Walking down the beach is a calming experience with the waves crashing against the shore and the shells crackling underneath your feet.
There are birds flying overhead and some even fishing in the ocean but it’s not often that beachgoers look closely at the abundance of wildlife around them.
Pamela Jones-Morton is a certified Florida master naturalist at Lover’s Key State Park who volunteers her time to inform visitors about the ecosystem in Southwest Florida.
“I love Florida, the environment and I try to educate people so that they appreciate it,” said Jones-Morton who received her naturalist certification from the University of Florida in November.
Every other Tuesday, year-round, Jones-Morton takes nature lovers on hourlong tours through the estuary, which includes a boardwalk and a two-mile-long beach.
The area is covered in black, white and red mangroves that Jones-Morton uses as the backdrop for her informative discussions about the animals, trees and affect of humans on that wildlife.
“It’s incredible to learn about everything,” said Jessica Halley, 28, of Ohio. Her and a friend came down for a ‘mom break’ and joined the tour group. “I really enjoyed learning about the trees and the interconnectiveness of it all.”
During the slow-paced walk, Jones-Morton talks about birds, fish, crabs and even stingrays that frequent the estuary.
“It’s a living thing,” Jones-Morton said. “People need to protect it. You can come and take all the mangroves out but it’s only a matter of time before the land disappears.”
She spends countless hours helping count birds at the park and building up the vast collection of shells she keeps in plastic tubs for visitors to get a closer look at nature without disturbing the park.
Throughout the tour, guests are encouraged to ask questions about anything they see. Jones-Morton gives candy rewards for those that answer her tougher questions.
During a recent tour, visitors asked about red-bellied sap suckers, a bird that drills holes in a complete and symmetrical circle around tree trunks.
“It suffers from OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder,” she joked. “But really it’s quite clever, it makes those rings and waits for the trees’ sap to come ... then it eats.”
Guests were amused at the guides’ ability to answer all sorts of questions including the mating habits of the fiddler crab.
“I loved it. She was very informative and we didn’t know so much about the environment,” said Geraldine Walters, of Tampa. She came down with her husband, Mike, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
Questions about shells abound in the tour but Jones-Morton cautions visitors about taking every shell they see.
As an anecdote, she tells visitors a story about a couple who took a bucket of shells home and found an octopus crawling up the kitchen cabinet.
The octopus and the shells were returned to the beach.
“I always say that it’s not good to take buckets of shells home. The shells animals leave behind are used by other animals,” said Jones-Morton.”
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Life is a beach at Mango Bay shop in Bonita
Beach wear, sandals and souvenirs are big business in Bonita Springs.
Tourist flock to the area looking for sun, surf and a good place to hang their hat.
And while Bonita Springs is the perfect hot spot for beaches, tourists also like shopping, and that’s why the Mango Bay Beach and Surf Co. opened its doors more than two years ago.
“We have a lot of tourists, locals, families,” said Lou Fodor, manager at the store. “We have everything you need for the beach.”
Apart from beach umbrellas and swim suits for kids, the store has everything a tourist or even local could want to decorate their home or take to friends and family back home.
“Tourism is big here, seems to be the only industry in Florida really,” joked Fodor, 38, of Fort Myers.
Almost every mug, beach themed frame and flamingo inspired statue in the store is imprinted with the words “Florida” or “Bonita Beach” printed on the front.
That beach charm is what brings Kathy Selden and her teenage daughters to the store.
“It’s a nice beachy store and kinda weird at the same time,” said Selden, who lives down the street from the Bonita Beach Road store. “The girls love to come see the suits and shirts.”
According to Fodor, the store tries to cater to teens looking for specific brand skate and surf apparel or sandals.
“It’s name recognition which is popular with young kids and our surf (area) is good,” Fodor said.
Selden’s sometimes brings her teens specifically for the sandal selection at the store.
“The girls love to get their flip flops because (the store) carries the brands that other stores don’t carry,” Selden said.
Because no pair of flip flops is complete without a T-shirt or accessories, the store also carries rings, bracelets and necklaces made from shells and other beach-inspired designs.
“It’s my first time here but it’s a very nice layout. Everything is very festive-looking,” said Austin Whitt, 15, of Ohio. He is visiting the area with his family and spent some time looking at the store’s shell collection.
Michelle Bannon of Illinois passed by the shop and was lured in by the ice cream and gelato cafe located at the back of the store. It was added to give tourists something extra that other stores in the area don’t offer, said Fodor.
“The ice cream is awesome! It’s lots of fun to come here and a lot of things for kids to do,” Bannon said. “The prices are good, too.”
“It brings the beach kind of feel when you come in here. I live here but it reminds me that I’m near a beach,” Selden said. “It gets you in the groove.”
Tourist flock to the area looking for sun, surf and a good place to hang their hat.
And while Bonita Springs is the perfect hot spot for beaches, tourists also like shopping, and that’s why the Mango Bay Beach and Surf Co. opened its doors more than two years ago.
“We have a lot of tourists, locals, families,” said Lou Fodor, manager at the store. “We have everything you need for the beach.”
