Rookery Bay Reserve, Florida

Education

The primary focus of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s education program is on-the-water trips that emphasize estuarine and coastal ecology. These typically involve local high school and college marine science or environmental studies classes, with occasional visits by local middle schools. The objective of these programs is to help students gain first-hand knowledge about the coastal environment.

Community outreach is another priority for the education department. Reserve staff provides environmental education programs to libraries, schools, service clubs and a variety of civic organizations. Public training events include classes that offer certification through the Florida Master Naturalist Program. Informational brochures are distributed to the public, and a quarterly newsletter is published. Other collateral materials include fact sheets titled Finding Solutions and printed summaries of Coastal Zone Management Workshops.