Message From The Manager

Along with the Guana Buffer Preserve, the Guana River Marsh Aquatic Preserve serves as the hub and headquarters of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR). The estuary and uplands of the Guana River has been a valued resource for centuries of human populations with many changes taking place over time. While the look of a place may change, what we endeavor to find is how resilient this estuarine ecosystem is in maintaining what we truly value — habitat for wildlife, healthy fisheries and natural areas for public recreation. 

At the Guana River Marsh Aquatic Preserve, we are fortunate to have a local community that is passionate about the preservation of the Aquatic Preserve, as well as the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM Research Reserve) as a whole. With their help and the hard work of our staff, I am excited to continuing our investment in research, stewardship, education and recreation opportunities that support the management of the preserve.

Sincerely, 

Matthew Bernanke