Help Others Appreciate Nature

Taking the next step is on you.

The previous six articles covered story ideas for new kayak guides to research further. From the diverse and unique wildlife, to the intricacy of the environment formed by the different rivers and tides, the GTM Reserve is a timeless goldmine of eco-tourism opportunities. It is extremely important that we acknowledge and appreciate this natural paradise as well as raise awareness on how to conserve it.

Studying each topic in this blog series as well as experiencing it out in nature is vital for our eco-tour guides at GeoTrippin; we must lead with knowledge, respect, and professionalism in order to be successful in preserving these precious ecosystems for generations to come. Guides-to-be should think about all of the information in this blog series and keep learning so they can give visitors to this beautiful place a great time.

If you happen to have found yourself inspired by these topics and would like more information on becoming a certified eco-tour guide, please don’t hesitate to contact GeoTrippin today!

Our team is ready to help you begin your journey.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

The Role of Fire

The role that prescribed burns with controlled forest fires plays in maintaining a healthy ecosystem in Florida and beyond.

Fire is an essential part of healthy ecosystems in the GTM Reserve, as it can help restore balance, clean up dead matter, reduce competition for limited resources and create space for the growth of new plants. Fire also encourages forest diversity, which helps to improve wildlife habitat quality and species abundance. By burning old plant tissue and promoting rapid regeneration of nutrient-rich soil and vegetation, fire helps create a resilient environment. Understanding the role of fire as part of larger ecological processes is necessary for any eco tour guide in the GTM Reserve to lead meaningful tours that build awareness about this incredible ecosystem.

Long ago, people didn’t realize how important fire is to healthy ecosystems. It does more than just keep things warm. When used judiciously, fire can be an incredibly beneficial tool for nature, helping reduce the competition among species, eliminating old growth, and providing essential nutrients back into the soil. Fire is especially useful in areas like the GTM Reserve in St Augustine’s 3 river inland coastal tidal basin, where it can help revive habitats that have otherwise become overrun with vegetation. Eco tour guides can help make the ecosystem in the reserve more balanced by knowing how to use this useful tool in a responsible way and understanding the benefits of adding fire to an environment.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

Plant Life Found in the Reserve

Plant life found on ecotours of the GTM Reserve

The different plant life that can be found in the reserve – from cypress trees to seagrasses.

One of the exciting things about kayaking through the GTM Reserve in St. Augustine is the variety of plant life that can be spotted along the way! From cypress trees to cord grass, the reserve is lush and teeming with life. Each type of vegetation adds its own beauty to this unique aquatic environment and serves an important role as well. Exploring with a guide can help you identify all these plant species and understand how they contribute to this diverse coastal landscape.

The GTM Reserve in St Augustine is a veritable paradise of biodiversity, with cord grass, mangroves, cypress trees and maritime hammock all calling it home. During a kayak eco tour, visitors can witness amazing sights such as these different plants all inhabiting their own coastal environment – helping each other to thrive in their natural habitat. They might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a majestic bald eagle or an alligator basking in the sun beside the cord grass! To truly understand this unique ecosystem and its incredible variety of plants, there’s no better way than joining one of our eco tours.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

Tides affect the reserve in important ways

When planning a safe and fun ecotour along the estuary and rivers around St Augustine, FL, there are at least 10 tide monitoring stations to keep in mind. It can be challenging to explore with tourists in the St. Augustine Inlet, the Matanzas Inlet, and the Intracoastal Waterway in the GTM Reserve.

The tides of these areas provide more than just a spectacular view, they are also essential to understanding what this reserve has to offer. For example, throughout the day tidal creeks feed different levels of water into the area as well as extend or shallow out mud flats which act as oyster reefs providing placental grounds for various sea life. An educated tour guide can effectively illustrate how all of these key points interact with each other in the cycle of incoming and outgoing tides. Furthermore, an experienced guide will have knowledge on how to navigate through these ever-changing waters along with insight into oyster reef safety. If you know more about how the tides work in this reserve, you’ll be better able to give tours that are both interesting and safe.

