Optional Field Trips

You may register for a field trip through the conference registration form.

Index

Field Trip #1: Mangrove and Marsh Restoration Tour
Field Trip #2: Whitney Marine Lab with Boat or Kayak Tour
Field Trip #3: March of the Mangroves Boat Tour (Post-Trip Photos)

Over 12,000 ha of mangrove forest and tidal marsh along the central Florida east coast have been successfully restored over the last 40 years. This includes physical removal of dredged material deposits (spoil areas) down to wetland elevations in excavated and filled areas of wetlands for mostly natural recolonization, the reconnection and management of diked mosquito control wetland areas to continue to control mosquitoes while allowing seasonal hydrologic restoration, return of fish use of to these areas, and again natural recolonization by mangroves and marsh plants (see Figures 1 and 2). These programs have emphasized the ability of mangroves and marsh species to undergo natural secondary succession with limited or no planting, a key principal in the Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (EMR) program developed over recent decades and summarized in the recently released Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation Manual (Lewis and Brown 2014). This bus trip will highlight these successfully restored areas, featuring visits to the North Peninsula State Park in Volusia County, Florida and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville.

PLEASE NOTE: Participants could potentially get wet and muddy during site visits and should wear appropriate clothing and footwear, bring sunscreen and bug spray.

The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and the Whitney Sea Turtle Hospital are located on a narrow stretch of land between the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Matanzas River Estuary to the west. The Whitney lab, established in 1973, has a long history of neuroscience and marine biology research. New and exciting areas of research include estuarine biogeochemistry, ecology, and climate change sciences. Participants will tour the Whitney lab, the Whitney Sea Turtle Hospital, and travel along one of Florida’s most protected and undeveloped estuaries. A limited number of participants may choose to kayak with master naturalists ( http://rippleeffectecotours.com ) on this part of the tour for an additional $35. Or, for those who choose not to kayak, a boat ride will be available. This estuary is of exceptional interest to mangrove scientists as it is a zone of transition with Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle encroaching on historically Spartina alterniflora dominated salt marsh.

PLEASE NOTE: Summertime in Florida will be HOT. Please wear light clothing that offers sun protection. Being on the water will amplify the exposure to sun so we recommend sunglasses, hats, plenty of sunscreen and lightweight clothing that provides protection from the sun. Hydration is also important so please take advantage of opportunities to hydrate (bring your water bottle to refill). If you have any known health conditions or allergies that may impact your enjoyment of this trip, please make these known to the tour guides in advance.

Lunch and drinks will be provided. Bottled water will also be available before and after the field trip.

LOCATION :	Whitney Marine Lab- 9505 Ocean Shore Blvd, St. Augustine FL 32080
ROUTE :	Travel by bus to Whitney Lab and disembark for kayak or boat tour, lab and turtle hospital walking tour, and lunch.
ROUTE LENGTH :	20 miles round trip
DEPART/RETURN :	Depart Lewis Auditorium at 7:30am – Arrive back at Lewis Auditorium at approximately 1:30pm
TRAVEL TIME TO SITES :	20 minutes
TIME AT SITES :	4 hours
TOTAL TRIP TIME :	5.5 hours
FIELD TRIP CAPTAIN :	Todd Osborne
SITE GUIDES :	Todd Osborne, Catherine Eastman, Danny Lippi, and others
OTHER :	Participants who choose the kayak option could potentially get wet and should wear appropriate clothing and footwear. This kayak trip is approximately 4 miles long, so participants should be prepared for some exercise! All participants should bring sunscreen and bug spray. Lunch and water will be provided.
MAXIMUM ATTENDANCE :	50 people (32 in kayaks)
DEADLINE TO REGISTER :	June 24, 2016 or until trip is full.
COST TO PARTICIPATE :	$50, plus $35 for the kayak option

Field Trip #3: March of the Mangroves Boat Tour

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The World Meteorological Organization declared 2001-2010 the warmest decade on record; subsequent years since then have been recorded as the warmest years on record. St. Johns County has long been the ecotone for the mangrove–salt marsh interface. Historically, the most northern line of mangroves has waned as cold snaps hold them to their southern boundaries. The recent warming trend and the lack of hard freezes in the region have allowed mangroves to march north. This 3-hour boat trip will take you on the river to see firsthand just how far the Mangroves have marched from their historical locations.

Participants will meet at the marina, located at 111 Avenida Menendez, St Augustine, FL 32084. Trip A will leave promptly at 9:00am. Trip B will leave promptly at 1:00pm. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to departure time.

Please Note:

Participants MUST attend the Trip (A or B) they registered for; we anticipate that each Trip will be full.

Participants could potentially get wet on the boat and should wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

Sunscreen and beverages will be provided.

DESTINATION :	Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve
ROUTE :	Travel by boat from St. Augustine Marina to local sights along the Tolomato River, then back to the Marina.
ROUTE LENGTH :	36 miles round trip
DEPART/RETURN :	Trip A: Depart Marina at 9:00am – Arrive back at Marina at 12noon Trip B: Depart Marina at 1:00pm – Arrive back at Marina at 4:00pm
TOTAL TRIP TIME :	3 hours
FIELD TRIP CAPTAINS :	Matthew Monroe
SITE GUIDES :	Matthew Monroe
PROVIDED :	Field Trip Captain will supply beverages, sunscreen, and Personal Floatation Devices
MAXIMUM ATTENDANCE :	7 people
DEADLINE TO REGISTER :	June 24, 2016 or until trip is full.
COST TO PARTICIPATE :	$35

Field Trip #3: Post-Trip Photos