The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded a $294,198 grant to scientists at New College of Florida to fund the restoration of mangrove habitat on Tidy Island. Tidy is a partially developed peninsula in Sarasota Bay and possesses the most extensive mangrove habitat remaining in the bay. The three-year grant centers on the removal of invasive plants in ditches that are important habitats for fish and other marine life. The project’s goal is to identify the best ways to restore mangrove habitats, so that future projects in Florida and elsewhere will be optimal for both mangroves and marine life. The lead investigators on the grant are Brad Oberle and Jayne Gardiner, both assistant professors of biology at New College.