* This is a nano cache *
Welcome to the Canopy Zone at the NEST!
The beautiful Mosaic Center for Nature, Exploration, Science and Technology (the NEST), is located at the newly opened Robinson Preserve Expansion. This one-of-a kind building, opened in 2018, is a multi-purpose space, home to a variety of hands-on interpretive programming designed for all ages. As you explore the grounds, notice the collection of unique tropical plants. This area, known as the Reasoner Tract, was once used by Royal Palm Nurseries as a test plot for landscaping plants.
Aerial view of the NEST building. Photo by Manatee County Staff.
Look through the binoculars, what do you see? The Robinson Preserve Expansion, formerly utilized for agricultre, is 135 acres of restored habitat for wildlife. By reshaping the landscape, opening up waterways, and instaling native plants, Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources and partners have created new, connected aquatic and wetland habitat. This backwater tidal ecosystem acts as a nursery for large fish like tarpon and snook as they seek protected areas to lay their eggs. Oysters, crabs, and shrimp will also take up residence in these sheltered environments, providing an abundance of food for wading birds like herons, roseate spoonbills, and egrets.
In addition to the restoration on the current landscape, this environment has been shaped to account for the future. Do you see any elevated areas? These upland areas were created with sea level change in mind. As sea level rises, the existing habitat will migrate upward, transitioning into wetlands over time.
View of the sunset at the Robinson Preserve Expansion. Photo by John Bowles.
As you take one last glance through the binoculars, look to the west and record what you see in your passport.
Visit the sites along the Taking Flight GeoTour (TFGT) and learn about Manatee County’s wild spaces and the amazing feathered friends that live in them. Along the way, you will be challenged to become a citizen scientist, a preserve ranger, a detective, a historian, and of course an excellent geocacher in order to find all of the caches in the trail. Caches are located in birding “hot spots” throughout Manatee County’s publicly accessible conservation preserves. Each one highlights a specific bird species or aspect of bird life providing you with opportunities to learn more about these creatures and what we can do to help them survive. Caches also focus on protecting the region's waterways, bays, and natural watersheds, and habitat areas for many of our area’s feathered fliers.