Fall into Action at GTM NERR
Located in St. Johns County, the Guana Tolomato Matanzas
National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR) is an outdoor
opportunity for visitors to learn the important role that
estuaries have in the overall scheme of Florida’s
ecosystems. The salt marshes, sand dunes and maritime
hammock within the Reserve expand out from the coastal
shores of the Atlantic Ocean’s blue-green salty waters
across roughly 60,000 acres.
Visitors to the Reserve can participate in a variety of
programs and hands-on activities designed for all ages.
Nature movies are a favorite weekend event with a variety of
topics that have included the giant endangered leatherback
turtle, Northern right whale, the giant tortoise of the
Galapagos and Florida’s gentle giant - the manatee.
Brown bag lunch lectures have taken participants on
virtual journeys outside of Florida to explore the volcanoes
of Costa Rica, romp with the bears of Alaska, swim with the
Hawaiian Islands humpback whale and study the unique
wildlife that inhabit the West Indies.
Upcoming brown bag topics include:
September 7: Florida Butterflies & the Plants They Love
October 5: Southern Africa
November 2: Sea Turtle Season Recap
December 7: Bald Eagles
For those looking for a more in-depth understanding of
Florida’s estuaries, the Reserve offers a Coastal Training
Program which focuses on issues such as coastal habitat
conservation and restoration, biodiversity, water quality
and sustainable resource management.
Kayaking tours are a great way to explore the estuarine
water and landscapes and are offered several times a year in
and around the Reserve – a great way to see herons, egrets,
osprey and other estuary-dependent species that inhabit the
area.
And with the fall weather just around the corner, a hike
or guided bike tour through the Reserve’s upland trail
systems offers yet another way to enjoy the exceptional
flora and fauna and diverse ecosystems found within the
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve
– one of Florida’s east coast treasures.
Outstanding educational and recreational activities can
also be found in Florida’s other two Reserves – the
Apalachicola NERR, located in Franklin and Gulf counties,
offers both land and boat-based field trips in and around
the 246,000-acre Reserve that protects one of the most
productive estuary systems in the Northern Hemisphere, the
Apalachicola Bay.
At the southern end of the State in Collier County, the
Rookery Bay NERR offers water trips to learn about the areas
estuarine and coastal ecosystems amidst one of the few
undisturbed mangrove estuaries remaining in North America.
Breathtaking vistas can be observed while kayaking through
the 10,000 islands and bird aficionados can experience a
real treat watching the thousands of birds that fly in to
roost each evening during the fall migration underway for
the next two months.
For more information on research, education and
recreational opportunities at each of these NERRs, visit
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/
programs/nerrs.htm.
