This has created numerous environmental and hydrologic problems for the estuary. The watershed is scheduled for restoration by 2005, yet the target conditions for restoration are still being debated. Oyster reefs are prolific within the estuaries of Southwest Florida.
Oysters are also highly sensitive to changes in water quality.
Therefore, they also make ideal indicators of environmental health and the effects of pollutants. Students should fly into Ft. Myers International Airport. Watersheds, extending from freshwater headlands through estuaries and into marine coastal settings, are endangered in Southwest Florida because of urban, agricultural, and coastal development. Rookery Bay, as a member of NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve system, is charged with understanding, managing, and restoring the watersheds' natural history, despite the demands for societal development.