Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve (EBAP) staff often find interesting flora and fauna while out in the field. This week was no exception. Commonly known as a lightning whelk, Sinistrofulgur perversum, is a type of mollusk or marine snail that can be found throughout Estero Bay. This snail creates a shell that spirals in the opposite direction of other locally found marine snails. Interestingly, it is one of the few left-handed snail species!
The Central Florida Aquatic Preserve (CFAP) team recently installed the Living Waters collection in the Lyonia Environmental Center gallery, in Deltona, Fl.
The Coral Protection and Restoration Program (CPR) continues to administer state and federal funding to implement priority reef management and research objectives.
In December North West Florida Aquatic Preserves staff participated in the annual DEP Northwest District’s Open House.
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.
Sixth graders from Cornerstone Learning came to the Apalachicola Research Reserve from Tallahassee to do a service project. Their school emphasizes stewardship as well as a community outlook. After a brief overview of the Apalachicola watershed, the students took to the trails to scrub signs and clear brush. They definitely left the trails in much better shape for visitors to enjoy.
To encourage visitors to recreate responsibly, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, the GTM Research Reserve (GTMNERR) gave away water bottles to each visitor who completed a brief survey and committed to switching to reusable bottles. These bottles can be filled at one of the reserve’s water bottle refilling stations. This is just one of many steps GTMNERR and the aquatic preserves are taking to promote more sustainable practices.
November 4-6, 2025, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) held an Education Sector Meeting at GTMNERR (GTM Research Reserve). Education coordinators (ECs) from the 30 NERRS across the country spent three days meeting on topics such as the Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) teacher training/professional development program, community partnerships and market analysis/needs assessments.
On Oct. 29, 2025, GTMNERR (GTM Research Reserve) and Guana River Marsh Aquatic Preserve hosted about 70 staff from the DEP Northeast District as part of their team building event.
Guests and staff at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center were in for quite a surprise recently when a Florida black bear was seen (numerous times) wandering through the grounds! One day the bear even stopped to snack from a bird feeder outside the administrative office and literally tore it down before continuing his stroll around the building and back into the woods.