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ROOKERY BAY
ROOKERY BAY RESERVE HOSTS USFWS MANGROVE WORKSHOP
MANGROVE PROFESSIONALS CONVENE
TO DISCUSS RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
R ookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Bay Reserve director Keith Laakkonen.“Our collective efforts
hosted a workshop for nearly forty mangrove to better understand mangrove ecology and response to
scientists and other professionals on December environmental stressors can help guide research, restoration,
8-9. Organized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at and management efforts in the reserve, and statewide.”
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the purpose of
the workshop was to discuss mangrove conservation and The workshop included meetings and presentations
research efforts of significance to Florida and regional followed by a field trip to the mangrove restoration and
mangrove systems. research site called Fruit Farm Creek, off State Road 29 near
Goodland.The group evaluated the progress of the restoration
Mangrove forests are important habitat for fish, shrimp efforts that got underway in 2012.
and crabs, and thus an important food source for many
seabirds and wading birds in Florida, and also larger fish The Mangrove Working Group, which was established at
of commercial and recreational importance. Rookery Bay the inaugural workshop in 2014, also includes the National
Reserve protects more than 26,000 acres of mangrove forest Park Service, South Florida Water Management District,
considered to be among the most pristine tracts remaining University of South Florida, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation
in the United States. Dozens of independent studies of Foundation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
mangroves have taken place in the reserve. Commission, and U.S. Geologic Survey. Rookery Bay
Reserve and group partners have been working cooperatively
“Rookery Bay Reserve is a living laboratory,”said Rookery on priority projects identified at the first meeting.
70 Life in Naples | February 2016
