Green Community:: Gumbo Limbo Nature Center

As you probably already know, last week my family went on a 1o day beach vacation to Palm Beach, Florida. We had a fabulous and relaxing vacation that we enjoyed very much. One of our favorite things to do when we are visiting Florida is stop by and visit our favorite nature centers. {We lived in Southern Florida for five years and visited our local nature center on a very regular basis.} It is a great way to spend an afternoon and supporting a cause that is very near and dear to our hearts is very fun and a great way to learn something new.
One of our favorite nature centers is Gumbo Limbo. Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex is a cooperative venture between the City of Boca Raton, Palm Beach County School District, Florida Atlantic University and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The Environmental Complex is designed to provide marine and coastal environmental education for the community through classes, workshops, field trips and research. My favorite programs are the turtle walk and hatching release program. There is so much to see at Gumbo Limbo and it is so much fun to visit. You can donate to these fabulous Gumbo Limbo programs here.

On this trip, Jayson, Eben and I had a blast visiting Gumbo Limbo’s four large marine tanks and enjoyed watching the sea turtles, giant lobster, bonnet head sharks, stingrays and numerous fish. There is also a large outdoor area where you can observe tortoises and butterflies. We were also fortunate enough to be allowed inside the Florida Atlantic University building to observe sea turtle hatchlings that were a part of their gender studies program. {The Leatherback Sea Turtle hatchlings are tethered to keep them from running into the side of the pool, over and over again, usually causing death.} You can see the tethered Sea Leatherback Turtle hatchlings swimming here.

We love to support the local nature centers in our area and look forward to doing so in each new place that we visit on vacation.