Pedestrian Bridge

The new pedestrian bridge was installed today at Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. The bridge will lead visitors from the second floor of the center across Henderson Creek to a proposed interpretive trail, scheduled to open to the public by Thanksgiving. The bridge was funded with a NOAA grant and matched by funds from the State of Florida. A helicopter hired by the bridge manufacturer was seen and heard circling over the area as it captured the installation on film. The center portion of the bridge has a free span of 75 feet, designed to minimize impact on vessel navigation on the creek.

Helping Least Terns Nest in Peace

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), has again seasonally closed a small, 3.5 acre area on the south end of Keewaydin Island to provide least terns (Sterna antillarum) with a place to nest and raise young. These birds are listed as a Threatened Species in Florida.

June Update: 12 least tern nests are currently active at the south end of Keewaydin Island.

Guided Kayak Tours

Join a Rookery Bay naturalist for a two-hour guided exploration of the bays and mangrove forests of Rookery Bay. Discover the unique plants and animals that make this coastal ecosystem so valuable. Tours are offered Wednesdays from 9 am – 11 am. Trip limited to 10 participants age 12+. Cost $35.00 ($30.00 FORB Members) Pre-registration required: click here or call 239-417-6310.

Watercolors by Kathy Spalding

Created Exclusively for the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center Exhibit Kathy Spalding limited edition Giclee prints, posters and notecards, individually captured from the Continuum Watercolor that graces the Environmental Learning Center are now available.

view more