Van Morrison’s song “Tupelo Honey” contains the line “You can’t stop us ‘cause our eyes can see.” In the case of tupelo honey, we might add “’ cause our tongues can taste.” Tupelo trees and honey were featured in Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve’s second summer spotlight. Several visitors took part in a blended honey vs. tupelo blind taste test. The results were clear.
Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center recently welcomed a group from STARability Foundation’s Trailblazer Academy, a program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The group enjoyed a personalized tour with volunteer CJ Deal, a retired educator and a current bowling coach with Southwest Florida’s Special Olympics.
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.
On Saturday, May 2nd, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve welcomed nearly 900 community members to the 2026 Rookery Bay Community Day. This family-friendly event was dedicated to celebrating the connection between people and the coastal environment. It was a picture-perfect day filled with smiling kids, families and hands-on fun throughout the Environmental Learning Center grounds.
The training and engagement team at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve have finished distributing educational items ahead of sea turtle nesting season, which began earlier this month. Staff member Svetlana Vikhlyantseva visited several vacation rental companies with properties on St. George Island to provide items that help visitors and rental occupants understand more about the local coastal ecosystem.
On April 16, Stephanie Stinson from the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) participated in the Palm Beach State College Earth Day event. The CRCP team educated students on coral reef conservation efforts local to Palm Beach and throughout the state.
Four students from Yale University, Nico Theunissen, Isabella Chiaravalloti, Mingyu Zhang and Rocco D'Ascanio, recently visited Rookery Bay Research Reserve to study the Fruit Farm Creek mangrove restoration site. Guided by Research Coordinator Nerea Ubierna and Stewardship Coordinator Jared Franklin, the team explored both the land and surrounding waters to better understand how the restored mangroves are functioning.
On March 18, a group of 20 students from Miami University (Ohio) traveled from Jacksonville Zoo to the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) as part of their Regional Ecology class. Training and Engagement Program Coordinator Anita Grove and Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley met with the group to discuss the Apalachicola River and Bay and its watershed.
The staff of Oklawaha River AP had an amazing turnout this weekend at Silver Springs State Park’s annual two-day Springs Fest. Over 1,000 guests visited ORAP staff in the Discovery Center to touch and learn about native and invasive species found in their local springs. The turtles were the star of the show as always.
Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserves (NWFLAP) staff recently planted a living shoreline project with the help of local students from Washington High School. These students are part of our Grasses to Classes program where they learn about living shorelines and care for three different species of salt marsh plants throughout the school year.