Estero Bay Preserve State Park

Estero Bay Preserve State Park, the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida, is a Florida State Park located near Estero, between Fort Myers and Naples. It consists of the water, inlets, and islands along of Estero Bay. Activities include fishing, and boating, bicycling, canoeing, and wildlife viewing. Among the wildlife of the park are gopher tortoises, fiddler crabs, and bald eagles. The park is open from 8:00 A.M. until sundown year-round.

The old rail bed of the Seaboard Air Line Railway can be found near the Florida Power and Light easement headed northwest. This section has now been orphaned as developments to the north and south have isolated this section. The Seaboard Air Line Railway was once one of two railroads that served southwest Florida and serves as a point of interest in the park on a hike.

+From the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve Management Plan Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) Natural Community TypesBeach Dune< 1 acreBlackwater Stream207 acresMollusk Reef65 acresSponge Bed< 1 acreAlgal Bed564 acresUnconsolidated Substrate5,675 acresCoastal Berm< 1 acreSeagrass Bed3,301 acresSalt Marsh3 acresMangrove Swamp1,149 acresRuderal67 acresOther (Privately or publicly-owned uplands)2,798 acres Total Acreage13,829 acres

Plants

Twisted air plant: State Threatened Giant wild pine: State Endangered

Birds

Red knot: Federally Threatened Snowy plover: State Threatened Piping plover: Federally Threatened Marian's marsh wren: State Threatened Little blue heron: State Threatened Reddish egret: State Threatened Tricolored heron: State Threatened Southeastern American kestrel: State Threatened American oystercatcher: State Threatened Wood stork: Federally Threatened Roseate spoonbill: State Threatened Black skimmer: State Threatened Least tern: State Threatened Roseate tern: Federally Threatened

Reptiles

American alligator: Federally Threatened (similarity of appearance to Threatened Species) Atlantic loggerhead turtle: Federally Threatened Atlantic green turtle: Federally Threatened American crocodile: Federally Threatened Leatherback turtle: Federally Endangered Atlantic hawksbill turtle: Federally Endangered Kemp's ridley turtle: Federally Endangered

Mammals

Big Cypress fox squirrel: State Threatened Florida manatee: Federally Threatened

Fish

Smalltooth sawfish: Federally Endangered Sea Nettle: (type of Jellyfish)

External links Estero Bay Preserve State Park at Florida State Parks