Apart from beach umbrellas and swim suits for kids, the store has everything a tourist or even local could want to decorate their home or take to friends and family back home.
“Tourism is big here, seems to be the only industry in Florida really,” joked Fodor, 38, of Fort Myers.
Almost every mug, beach themed frame and flamingo inspired statue in the store is imprinted with the words “Florida” or “Bonita Beach” printed on the front.
That beach charm is what brings Kathy Selden and her teenage daughters to the store.
“It’s a nice beachy store and kinda weird at the same time,” said Selden, who lives down the street from the Bonita Beach Road store. “The girls love to come see the suits and shirts.”
According to Fodor, the store tries to cater to teens looking for specific brand skate and surf apparel or sandals.
“It’s name recognition which is popular with young kids and our surf (area) is good,” Fodor said.
Selden’s sometimes brings her teens specifically for the sandal selection at the store.
“The girls love to get their flip flops because (the store) carries the brands that other stores don’t carry,” Selden said.
Because no pair of flip flops is complete without a T-shirt or accessories, the store also carries rings, bracelets and necklaces made from shells and other beach-inspired designs.
“It’s my first time here but it’s a very nice layout. Everything is very festive-looking,” said Austin Whitt, 15, of Ohio. He is visiting the area with his family and spent some time looking at the store’s shell collection.
Michelle Bannon of Illinois passed by the shop and was lured in by the ice cream and gelato cafe located at the back of the store. It was added to give tourists something extra that other stores in the area don’t offer, said Fodor.
“The ice cream is awesome! It’s lots of fun to come here and a lot of things for kids to do,” Bannon said. “The prices are good, too.”
“It brings the beach kind of feel when you come in here. I live here but it reminds me that I’m near a beach,” Selden said. “It gets you in the groove.”
Bonita Hispanics get guide of their own
Spanish speaking immigrants who move to Bonita Springs are often facing language barriers and missing valuable information they need as newcomers to the area.
Because most information isn’t in a language they can read or understand, the Amigos Center in Bonita Springs has stepped in to help and get newcomers the information they seek.
The church based group has spent the last five years publishing an informative guide for newcomers in Spanish that includes local churches, banks, libraries and even social service centers.
“We put it together because I noticed that this newcomers guide was readily available in most newspapers in English,” said Roberto Selle, a pastor at the Amigos En Cristo Lutheran Church in Bonita Springs for nine years. “I wanted to put something together that was relevant for the Hispanic population that comes here.”
The almost 60 page book is detailed with listings and services available at the Amigos Center and throughout Bonita Springs with an emphasis on immigration services.
“I would hope they would be able to find out about our Amigos Center and that they can get the help they need,” said Selle, who is also a pastor at the Saint Michael Lutheran Church Hispanic in Fort Myers.
Local advertisers pay for space in the book and the money is used for production and printing costs with help from the Amigos Center and private grants.
Several associations also give money to produce the book and get a mention in the guide.
“This is the kind of information that people are looking for when they come to our Amigos Center and some of this will help people to inform themselves (without coming to the center),” Selle said.
The Spanish guidebook is available at public libraries, the Amigos Center, and social service agencies that cater to the Hispanic community.
The Amigos Center offers services in Bonita Springs, Golden Gate, and Fort Myers. They have plans to open an office in Immokalee.
An electronic version of the guidebook is also available at the group’s website.
“It’s the perfect way for us to be able to provide this information to our target group,” said Selle, who plans to release a Creole version of the guidebook next year.
Because most information isn’t in a language they can read or understand, the Amigos Center in Bonita Springs has stepped in to help and get newcomers the information they seek.
The church based group has spent the last five years publishing an informative guide for newcomers in Spanish that includes local churches, banks, libraries and even social service centers.
“We put it together because I noticed that this newcomers guide was readily available in most newspapers in English,” said Roberto Selle, a pastor at the Amigos En Cristo Lutheran Church in Bonita Springs for nine years. “I wanted to put something together that was relevant for the Hispanic population that comes here.”
The almost 60 page book is detailed with listings and services available at the Amigos Center and throughout Bonita Springs with an emphasis on immigration services.
“I would hope they would be able to find out about our Amigos Center and that they can get the help they need,” said Selle, who is also a pastor at the Saint Michael Lutheran Church Hispanic in Fort Myers.
Local advertisers pay for space in the book and the money is used for production and printing costs with help from the Amigos Center and private grants.
Several associations also give money to produce the book and get a mention in the guide.
“This is the kind of information that people are looking for when they come to our Amigos Center and some of this will help people to inform themselves (without coming to the center),” Selle said.
The Spanish guidebook is available at public libraries, the Amigos Center, and social service agencies that cater to the Hispanic community.
The Amigos Center offers services in Bonita Springs, Golden Gate, and Fort Myers. They have plans to open an office in Immokalee.
An electronic version of the guidebook is also available at the group’s website.
“It’s the perfect way for us to be able to provide this information to our target group,” said Selle, who plans to release a Creole version of the guidebook next year.
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