Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on the gulf coast of Florida, the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Reserch Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America.

An amazing world exists within the 110,000 acres of pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters of Rookery Bay. Where rivers and streams meet the sea, a unique habitat is formed. A myriad of wildlife, including 150 species of birds and many threatened and endangered animals, thrive in the estuarine environment and surrounding upland hammocks and scrub found within the Reserve.

The mission of the Reserve is to provide a basis for informed coastal decisions through land management, restoration research and education. The Reserve works in partnership with local communities to promote coastal stewardship.

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA) in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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