Rookery BAY national estuarine research RESERVE project description the rookery BAY national estuarine research RESERVE (RESERVE) was designated in 1978 and is located on the southwest coast of florida

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $1,258,525 to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) under the Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves program (CFDA 11.420) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This award funds comprehensive operations, research, monitoring, education, communication, training, and stewardship activities at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, located on Florida's southwest coast. The funding supports ten full-time and part-time personnel positions within FDEP, including business, stewardship, facilities, and administrative staff, as well as partially funds five contracted positions through Florida International University (GIS Coordinator, Training and Engagement Coordinator and Specialist, System-Wide Monitoring Program Technician and Assistant) and five other personnel services positions (maintenance mechanic, aquarist, marine mechanic, avian specialist, and fire specialist).

The Reserve will deliver key outputs including annual reports on 312 findings from its 2025 evaluation and semi-annual reports on evaluation metrics, while advancing coastal land management initiatives that serve as stewardship models for other organizations. These operational and research services support NOAA's mission to establish and maintain National Estuarine Research Reserves as natural field laboratories for coastal ecosystem monitoring, research, and public education. Federal funding of $880,967 from this award will be supplemented by state budget support for certain FIU-contracted positions to enhance overall program delivery.

The RESERVE is administered by the florida department of environmental protection (DEP) submitting this application for 2025 funds to support operations, research and monitoring, education, communication, training, and stewardship activities from october 1, 2025, through september 30, 2027, DEP is requesting $880,967 which will fund the following positions: five (5) full time equivalent (FTE) employees: business consultant, stewardship specialist, facilities specialist, administrative assistant, and facilities coordinator and partially fund five (5) florida international university contracted positions: the GIS coordinator; training and engagement coordinator and specialist; system-wide monitoring program (SWMP) technician, and SWMP assistant; and five (5) other personnel services (OPS) positions: one (1)part time maintenance mechanic; one (1) aquarist, one (1) marine mechanic, one (1) one avian specialist, and one part time stewardship fire specialist. FIU contracted staff will be partially supported by the state budget and this grant will support more program expenses. The FIU contracted staff supporting programs in 2025 supported by state funding are the volunteer coordinator (VC), training and education program coordinator (TEPC) and training and education program specialist (TEPS); GIS and SWMP. During the july 2025 through june 2027 period, the reserves operations will focus on the following goals: the RESERVE will annually report on the 312 findings (necessary actions and recommendations) from the 2025 evaluation. Also, the RESERVE will semi-annually report on its 312-evaluation metrics. Managing coastal lands to ensure their health and serve as a model of appropriate land stewardship to other organizations, understanding and enhancing connections among people and resources within the RESERVE, bridging the GAP between science, management and community involvement to lead to resilient natural and human communities, and driving informed stewardship actions through the value of coastal environments in the community. Tasks identified in this application are tied to the 2022-2027 RESERVE management plan. For this grant award, the RESERVE will continue implementation of the sentinel site program (previously named sentinel site application module 1 [ssam-1], now named wetlands and water levels [wlwl] as of the 2023 nerrs annual meeting; simply referred to as sentinel sites (going forth).