Gore Nature Education Center in Collier County teaching the importance of preservation

Reporter: Andrea Guerrero Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
(Credit: Gore Nature Education Center)

There is a new place in Southwest Florida to learn about nature and endangered species. It is called the Gore Nature Education Center and it is opening its door for the first time on Sunday.

One of the main focuses of the education center is to share knowledge about preserving the native habitats in Southwest Florida.

The Gore Nature Education Center, which is located at 4261 40th Ave. SE, Naples, will have tours that they hope will teach not just kids, but also people who are new to the area about how important the native habitats are.

Doctor Robert Gore, who the education center is named after, was a Florida scientist who loved the outdoors and wanted to pass his knowledge on especially to future generations.

President of Cypress Cove Landkeepers, Shane Duff says the center is dedicated to showing the importance of preserving Southwest Florida’s wild spaces for future generations.

Duff said, “we have a tremendous impact on everything around us based on our behavior. So I think the more we can get people to actually understand how and why the more likely they are to think twice when they go to do something.”

With all the construction happening throughout Southwest Florida, the education center hopes people can understand how important it is to conserve habitats. Especially for threatened and endangered species.

“That influx of people has to come with development and unfortunately a lot of people were short cited and they just say well I got this piece of land I need to put land on this lot. The reality is that piece of land is very environmentally sensitive a lot of the times in this area,” said Duff.

One of the projects at the education center is in partnership with FGCU biologists to monitor the natural wildlife and their behavior.

The education center is holding a free event on Sunday, November 7. It will begin at 12:00 p.m and will run until 4:00 p.m.

The Gore Nature Education Center is open for tours on Sundays by reservation only.

The education center currently requires groups to be no larger than six people and requires a mask to be worn inside of the education center buildings.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.