Apalachicola NERR Hosts Virtual Estuaries Week for 2020

The Apalachicola NERR welcomes Franklin County to attend Virtual National Estuaries Day this September! As a measure of public safety, National Estuaries Day at the Reserve – which usually draws 800 people – has moved online this year. The mission of National Estuaries Day is to connect people with the estuarine community that supports the life of thousands of species, including us, the humans that live off the bay. Annually in the past, that mission was accomplished by inviting students, families and experts alike to gather in one place for one day to share knowledge about the bay and enthusiasm for its conservation. This year, we are taking the opportunity to expand the scope from just one day at the Apalachicola NERR Nature Center to a whole week around the entire Apalachicola Bay watershed.

What: Virtual Estuaries Week Online Celebration and Remote BioBlitz
When: Virtual Estuaries Week Activities – Sept. 19-26, 2020
Live BioBlitz at St. George Island State Park – Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join us virtually for our celebration of the Estuary beginning on Sept. 19 by visiting our website. There will be video tours, virtual field experiences, downloadable/printable activity sheets, and a weeklong digital BioBlitz that you can participate in by downloading the ‘iNaturalist’ app or ‘Seek by iNaturalist’ and uploading any species you find around the whole Reserve!

For details about the apps:

• Seek by iNaturalist
• iNaturalist

Click here to check up on the status of the BioBlitz.

There will be one day of in-person activities on Saturday, Sept. 26. Registration on Eventbrite will be required in advance (Click here to register). The event will take place at St. George Island State Park from 9 a.m to 3 p.m., but your group’s participation in all activities will only take about two hours. Groups of no more than 10 people will visit three stations. Proper precautions following CDC guidelines will be in place, including a hand-washing and hand sanitizer station, social distancing, and mask enforcement for staff and participants. There will be 15 minutes between groups to clean and sanitize any equipment as necessary. During visits to each of the stations, participants will be able to receive coaching in using the Seek app and be provided with opportunities to find and identify species in three distinct habitats on St. George Island. The event is free, but participants will need to pay admission fees at the State Park entrance.