Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve

Apalachicola River & Floodplain Exploration
2024-03-08 12:30 - 16:00, 2024-04-05 12:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
The Apalachicola River has been called “the Lifeblood of the Bay.” Come learn about the ecology, culture, and history of the Apalachicola River and floodplain, and the impact interstate relationships play in the control of the river. After the in-class portion, we will embark on a journey up the river aboard the ANERR research vessel Henry Lee to get an up-close look at some of the floodplain ecosystems and distributaries of the river.
This class is free, however reservations are required.
https://AnerrRiverClass2024.eventbrite.com
The purpose of this class is to help residents of Franklin and neighboring counties understand the value of this connected ecosystem. Participants will learn about the ecology, culture, and history of the Apalachicola River and floodplain, as well as the Bay to come to appreciate the impact of these systems. After the in-class portion, participants will embark on a journey up the river aboard the Reserve’s research vessel to get an up-close look at some of the floodplain ecosystems and distributaries of the river.
Please Note:
*This trip will require moderate walking and climbing in and out of a boat.*
*This class is intended for adult education purposes, so we kindly ask that people registering be 16 years or older.
*If you have taken this class before, please withhold from making reservations allowing others a chance to learn.*
Tickets for the class are free but must be claimed in advance by registering on eventbrite. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Alicia Bruno (850)670-7710 Alicia.Bruno@FloridaDep.gov.

Apalachicola Estuary Exploration
2024-03-15 12:30 - 16:00, 2024-04-19 12:30 - 16:00 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Join us to explore the estuary we depend on, Apalachicola Bay and its connected ecosystem. Learn about the habits and creatures that make up our estuary and how the river and bay are intricately linked. We will see these habitats up close aboard the Reserve’s research vessel the Henry Lee. This class is free; however, reservations are required.
https://AnerrEstuaryClass2024.eventbrite.com
The purpose of this class is to help residents of Franklin and neighboring counties understand the value of this connected ecosystem. Participants will learn about the ecology, culture, and history of the Apalachicola River and floodplain, as well as the Bay to come to appreciate the impact of these systems. After the in-class portion, participants will embark on a journey up the river aboard the Reserve’s research vessel to get an up-close look at some of the floodplain ecosystems and distributaries of the river.
Please Note:
*This trip will require moderate walking and climbing in and out of a boat.*
*This class is intended for adult education purposes, so we kindly ask that people registering be 16 years or older.
*If you have taken this class before, please withhold from making reservations allowing others a chance to learn.*
Tickets for the class are free but must be claimed in advance by registering on eventbrite. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Alicia Bruno (850)670-7710 Alicia.Bruno@FloridaDep.gov.

Bay Friendly Landscaping
2024-03-19 13:00 - 14:30, 2024-04-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Yard design and maintenance can have a big effect on adjacent water bodies. Participants in this workshop will learn about resources to help them transform their inefficient yard into a luscious bay conscious landscape. The class will also feature information on innovative Green Infrastructure techniques such as rain gardens, green roofs, and bio-swales. Come find out how to be good to the bay and reduce the time you spend on maintenance!
Please register for the class in advance:
https://AnerrLandscaping2024.eventbrite.com
For information call or email Anita Grove at (850) 670-7708 Anita.Grove@FloridaDEP.gov

Sci-Cafe: Prescribed Fire Use in Land Management
2024-03-28 15:00 - 16:00 | GoToWebinar, online
The use of prescribed fire for ecosystem health and wildfire prevention is an important land management tool. Megan Lamb, the Reserve’s Stewardship Coordinator, will discuss the benefits of fire and the historical fire landscape in the southeast United States. She will talk about the role of fire in the Reserve’s coastal managed areas, and discuss considerations going into the management goals for each managed area and how staff are able to apply prescribed fires. She will use two specific managed areas, Nick’s Hole and Little St. George, as case studies to explain management goals, fire history, and monitoring fire effects at each of these sites.
Registration Link

