Registration has just opened for Rookery Bay Research Reserve’s popular Student Institute for Marine Science Camp (SIMS). Now in its 20th year, SIMS gives students entering grades 7–10 the chance to explore Southwest Florida’s coastal habitats alongside real biologists from Rookery Bay.
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) hosted its annual Spring TOTE (Teachers on the Estuary) professional development training in partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation. GTMNERR also partnered with Awareness and Appreciation Coordinator Maya Bhalla-Ladd from the Coral Reef Conservation Program to debut a new set of educational lessons teachers will soon be able to reserve and take into the classroom.
A decade and a half after Franklin Fifth graders first started planting a living shoreline at ANERR. It is exciting to see that the plant formerly known as Spartina alterniflora (smooth chordgrass) is flourishing. The most recent classes to visit and plant Spartina alterniflora dug into the sand and dug into the data with equal enthusiasm.
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.
On this wonderful adventure our education team took a local group of high schoolers from EdCorp out to St George Island State Park. There they investigated Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) and natural oyster ecosystems. The goal for the students was to be able to identify what species are living inside or on top of oysters and what is the “big deal” about oysters. Looking for and counting spat numbers on the oysters was a big hit.
Rookery Bay Volunteer Orlando Hidalgo recently captured special moments of a bald eagle mother caring for her juvenile in the nest and in flight. The young eagle was observed being fed and preened by its parent and later shadowing her in the air to learn hunting and survival skills. Juvenile bald eagles look dramatically different from the iconic white-headed adults.
On Feb. 16, 2026, the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves (IRLAP) staff attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for St. Lucie County’s Oxbow Eco Center Palmetto Pavilion. With the new outdoor classroom, outreach and educational programs will be able to take place in a larger space. The county administrator, commissioners, Environmental Resources Department staff and many children were on hand for the event. Located near the North Fork St.
Rookery Bay’s popular Lunch & Learn series continued its successful streak last week. The Environmental Learning Center auditorium was a full house for “Living with Bears in Southwest Florida.” This second program in the 2026 Birds, Bears and Bees series featured Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Bear Biologist Chris Boyce.
The Central Florida Aquatic Preserve (CFAP) team recently installed the Living Waters collection in the Lyonia Environmental Center gallery, in Deltona, Fl.