The Big Pine Key Library recently traded quiet reading corners for garden soil as local home-school students gathered for a special “Mangrove Propagule” educational event. Hosted by the Florida Keys Aquatic Preserves team, in partnership with the nonprofit Coastlove, students worked on potting their own little mangroves while learning all about their importance in the environment.

Noah Singer, Ecosystem Assessment Specialist, and Robin Sarabia, AP Manager, of the Florida Keys Aquatic Preserve, met with representatives from SeaBase and SeaCamp to initiate the beginning stages of a partnership with both the organizations. These organizations host camp and school groups throughout the year to provide marine science-based activities to children of all ages.

Welcome to Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve, a stunning and ecologically rich sanctuary in the heart of the Florida Keys. Spanning 6,700 acres, this aquatic preserve is home to vibrant seagrass meadows, deep-water channels and diverse marine habitats that provide vital nursery areas for fish, invertebrates and wading birds.