St Augustine’s Inlet is the main entry access to St. Augustine’s three-river inland coastal tidal basin, where the Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve resides. It connects St. Augustine Inlet to Matanzas Inlet and links to other waterways, such as the Intracoastal Waterway, making it an important path for water exchange. The St. Augustine Inlet also allows important saltwater exchange along with tidal creeks, mud flats, oyster reefs, and other unique habitats within the reserve. As a result of this exchange and the pull of gravity from the sun and moon, the water level of St. Augustine’s three rivers and inland coastal tidal basin rises and falls each day throughout the high and low tide cycles. Why is this so important? Understanding how tides affect kayak eco tour guides, who traverse this area regularly, can mean improved safety on each tour they lead—knowing when it’s best to cross one of the mud flats or when it’s better to stay on safe paths in oyster reef areas—allowing them to provide even more insight into St Augustine’s 3 river inland coastal tidal basin.

Kayakers should hire a guide or go on an ecotour to stay safe in St Augustine.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

How to Help Conserve Ecosystems

Ecosystem conservation in St Augustine FL

Read about the importance of conserving our ecosystems and what everyday folk can do to help.

St. Augustine’s nearly pristine estuarine habitat is precious because this type of environment has been destroyed in so many other places. Particularly in Florida and other coastal communities near the lowlands.

We now know that wetlands help solve the climate crisis by taking carbon out of the air. They also help bring back to life degraded land that once did important things for the survival of the human species. Wetland restoration also fixes the many environmental problems that people have caused by destroying their habitats.

We can see from data that can’t be argued with and long-term forecasting models that if we don’t listen to the scientists at organizations like our own GTM Reserve and all of its local, state, federal, national, municipal, and private sector partners, humanity will face bigger problems and existential threats if we don’t listen to them.

The GTM Reserve in St Augustine is a unique coastal ecosystem with oysters, sea grasses, mangroves and other important habitats that require ongoing conservation efforts. Our eco tour guides must understand the importance of preserving these habitats if we are to avoid their destruction due to erosion and other factors. Tourists are always eager to learn about the wildlife of the area, as well as what they can do to help conserve these fragile environments.

Guests can participate in oyster bed restorations with local organizations, or spend time at our beach and park preserves cleaning up litter and safeguarding seagrass beds from destruction. We hope that by offering this educational blog series to train new kayak eco tour guides, they will be knowledgeable when leading tours and capable of providing accurate, informative messages about why it’s critical that we all band together to preserve the coastal habitats at the GTM Reserve for future generations.

Exploring the three estuarine, inland coastal, and tidal basins in the GTM Reserve is a unique way to learn about all the different animals that live in these important ecosystems. It’s important for us all to be aware of how our actions can greatly impact delicate coastal habitats like this. Without proper conservation efforts, land can erode drastically and local wildlife can be threatened.

As kayak eco tour guides, it’s essential that we make sure our guests understand not only the importance of protecting these areas but also ways they can help contribute towards sustainability by following Leave No Trace principles, such as disposing of their trash properly and taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint. It’s an honor to be able to show people around this incredible ecosystem – let’s use our knowledge to help spread awareness and protection!

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

Wildlife that can be found in the reserve.

Becoming a certified tour guide in the GTM Reserve can provide learning opportunities to discover and share ecological stories about the variety of wildlife that call it home. From alligators, otters, dolphins, and stingrays to manatees, Roseate Spoonbills, raptors, and turtles, learning about each species and their habitats can be an exciting part of learning how to lead tours in the reserve. Along with learning how to kayak in the reserve’s tidal basin, researchers recommend that anyone who wants to become a tour guide take the time to learn more about the unique animals that live in this coastal area.

