Canoeing Rookery Bay
We can hear the rookery long before
we see it. The shrill piping of nestlings mingles with the hoarser
calls of the adult birds, creating an odd counterpo int.
The sound rises and falls as we work our way through the watery
paths of the mangrove forest. Red mangroves crowd our canoe on every
side, their roots spreading outward. We have lost our way more than
once, paddling up watery cul-de-sacs that force us to back-track.
Our trail is so winding, our progress so slow that I am tempted
to stand up in the canoe and look over the tops of the mangroves
trees. Not a good idea, my guide warns. Besides, we're almost there.
I peer into the shadowy root systems of the trees, looking for mangrove
crabs. An amazing world exists in Rookery Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve. This 12,500-acre reserve was created through the
combined efforts of the National Audubon Society, The Conservancy
Inc. and The Nature Conservancy. Funded by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department
of Environmental
Protection, Rookery Bay protects one of the few remaining
mangrove estuaries in North America.
The tangled labyrinth of its mangrove
forest is not a prison but
Water, Water Everywhere
but how much can you drink? Sometimes it seems like Florida
is nothing but water. Lakes, rivers, wetlands, hardwood swamps,
seashores. All kinds of water. But potable (or drinkable)
water is another story. The concentration of people on Florida's
coasts, and especially on barrier islands, is a tremendous
drain on water resources. That's a particular concern on the
coast, because if the fresh water gets drawn down, saltwater
can move in, ruining drinking supplies.
What you
can do:
Outside
- Irrigate your lawn and
landscape only when they need water.
- Use rain-sensitive turn-off
devices and micro-irrigation to help conserve water.
- Leave your grass long
(3 inches for St. Augustine and Bahia grasses) to encourage
a stronger, more drought-tolerant root system.
- Landscape with low-maintenance
native plants that require little or no watering, fertilizers
and pesticides.
- Abide by water restrictions
set by your city or county during drought times.
Inside
- Install low-flow shower
heads and reduce water use by up to 75 percent.
- Run only full loads in
the washer and dishwasher.
- Fix dripping faucets.
- Don't let the water run
while brushing your teeth.
Community
- Support community water
conservation measures.
- Make sure your local comprehensive
plan supports water for both people and natural resources.
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a protected enclosure, safeguarding
crabs and shellfish, juvenile
mullet, snapper, tarpon and snook. Most of the fish and shellfish
we like to catch and eat spend part of their lives either in the
coastal marshes of north Florida or in the mangrove forests that
line the estuaries of southern Florida. They thrive here in the
nutrient-rich waters created by the red mangroves, one of the few
trees that can grow with its feet wet most of the time. Two other
varieties of mangroves grow in Florida, too. The black mangroves
generally start where the reds leave off, occupying slightly higher
elevations and surrounding themselves with little finger-like roots
that stick up out of the soil. White mangroves sit farther back
still, with no visible root system. I'M told that manatees are frequent
visitors to the shallow waters among the mangroves, but we aren't
lucky enough to see them today. We do see ospreys, though, gliding
by on silent wings. And then, quite suddenly, we break into open
water and I see the rookery. More than 150 species of birds frequent
the reserve, and I'D swear every one of them was in the mangroves
ahead of me. There are white ibises and brown pelicans. I spot great
egrets and a few snowys, their plumage showing a brilliant white.
As eager as I am to see them close up, we keep our distance so as
not to disturb the nests. If the adults feel threatened, they may
abandon their nests, leaving eggs or young hatchelings behind. Cormorants
congregate around the bottom of the trees and dozens of gulls soar
overhead looking for scraps dropped by busy bird parents. It's amazing
that any of them can find their own nests, but they don't seem to
waver, flying in one after another to drop breakfast into eager
beaks. Rookeries like this one used to be common in the mangrove
forests that ringed the estuarine systems of southern Florida. Today,
they are all too few. Dredging of rivers and coastal inlets, development
and other human activities such as mangrove trimming and removal
have damaged or destroyed these precious systems all over the state.
The Trouble
with Exotics
Florida is an unwilling host to hundreds of exotic (non-native)
plants and animals. Some of these invaders can cause serious
damage to native landscapes. Because they aren't native to
Florida, they sometimes have no natural enemies, no checks
and balances. They grow quickly, pushing out native plants,
destroying ecosystems and drinking up water supplies. The
worst of the exotics— plants like Australian Pine and Brazilian
Pepper—are no longer sold in Florida. Unfortunately, they
are already so widespread that they are doing serious damage
to remaining coastal ecosystems. Australian Pine is the worst
coastal offender. Of the approximately 60 miles of remaining
undeveloped coastline between Pasco and Collier counties on
the state's Gulf Coast, more than 20 miles are heavily invaded
by Australian Pine. The situation is even worse on the Atlantic
coast. They not only displace native vegetation, provide no
food for wildlife. Their shallow root systems take over dune
systems and disturb nesting habitats of shorebirds, sea turtles
and American crocodiles.
What you
can do:
- Don't plant exotic species
on your property. If they're already there, dig them up
and replace them with native plants.
- Encourage local and state
governments to remove exotics and replant areas with native
species.
- Support local ordinances
for removing exotics.
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As we head back I watch a squadron
of pelicans fly serenely past, their wingbeats in perfect unison.
Will my grandchildren have the chance to see ospreys, bald eagles
and roseate spoonbills in the wild? The public and private partners
involved in preserving Rookery Bay are working to make sure they
will. I can only hope their efforts - and those of many other dedicated
conservationists throughout Florida - will be enough.
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