FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2018

CONTACT: Renee Wilson, 239-530-5958, renee.wilson@dep.state.fl.us

Rookery Bay Research Reserve Will Collaborate with University Partners on Two Grants

~Grant funds awarded to Duke University and USF will address ecosystem services and habitat changes in Southwest Florida~

Mangroves make up roughly 36,000 of Rookery Bay Research Reserve's 110,000 acres 

NAPLES, Fla. – Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve announces new collaborations with Duke University and the University of South Florida (USF) to conduct research on Rookery Bay lands and waters. The projects are supported by two National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative catalyst grants of $114,000 to Duke University and $182,000 to USF.

“These projects will provide important information about ecosystem services and habitat changes to support protection and restoration of coastal habitats,” said Keith Laakkonen, Rookery Bay Research Reserve director.

The USF project will use high-resolution satellite imagery and advanced-processing techniques to map habitats throughout the research reserve’s 110,000 acres. This will provide detailed maps to help staff determine how habitats have changed from one year to the next, or over longer periods of time. The maps also can inform habitat restoration projects and management actions to enhance resiliency in other locations.  

“Newer, high-resolution maps of coastal wetlands will help assess habitat loss, recovery from hurricanes and shifts in marine and coastal vegetation resulting from sea-level rise,” Laakkonen said.

The Duke University project will develop a new tool to help determine the value of ecosystem services provided by the coastal environment. These services include food production, nutrient cycling, oxygen production, aesthetic and recreational benefits and more. This tool will help coastal managers and community leaders identify and promote these values that help sustain and strengthen the local economy, particularly in relation to tourism and recreation.

Both projects are scheduled to begin September 2018 and continue through August 2019.

About Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, designated in 1978, encompasses 110,000 acres of coastal lands and waters and is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Office in partnership with NOAA. Its mission is to provide a basis for informed stewardship of estuaries in Southwest Florida through research and education. For more information, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal, www.nerrs.noaa.gov or www.rookerybay.org.