Survival Guide

 GTMNERR stands for Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve  GTMNERR has estuarine systems along the Tolomato and Guana Rivers, a large (2400 acre) artificial freshwater/brackish water lagoon, and open ocean.

 This diversity provides habitat for a variety of resident and migratory wildlife. Bird rookeries and nesting habitat for ground-nesting shorebirds. The beach also provides nesting areas for sea turtles. Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

 The Guana property represents a relatively undisturbed barrier island.  Also, within the reserve’s boundaries can be found an extensive maritime hammock.

 The preserve also contains archeological and historic resources such as aboriginal middens, burial grounds, and artifacts of Spanish & British colonial origin. Stages of indigo processing

The GTM Reserve is a federal/state partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Reserve encompasses approximately 60,000 acres of salt marsh and mangrove tidal wetlands, oyster bars, estuarine lagoons, upland habitat and offshore seas in St. Johns and Flagler Counties. The Reserve contains the northern most extent of mangrove habitat on the east coast of the United States. The coastal waters of the GTM Reserve are important calving grounds for the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Manatees, wood storks, roseate spoonbills, bald eagles and peregrine falcons find refuge in the Reserve.

The land was purchased with Conservation and Recreational Lands and Save Our Coast funds by the State of Florida in The Guana River was dammed in 1957, to flood the upstream marshes in order to enhance wintering waterfowl habitat. The result was the creation of the present-day Guana Lake. The lake water is brackish near Guana Dam and gradually turns into a freshwater reservoir as one travels away from the dam. Both saltwater and freshwater fish species exist in the same body of water. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, the Guana River Wildlife Management Area comprises some 12,000 acres of public conservation and recreational land.

The 21,000 square-foot Environmental Education Center was dedicated on Saturday September 24th, The $6.2 million project includes interpretive exhibits, aquariums, classrooms, teaching and working laboratories, an auditorium and an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Guana River Aquatic Preserve.

The LIFE Program is a partnership between GTMNERR and the St. Johns County School District. The LIFE Program involves three distinct field labs led by GTM Reserve staff and assisted by school teachers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection NE District staff.

 Listen to Your Body--Undress Before Overheat, Dress Before Chills-- Drink Often.  Rest occasionally. Whenever you or someone in your group gets weary, it's important to stop and rest. A tired hiker, is a hiker who is more prone to injury.  Ticks and Lyme disease. Lyme disease has become a serious problem and one of the main ways it is transmitted to humans is by Ticks. In tick country, make sure feet, legs, arms are covered with clothing. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks will be more visible. Check often for ticks on clothes and in hair and on exposed skin.  Carry & know how to use trail map & GPS.  Be familiar with & Pay attention to, the terrain you're in.  Stay on the trail.  Keep track of Each Other.  Don’t forget sunglasses and chapstick.  Take the lightest trail-worthy shoes you have. Closed TOE shoes!

 GPS is funded by and controlled by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD).  GPS provides specially coded satellite signals that can be processed in a GPS receiver, enabling the receiver to compute position, velocity and time.  Four GPS satellite signals are used to compute positions in three dimensions and the time difference in the receiver clock.

 The nominal GPS Operational Constellation consists of 24 satellites that orbit the earth in 12 hours.  The satellite orbits repeat almost the same ground track (as the earth turns beneath them) once each day.  This constellation provides the user with between five and eight GPS satellites visible from any point on the earth.