People who want to get certified as guides in the GTM Reserve must first learn how to guide. Located in St Augustine’s three-river inland coastal tidal basin, this reserve provides aspiring ecotourists with an exciting learning opportunity. Those who are studying for their certification can expect to encounter diverse wildlife, from alligators to manatees, and to have the chance to learn about the ecological stories that have shaped this beautiful environment. These exhilarating tours showcase the depths of learning that can be attained by guides who wish to become certified and serve as a testament to what one can discover when learning how best to lead others on breathtaking excursions in the reserves’ waters.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

The three rivers of the GTM Reserve

To be an EcoTour Guide it is important to know the local organizations dedicated to environmental stewardship. In St Augustine, FL we are paddling the three rivers of the GTM Reserve – Here is an example using their history, how they were formed, and what makes them unique.

Kayaking the three rivers of the GTM Reserve is a unique way to experience the beauty and bounty of the coastal waterways in and around St. Augustine, Florida. Kayakers can learn more about the area’s history as they paddle along, while also safely exploring local wildlife such as dolphins, sea turtles, manatees, and birds in their natural habitat. With almost 60 miles of interconnected creeks, marshes, lagoons, and other tidal bodies, this ecotour offers an opportunity to observe how these watery paths were formed over time. Experienced guides teach kayakers how to stay safe and can tell you what makes each river different as you go.

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) in St. Johns County is known for its abundance of rivers and estuaries that flow through the region. Three rivers in particular, the Tolomato River, Matanzas River, and Guana River, are particularly significant to the area’s history and ecology.

The Tolomato River was formed by a series of tidal creeks that eventually merged together to form one larger river. Oysters, shrimp, ducks, manatees, and dolphins are just a few of the many animals that have called it home throughout history. Today, it serves as a vital link in the Intracoastal Waterway, connecting the coastline from Maine to Texas. Because of canals like the one connecting the Tolomato to the San Pablo Creek, it is possible to go from Maine to Miami without ever going out into the ocean. The important habitats for many species of fish, birds and other wildlife is experiencing serious erosion because of unfettered boat traffic since the 1920’s

The Matanzas River has a long history in St. Johns County, dating back to the early 1500s when Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first explored the area. The river is fed by several tributaries including Moses Creek, Moultrie Creek, Sisters Creek, Doctors Creek, San Sabastian River, Salt Run, Long Creek, Pellicer Creek and Palm Valley Creek. It is home to a variety of animal species such as dolphins, manatees, shorebirds and sea turtles and serves as an important nursery habitat for shrimp and fish.

Finally, the Guana River is one of the most intriguing rivers in St. Johns County with its origins traced back to Native American inhabitants who lived along its banks centuries ago. Today it provides vital habitat for several species of wildlife and is an important source of freshwater for the area. Its unique ecology is made up of saltwater marshes, freshwater wetlands, sand dunes, maritime, and mangrove forests.

Each of these three rivers has a unique history and provides important habitats for many different species living in the GTM Reserve. Together they form an important part of St Johns County’s natural heritage which must be carefully preserved to ensure future generations have access to its beauty and resources.

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

6 Story Ideas for EcoTour Guides

The following set of articles contains 6 Story Ideas for Kayak Eco Tour Guides to Help engage and Educate Guests. Eco tour guides play a vital role in environmental education and helping to preserve our natural ecosystems. As a kayak eco tour guide, you have the opportunity to lead tours and share your knowledge with guests, teaching them about the importance of conservation and stewardship. But what should you say? What stories should you tell?

In this blog series, we’ll share six story ideas for kayak eco tour guides to help engage and educate guests. These stories will cover a range of topics, from the history of the area to the importance of conserving its natural resources. With these stories, you’ll be able to create an informative and enjoyable experience for your guests that will leave them wanting to learn more about our environment.

So let’s get started!

January 20, 2023February 3, 2023

EcoTour Guides Saving the World

Do you enjoy spending time on the water exploring nature and talking to people? If so, a job as a kayak eco tour guide might be perfect for you. As a tour guide, you’ll need to be able to engage and educate your guests about the local ecosystem and wildlife. To help you get started, we’ve compiled 6 story ideas that you can use on your tours. With these stories, your guests are sure to have an enjoyable and informative experience. So read on, and start planning your next career today!