Oyster Ecology
2024-04-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Learn about the role oysters play in the health of Apalachicola Bay. Discover what makes the bay so ideal for growing oysters, what gives our oysters their distinct flavor, and how oyster bars benefit the ecosystem. We will also look at what possibly made the oysters collapse and what is being done to restore them to Apalachicola Bay. After spending some time in the classroom, participants will get the chance look at its these creatures under a microscope. This class is full of opportunities to learn more about the animals that live in our bay and along the tidal flats.
Registration is free but required.
https://AnerrOysters2024.eventbrite.com

Living Shoreline Training
2024-04-11 08:30 - 2024-04-12 16:30 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Learn the details of how to permit and install living shorelines. This course is aimed at marine contractors, landscape architects, property owners, and all others interested in promoting living shorelines. The course will be held Thursday and Friday April 11th and 12th 8:30 am-4:30 pm at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Drive in Eastpoint, FL 32328
To Register:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/772559334767?aff=oddtdtcreator
$50 includes course registration, manual, refreshments, and lunches. Course is in person and consists of classroom and living shoreline field site time.
CEUs available from: Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board, Society for Ecological Restoration Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner Program, and the Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association
Instructors include Rick O’Connor (Florida Sea Grant), Zachary Schang (FL Dept. of Environmental Protection), Holly Millsap (US Army Corps of Engineers), and others.
For more information contact Rick O’Connor at roc1@ufl.edu or Anita.Grove@FloridaDEP.gov

Reserve Wednesday - Mangrove Expansion into Northern Florida: Freezing Temperatures and Nutrient Availability
2024-04-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Rachel Biton, researcher at Florida State University’s Coastal and Marine Lab, will be presenting on her investigation into regional-scale differences in mangrove structure and composition in the context of freezing air temperatures and nutrient availability at an expanding range limit in northern Florida.

Navigate the Waters of Resistance: Studying Marronage Through Underwater Archaeology at Prospect Bluff
2024-04-25 15:00 - 16:00 | GoToWebinar, online
Discover how archaeologists navigate the waters of resistance. This discussion will unravel the hidden narratives of Maroons—those who sought freedom from slavery in remote and often inaccessible locations. While highlighting the historical significance of Marronage in Florida, it will also showcase the methodologies and technologies employed by underwater archaeologists to unearth and preserve these submerged stories. Bria Brooks, is working on her Master’s at University of West Florida. Her research highlights the stories and legacies of Prospect Bluff’s 19th-century Maroon community. To register go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8328742744642034013. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Estuaries Day 2024
2024-05-03 13:30 - 17:30 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Join us for Estuaries Day at the Apalachicola NERR Nature Center! We’ll be celebrating yet another year of our fabulous Apalachicola Bay!
Estuaries Day flyer 2024

Reserve Wednesday: Mangrove Expansion in Apalachicola Bay - An Aerial Perspective
2024-05-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Jenny Bueno, researcher with the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, explores the expansion of mangrove trees in the Apalachicola Bay, driven by warmer winter temperatures. Using aerial imagery and classification techniques, their research assesses how quickly they are expanding in this region. They are also investigating the spatial distribution of mangrove species and their responses to freeze events, captured through drones.
Drone Photo of Mangroves at Pilots Cove on St. George Island

NOAA/National Weather Service Boater's Workshop
2024-05-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Attention Boaters! Interested in safely navigating the waters and being prepared for hazardous weather? Join us for a free educational workshop sponsored by NOAA and the National Weather Service on Saturday, May 18th from 10:00am-12:00pm at the Reserve. Topics will include precision navigation, nautical charts, marine forecasting and weather warnings.

