NAVARRE BEACH — Three organizations are looking to expand services and increase environmental awareness and education on Navarre Beach.
The Navarre Beach Area Chamber of Commerce hosted an awareness tour for area business leaders to see and learn more about the services offered by the Marine Science Station, Sea Turtle Conservation Center and the Marine Science Sanctuary. All three organizations are in the process of planning, and in one case about to start construction on, major expansions.
Of the three organizations, the Marine Science Station has arguably the most elaborate expansion plans.
For the past five years, instructors the Marine Science Station have taught specialized marine science classes inside a renovated former camp ranger station. The science station sees about 8,000 students and parents a year, but director Charlene Mauro said they could double that with more size.
“We’ve outgrown our space,” Mauro said. “Everyday we have tours come in. ... We could do master naturalist programs, we can do kayaking programs. There’s a need for it.”
Mauro announced plans to build a new 9,000 square foot facility to the north of the existing building that will feature a 5,000 square foot of exhibit space for different marine life from the Gulf of Mexico, 2,000 square feet of additional classroom space and land for some outdoor classroom areas.
Although the Marine Science Station does allow tours at certain times, they’re not always available to keep the public separated from the students. The new building, to be called the Gulf Coast Discovery Center, will all more access to the public, while allowing the organization to expand their class offerings for both students and adults.
The new building has an estimated price tag of $2.9 million and Mauro has applied for RESTORE Act, BP and other grant funding and is seeking donations from the public.
Mauro said the outdoor pavilion and classroom space could be finished within three months and the Gulf Coast discovery Center could be completed within a year of when the funding is secured.
The Sea Turtle Conservation Center has not even officially opened their doors yet, but is finalizing plans to add a 1,000 square foot expansion to its existing building to the south of the Marine Science Station. That would nearly double their current size and give them space for a main exhibit pool that will be populated by sea turtles than cannot be returned to the wild because of their injuries.
The conservation center is designed to promote the protection of sea turtles through both rescue, rehab and releasing turtles, but also educating the public.
“We think (the conservation center is) going to be great for tourism,” said Cathy Holmes, project director for the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center. “We think it’s going to be great for the community. We know it’s going to be great for sea turtles.”
Holmes said the center recently signed a contract with a local building and they expect to start construction on the expansion in the next month. Once completed, they will start housing live sea turtles there and they are set up to perform emergency surgeries on the turtles as needed.
The Marine Sanctuary committee deployed its first artificial reefs last year, a group on the sound was deployed in May and the gulf reefs were deployed in September. The committee is now working on the next phase of its marine sanctuary plan which would expand its current gulf reef and build a new reef structure about one mile off shore in about 60 feet of water.
In addition to the new reefs, Mike Sandler with the Marine Sanctuary said their next phase includes building more dune walkovers to the beach and washdown stations so people can clean off their scuba gear and kayak equipment. The project is estimated to cost $1.8 million.
Sandler said the organisms that grow on the reef structures filter the water.
“As a scuba diver, there are selfish reasons for wanting these reefs, and for our local economy as a tourist destination, these reefs provide an amenity that attracts tourists to our area,” Sandler said. “But the bottom line is the environmental contribution to protect and enhance our oceans and waterway.”
WANT MORE INFO? For more information or to donate to the Marine Science Station, Sea Turtle Conservation Center or the Marine Science Sanctuary, go to each organization’s website, navarresciencestation.org, navarrebeachseaturtles.org and navarrebeachmarinesanctuary.com.
Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.