When kayaking in the three-river inland coastal tidal basin in St. Augustine, it’s important to be able to talk to your guests about the science, culture, and history of the area. These 6 story ideas will help you do just that! Each one is packed with interesting information about wildlife, sea life, the estuary, and the research done here.

There are many field experiments and long-term studies that can be found on our float plans. You’ll be able to captivate your guests with stories of St. Augustine’s history and ecology while they paddle through this beautiful landscape. You will also be able to educate guests with breaking stories and culturally relevant research coming out of the GTM Reserve and the world’s other players.

As a GeoTrippin Adventure Guide, we must always put a positive spin on all of the scary stories and reports that circulate in the mainstream media and other privately controlled news outlets. There is a global quagmire that has simple and self-perpetuating solutions. Instead of using technology to make up for the loss of resources and services provided by natural habitats, restoring and building new habitats will literally save the planet from suffocating, drowning, burning, starving, water wars, acidic oceans, pollution, and all the other scare tactics used to control people’s hearts and minds.

The solutions are found in nature. All of the science disciplines come into play in every story we tell. Take an interdisciplinary approach to storytelling. If a sad or scary topic is brought up, it should only be to frame the story you are about to tell about a natural or technological solution to the issue. There is no climate crisis anymore. It is only a climate opportunity. We must always remind our tour guests that there are millions of people and thousands of organizations working on fixing things. Just like it only took a few people to create the systems and products for us to use, it will only take a few to undo the damage. GeoTrippin Guides want to inspire their guests to at the very least think and talk about nature’s voracious appetite for life. In the best-case scenario, we will spur action and provide assistance to researchers, conservationists, land managers, and even the Army Corps of Engineers who are working on solutions.

January 18, 2023February 3, 2023

Tips for Becoming an EcoTour Guide

Do you enjoy spending time on the water exploring nature and talking to people? If so, a job as a kayak ecotour guide might be perfect for you.

Do you yearn for the path less traveled?

Its time to jump ship on your old career. Dive into the freedom being an ecotour guide affords the best story tellers. Whether by kayak or some other mode of transportation, the guides make or break the tour.

As a tour guide, you’ll need to be able to engage and educate your guests about the local ecosystem and wildlife. It is also important to be well rounded. Come to the table with stories about the local area as well as larger topics that impact the environments you are exploring. Stories can be from any discipline. Having a biology degree is not required. If you keep repeating science jargon and Latin, it can make it harder to be interesting.

Telling the right stories, your guests are sure to have an enjoyable and memorable experience. Story tellers read on. Start planning your next career today!

When kayaking in St. Augustine’s three-river inland coastal tidal basin, it is important to be able to engage guests about the area’s science, culture, and history. Have at least 6 story ideas packed with interesting information about wildlife, sea life, the estuary, and the research done here. There are many field experiments and long-term studies that can be found on our float plans. You’ll be able to captivate your guests with stories of St. Augustine’s history and ecology while they paddle through this beautiful landscape. You will also be able to educate guests with breaking stories and culturally relevant research coming out of the GTM Reserve and the world’s other players.

As a GeoTrippin Adventure Guide, we must always put a positive spin on the scary stories and reports that are spread by the mainstream media and other privately controlled news outlets. There is a global quagmire that can be solved with simple solutions that keep getting better on their own. Instead of using technology to make up for the loss of resources and services provided by natural habitats. We literally just need to “set it and forget it!” Restoring and building new habitats will literally save the planet from suffocating, drowning, burning, starving, water wars, acidic oceans, pollution, and all the other scary stuff.

The best news? The fish and wildlife service reports that in 2007, the US switched from net loss to a net gain of wetlands every year. Restoration efforts have been exponentially increasing since then. You are leading your guests through the very research reserve that contributed to some of the most inspiring and hopeful news about our climate and environment.

Every GeoTripper should leave your ecotour feeling inspired and uplifted. Even in the face of some heavy and heated topics, a GeoTrippin Guide speaks confidently with the knowing and overstanding that the Earth’s Ecosystems are resilient and will quickly heal on its own if we stop harming it.