Peter Seffert

Nominated by his wife, Julia

I am Julia Hanlon Seyffert. My husband, Peter Seyffert is my hero for his over 30 natural habitats in water gardens all over Sarasota and Manatee counties. Since 2001, Peter has created beautiful, chemical-free habitats for Japanese Koi, goldfish, and bottom feeding plecostamus fish. By adding ponds to our region, we have reclaimed habitats for neighboring native species of frogs, toads, dragonflies, and sustained numerous other animals. Our clients' ponds provide clean water for birds as well as refreshment for raccoons and a home for other backyard pets, such as that pet turtle who may have outgrown his aquarium. Children love all the small animal life that is supported by our healthy ponds. It is a perfect environment for teaching them about the circle of life and a fun place to enjoy the subtle seasonal changes we enjoy in Florida. The serenity that is nurtured in a water garden gives everyone relaxation and rejuvenation. Air quality in a backyard is greatly improved by the addition of a water garden.

In addition to creating natural ponds, Peter is also successful at revitalizing problematic retention ponds. Traditional treatment for these algae magnets has included massive doses of herbicides which not only kill the algae, but all the other plants, and much of the animal life. Plant matter that dies from these treatments not only adds to the scum in the bottom of a retention pond, but contributes to the next round of nitrates caused by the decayed matter, thus feeding the algae for the following season. Mechanical removal of the scum from a pond bottom makes the problem and the pond deeper.

Natural wetlands are the filters of clean water systems along our waterways. Plants along shorelines use the runoff nutrients and prevent the algae from receiving this food and flourishing. So we are both excited about offering constructed wetlands adjacent to retention ponds. In this process we place a wet well into the retention pond to pump the water up into the constructed wetland. There the water is filtered through a basin of rocks into a garden of nutrient hungry plants such as papyrus, cattails, Thalia, rushes, and many others. From that new wetland the water returns into the pond via waterfall or stream and the nutrients that formerly fed the algae are now feeding a greater variety of beautiful plants, turning a retention pond into a beautiful thing throughout the year, whatever the seasonal water level. And the affect on the aquifer below is that cleaner water goes into these sources for well water, improving what flows out of our faucets.

Peter creates an ecosystem that actually improves water quality instead of destroying it. Through the wetland creation he can turn a retention pond nightmare into a pond clean enough for stocking edible fish. We plan to create such a system in our new backyard that will only take up about 2000 square feet. Sustainability for us means we will have organically fed Tilapia at our doorstep this summer. And, for larger ponds, the possibilities include creating swimming holes for a chlorine free cool-off in the summer.

Cleaning up our aquifers ultimately will have an affect on our bays along the Florida coast line. Peter's vision of cleaning up local waters has been carried out through Aquarian Quest, Inc. This educational, non-profit organization, founded by Joe Jacobson, Robert Killian and Peter Seyffert, along with dozens of other folks along the five year history, has made great strides encouraging young people to be good stewards of our Mother Earth. AQ teaches marine science, local coastal history, and traditional navigation aboard classic wooden sailing vessels during a three hour field trip for kids of all ages. AQ provides an excellent hands-on learning experience that focuses on earth stewardship. The fragility of the ecosystems along our coastline is shown to participants by testing the water quality, viewing fresh plankton, fish and invertebrates, and experiencing the wind on the water aboard a tall ship.

As a professional charter captain in Europe, Peter grew to love the sea and the life it supports. Peter is a "triple Cancer", for those of you familiar with astrology, this means he loves the water three ways: out in the gulf, in our backyard ponds and, ultimately, for our own healthy consumption. So, for Peter and I, sustaining clean water wherever it exists is all about education, cooperating with nature and committing to our future, our young people. You can contact us at Creative Aquascapes at 351-2591.