Wading Trips in the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve (ongoing)

Participants will take a refreshing journey into the waters of the bay, wading into mudflats and seagrass beds at low tide to find many of the plants and animals that call this estuary home. Dip and seine nets will be provided for participants to collect organisms such as fish, shrimp, crabs and snails. The organisms will be placed in buckets or magnifiers for attendees to take a closer look and learn how each living creature plays an important role in the ecosystem.

Surveys would not be possible without the contributions of our volunteers! Help us conduct nest counts, record data, and with proper training, captain the boat. The data we collect is published in the annual South Florida Wading Bird Report, Florida Scientist, Estero Bay State of the Bay Report, and is used to make management decisions within the bay and across the state. Join us for a fun experience and learning opportunity!

Wading trips are free, but registration is required. Call Jackie Langston at 239-530-1004 to register.  Participants are required to wear closed-toed shoes that can get wet, such as old tennis shoes or diving booties, and a swimsuit or shorts

*Directions to the wading trip location will be provided upon registration.

seagrass

National Estuaries Day Paddle Day, Saturday November 14th

Join us as we celebrate National Estuaries Day by taking an exciting and educational kayak trip down the Estero River from 8:00-11:00 am on Saturday, November 14th.  There will be a beginners and intermediate course.  Space is limited so call and reserve your spot today at the Estero River Outfitters at (239) 992-4050.  
Don’t forget to bring $10 cash, water, sunscreen, and bug spray!

Estero Bay Buddies Annual Membership Meeting

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2015
Event Time: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Location: Aboard the Good Times Charter Vessel
4765 Estero Blvd. (behind the Publix)
Fort Myers Beach, FL.

Note: Please arrive by 2:45 pm as the boat leaves the dock on time.

Space is limited, the first 15 Estero Bay Buddies members to sign up and confirm will be on the trip.
Call 239-707-3015 to make a reservation.

Earth Day

Date: Saturday, April 12
Event Time: 9:00 am to early afternoon
Location: Riverside Park, Bonita Springs
Speaker: Joy Hazell from Florida Sea Grant, 10:00 am

Monofilament Madness and Environmental Expo

Saturday, October 26, 2013, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Fish-Tail Marina

The Keep Lee County Beautiful Marine Cleanup (a.k.a. Monofilament Madness) is an annual event during which vol-unteers go out in boats, kayaks, canoes, and jet skis, to re-move monofilament fishing line and other harmful debris from the mangrove areas of Lee County. The boaters begin working at safe light (dawn) and continue until around noon at which time they are treated to a Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue by Sam Galloway Ford. Because of the focus on fishing line, the project committee has affectionately dubbed the cleanup “Monofilament Madness.” It is hoped that through educational awareness, the people who are causing the problem will be reached and their behavior modified so that, among other reasons, wildlife will be spared agonizing deaths from entanglement in monofilament fishing line.

International Coastal Cleanup / Keep Lee County Beautiful

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2013
Event Time: 9:30 a.m. till noon

Come out and support Estero Bay Buddies (EBB) and Keep Lee County Beautiful (KLCB) for the International Coastal Clean Up. This event is the only one during the year where data cards are used to record the type and estimated weight of marine debris collected. This information is sent to the Ocean Conservancy where the information is used in the development of new environ-mental protection acts that hopefully change behaviors that cause marine debris. There will be different staging areas where data cards, gloves and bags will be handed out.
Please call Trish of KLCB at 239-334- 3488 or Terry Cain of EBB at 239-707-3015 or visit www.klcb.org for more information.