Getting Up Close to Nature at Rookery Bay Estuaries Day

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve celebrated National Estuaries Day on May 4, 2024. The Reserve welcomed the public to their free event where the community could engage with their scientists, educators, and volunteers. 

Compromising 110,00 acres and 40 percent of Collier County’s coastline, Rookery Bay is responsible for managing the wildlife and habitat of Florida’s coasts. Rookery Bay is composed of two organizations; the Research Reserve focuses on research, education, and conservation, while the Friends of Rookery Bay focuses on community building and fundraising. Together they are committed to protecting Southwest Florida’s coastal environment. 

National Estuaries Day serves as a reminder to increase awareness of estuaries and encourage communities to engage in their protection. Rookery Bay invited researchers, educators, and scientists to participate with visitors on the importance of protecting Southwest Florida’s estuaries and coasts. Some of the guests included Jared Franklin, Patrick O’Donnell, and Sara Casareto.

Stewardship Coordinator Jared Franklin spoke about the impact invasive species have on our environment in Southwest Florida. Franklin explained, “With our nice, subtropical climate everything here thrives year-round, so it’s a challenge for us as land managers. We’re working year-round and partnering with other organizations to do our best to keep these species under control and keep our natural environment healthy.”

Patrick O’Donnell, the fisheries biologist at Rookery Bay, shared his experience researching fisheries downstream of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project. O’Donnell surveys and catches different classes of fish and documents how they respond to changing waterflows. “I’ve got two and a half decades worth of pre-restoration data, and as they finish the restoration, I’ll do a post-restoration study,” said O’Donnell. “I’ll use the same protocols to compare the post and pre-restoration project to see how it changed.” By utilizing volunteers as his crew, O’Donnell helps to educate them by showing how to safely handle gear and assisting him with his research. 

Sara Casareto, a Florida International University PhD candidate described her research at the estuary and how it impacts residents. Casareto’s research focuses on the abundance and composition of different shark species that inhabit the reserve. She looks at varying factors such as the salinity of the water and the season. “The reason for my research is because we know the reserve is likely a nursery habitat for four different shark species: the bull shark, lemon shark, blacktip, and bonnet head,” said Casareto. “I’m really interested in what’s driving their habitat use and decision making in the reserve.” By using different chemical analyses, tissue samples, and DNA analysis, Casareto can discover the shark’s food and habitat preferences. It’s important to study and protect sharks because they play a vital role in the food web and in the ecosystem. “Sharks make sure that the whole food web is well balanced, so we don’t have an estuary that’s only filled with algae,” Casareto explains. “Without a healthy ecosystem we wouldn’t have the diversity of species that the estuary is known for. The shark population is important for long term health. We live on a blue planet that’s 70% water; it goes to show that the more we know about our ocean, the more we’re going to know about our planet and how to make sure that we keep everything healthy and well balanced.”

Rookery Bay’s environmental learning center is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The two floors offer plenty to explore with an estuary encounter touch tank, aquariums, art exhibits, cultural exhibits, and a bridge that extends over Henderson Creek followed by a half mile trail. “Kids and adults can interact with all the critters we have in the touch tanks,” said Raquel Herrera, Program Manager for Friends of Rookery Bay. “We usually have dozens working here that can go over all the different wildlife.”

“There’s an art exhibit that we change every two to three months,” Herrera adds. “Right now, it’s a mixed media exhibit that serves as another opportunity for people in the community that may not be wildlife or nature oriented to interact with as well.” 

In addition to the learning center, Rookery Bay offers ecotours with their partner Rising Tide Explorers. “Folks can do boat trips or kayaks, there are all kinds of different ways to get out on the water,” said Curt Witthoff, President of the Friends of Rookery Bay. There are also monthly watercolor and photography classes for members to interact with the research center in creative ways. Rookery Bay’s research center is part of a reciprocal program that consists of over 180 nature centers around the country allowing members here to have access and free admission to all those centers around the states. 

To stay involved with events happening at Rookery Bay Research Reserve check out their website at RookeryBay.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram at Friends of Rookery Bay.