Historical Background
Protection of Rookery Bay began back in 1964 as citizens banded together to block a road and began buying land. Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (RBNERR) was designated in 1978.

Physical Features
The uplands of RBNERR are mostly ancient sand dunes with a mean elevation of 4 feet, accented by shell mounds. The bays of the region are the remnants of a bay that stretched to Tampa Bay. The barrier islands of the region have coalesced into either incipient or actual headlands.

Archaeological Resources
RBNERR has a rich cultural history dating back to the days of the mighty Calusa, with over 50 historic sites. These include prehistoric midden sites and pioneer sites near Henderson Creek from the 1800s.

Natural Communities
RBNERR contains a wide variety of upland and submerged natural communities, but the predominant communities are mangrove forests and open water.

Native Species
Native plants and animals within RBNERR are diverse and abundant, ranging from large mammals to diverse types of plankton. This includes a large number of commercially and recreationally important fish. Rookery Bay is also valuable as foraging and nesting grounds for over 150 species of birds.

Listed Species
With less natural habitat available in southwest Florida, many federal and state imperiled species rely on RBNERR as critical habitat for their survival. This habitat may be permanent habitat or be used as nesting areas, for over-wintering or as a travel corridor.

Invasive Species
South Florida is particularly vulnerable to invasive species because it is in a transitional zone between temperate and tropical climates. Non-native invasive species of Rookery Bay Reserve include plants such as Australian pine, melaleuca, Brazilian pepper and wildlife like feral hogs and Burmese pythons.