to the ocean’s ecosystem health. The Florida Gulf Coast Hope Spot spans from Apalachicola Bay to Ten Thousand Islands, outlined in black on the map below. According to Blue-Green Connections, this expanse of area was selected due to these main features:

  • Elevated limestone that is now covered with quartz-rich sand forming the barrier islands. The underlying bedrock topography defines the orientation of the barrier islands further to the north (Caladesi, Honeymoon, and Anclote), which are situated on a submerged rock ridge.
  • Offshore rocky hard bottoms support an extensive living benthic community which includes the sponges for the Greek sponge diving industry of Tarpon Springs.
  • The Northern Boundary of the Hope Spot contains oyster habitats that are in critical need of protection.
  • The Southern Boundary is the lower point of the large section of Coral Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) and unique Hardy Rocky Bottoms. It also includes an area that sustained a significant impact from both red tide and the possibly related contaminated water from Lake Okeechobee.
  • The Western Boundary was selected to cover the Middle Grounds, EFH and many Blue Holes.

Did you know that about 70% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean? Well, to be specific, it comes from Prochlorococcus and other ocean phytoplankton. Despite their size, these small creatures play a vital role in our global ecosystem. The troubling fact is that phytoplankton levels have been declining due to the warming of the ocean. Other threats to oceans around the world include plastic pollution, overfishing, and climate change. With major threats like these, now is the time to act.

Back in 2019, the Gulf Coast was officially designated as a Hope Spot under Dr. Sylvia Earle’s program, Mission Blue. Dr. Earle is a world-renowned oceanographer who spent her youth here in the Dunedin area, where her passion for ocean conservation grew as she spent time on and in the Gulf Coast. She has accomplished great strides in her lifetime. According to the Australian National Maritime Museum, these great accomplishments include “living underwater for a week, walking the sea floor at a record-breaking depth of 381 meters, and leading over 50 ocean expeditions.” She was also the first female chief scientist for NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A special initiative she created in 2009 was the global Hope Spot program, which has made waves of activism across the world, including right here in Dunedin.

 

Inspired by her work and passion showcased through the documentary Mission Blue, a group of Dunedin residents banded together to take local action. They gain the support of the community, residents, businesses, and establish a partnership with the City of Dunedin to make this designation a reality. The group has since formed a non-profit called, Blue-Green Connections. Their mission is similar to Mission Blue in that they aim to highlight the connectivity of our land and water, our blue and green. As Dr. Earle has famously said, “No water, no life. No blue, no green.” That is an all-encompassing statement defining what environmental protection is – understanding the interconnectivity between our daily lives and the environment, how what we do on land impacts the water and what we do in the water impacts the land. When it comes to our Hope Spot, environmental protection can look different for all of us and be shown in a variety of ways. We can be doing things in and around our waters, such as safe boating practices, respecting marine wildlife, reducing plastic, participating in beach cleanups or oyster restorations. We can also be taking action on land, including reducing emissions by biking and golf carting more, installing solar on our homes, composting, letting only rain down the storm drain, and making more energy efficient choices for our appliances. When we all participate in our own way, we make waves of progress.  

Since its designation, Blue-Green Connections and the City of Dunedin partner to host the annual Hope Spot Festival. This year’s festival is coming up this weekend! Join us on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at Edgewater Park by the marina from 10 AM – 5 PM for a day filled with filled with environmental exhibitors, family-friendly activities, food, music and live animals! The goal is for this event to be the first zero-waste event in Dunedin, so we hope you come out to celebrate and learn with us!

 

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