Mangrove and Marsh Interface in Northeast Florida

Historic City News readers are invited to attend a free program and learn more about our coastal natural world on Tuesday, February 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. hosted at the Marineland Field Office of the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, located off A1A at 9741 Ocean Shore Boulevard, at the south end of Marineland.

“The Mangrove and Marsh Interface in Northeast Florida,” will be presented by assistant Reserve manager, Gary Raulerson, Ph.D.; who will discuss what that could mean to the ecology, and how or if that movement relates to climate change.

Dr. Raulerson’s extensive background includes almost three years at the Wekiva River and Tomoka Marsh Aquatic Preserve office where he participated in a wide variety of projects. This included revision of the management plans for the Wekiva River/Middle St. Johns Aquatic Preserve, exotic wetland plan control, oversight and assistance with ongoing research, and public outreach. At the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, he served as senior scientist for eight years, performing technical research and other estuarine related activities (including approximately 12 habitat restoration projects) to implement the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Sarasota Bay. He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University where his research involved examining differences in decomposition by snails and crabs in natural and restored mangrove forests in South Florida.

This program is one of an ongoing third-Tuesday-of-the-month lecture series designed to help inform the public. These events are free, so space is limited and reservations are requested.

Reservations can be made online at https://gtmnerrmarinelandlecture.eventbrite.com/ or call 904-823-4500.