People of the Apalachicola: A Community-Driven Archaeology Project
2024-05-23 15:00 - 16:00 | GoToWebinar, online
During the 2024 year, a team of archaeologists from the University of West Florida and the Florida Public Archaeology Network are collaborating with the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve to explore the over 12,000 years of human history embedded along the Apalachicola system. Nicole Grinnan, M.A., RPA Public Archaeologist and Interim Executive Director of the Florida Public Archaeology Network will discuss the integration of digital modeling, heritage sites recording, and community engagement in and around the Reserve, the project seeks to identify how people, past and present, use and value resources in the Apalachicola system. This presentation will briefly explore Apalachicola-area history and heritage, highlighting the ways in which archaeological sites are at risk from climate change impacts. Especially important to the discussion is how engaged communities can play a critical role in the long-term preservation of local heritage!
To register please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7771598212615778396. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.

Turtle Talk Tuesday at the Reserve
2024-06-04 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-06-11 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-06-18 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-06-25 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-02 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-09 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-16 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-07-23 14:00 - 15:00 and 4 more dates | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Visit the Reserve this summer to learn all about our nesting sea turtles. After a presentation on sea turtle biology, our conservation and monitoring program, and ways local residents and visitors can make the beaches welcoming to nesting turtles, Reserve staff and members of the St. George Island Volunteer Turtle Patrol will be on hand to answer all your turtle questions! This air-conditioned event is a wonderful chance to learn more about sea turtles and is great for anyone visiting the area alone or with family.
This event is expected to reach capacity, we recommend arriving early.

Sci-Cafe Investigating Hydrologic Alteration as a Driver of Shifting Forest Species Composition in the Apalachicola River Floodplain
2024-07-25 15:00 - 16:00 | GoToWebinar, online
River floodplains and the vegetation within provide critical services such as water filtration and nutrient balancing, flood mitigation, habitat, raw materials, food, and recreation. Globally, many rivers have experienced alterations to their natural flows which affects vegetation species distributions throughout floodplains and the services they provide. Our speaker, John Tracy, has spent the last four years investigating how trees around the Apalachicola River have responded to changes in flood patterns and how their regenerative strategies explain observed changes in forest types which have ecological implications within the floodplain and downstream in the bay. John is a member of the multi-disciplined team organized by the Apalachicola Riverkeeper to restore floodplain connectivity around the Apalachicola River. He will receive his PhD in ecological restoration from the University of Florida in August, and he now works as a research associate at Louisiana State University studying species composition dynamics within the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley.
To register go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/568634868068235607 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar.

Inter-Tidally United
2024-09-06 09:00 - 11:00 | St George Island State Park, 1900 East Gulf Beach Drive, St George Island, FL, 32328, United States
Join us for a guided coastal walk at Rattlesnake Cove in St. George Island State Park. The Florida Public Archaeology Network- FPAN will lead interpretive program about Native American shell middens, the shifting of barrier islands, why archaeology is important and to discuss the monitoring of sites that are listed under the Florida Master Site File. The program is free with your paid entrance to the park and will take place on the bayside near Rattlesnake Cove. ANERR staff will also be on hand to answer questions about current oyster habitat and aquaculture. To register go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inter-tidally-united-tickets-990669468047?aff=oddtdtcreator. Questions call Barbara Clark (850) 270-7556 or email barbaraaclark@uwf.edufpan.us. Accessibility Information: This program consists of a moderate hike on pavement and sand. Wheelchair access is limited, but please contact FPAN or the state park to arrange for accommodations. It is outdoors, so drinking water, bug protection, and sun protection are advised.

GulfTree Decision Support Search Engine Workshop
2024-09-16 09:00 - 15:00 | Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, 108 Island Dr., Eastpoint, FL, 32328, United States
Join us September 17th for an in person workshop on the GulfTree decision-support search engine. GulfTree was designed to help planners and decision makers confidently identify the best climate tool for their needs. The workshop will familiarize participants with how Gulf TREE can assist them in finding appropriate climate tools for a specific project needs. Also, participants will learn how to narrow down search results to find relevant climate tool matches. There will also be practice case-study scenarios to learn how to apply Gulf TREE search functions to real world scenarios and local examples. To register to go: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gulftree-training-workshop-tickets-1004732681497
