Birders, other nature-lovers excited to return to Viera Wetlands on first day of reopening

Viera resident Becky Colker says she is thrilled that the Viera Wetlands is open again after being closed since last June for environmental upgrades.

"It's my happy place," Colker said Monday morning, after traversing the newly reopened areas of the wetlands.

Like many, Colker carried camera equipment, including long telephoto lenses, to capture the birds she saw at the site, which is officially known as the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands.

She rattled off some of the species of birds she saw Monday morning: Painted buntings, cardinals, a great blue heron, a gray catbird and a pair of sandhill cranes in a nest tending to their egg.

"I was very excited" to be returning to the wetlands, Colker said. "I set my alarm, so I would be out here before 7."

Background on wetlands: Here's latest on reopening of Viera Wetlands, plus bird-spotting contest with cash prizes

So did many others, as two of the four sections of the wetlands reopened to pedestrians and bicyclists Monday. Motor vehicles and golf carts remain prohibited, as they were before the site closed in June.

During that time, a $2.7 million project has been underway to remove muck and overgrown cattails from four ponds located on the site, which is adjacent to the South-Central Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Viera. The project was funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The main focus of the cleanup effort was to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous levels from the ponds that feed into Four Mile Canal, which ultimately leads into the St. Johns River.

The work at the wetlands was needed so that the county can be in compliance with a 2021 Florida Department of Environmental Protection consent order related to levels of nitrogen released into the canal.

Dave Hoffman of Melbourne, who had been coming to the wetlands about once a week before it closed, said he expects that it will take a few months before birding returns to its previous level, as vegetation that was cut down for the project grows back.

Still, Hoffman was able to view white pelicans, black-crowned night herons, great blue herons, spoonbills, mottled duck and grackle, among other species, which Hoffman describes as "the usual suspects" typically seen at the wetlands.

Other visitors said they were impressed by what they saw.

"I was super-excited to get back in here. It looks amazing," said Kim Englert of the Heritage Isle area of Viera. "There's still plenty of vegetation. Tons of wildlife. It was incredible. I'll be back, probably tomorrow. It's one of my favorite places to come."

Englert's friend, Lonie Moraitis, also of Heritage Isle, added: "It's so good to be back. It's been quite some time. And the improvements are coming along, and I think the wildlife never left, and they're happy to see us back again."

A few caveats: The area is still an active construction site, so the regular parking area is filled with construction equipment. Visitors can park their vehicles along the shoulder of Charlie Corbeil Way, then walk to the wetlands entrance. Dozens of vehicles were parked along Charlie Corbeil Way on Monday morning.

County officials say the public should not stray from the areas of the wetlands that are open to the public. They also should be aware that the dirt paths may be muddy after a rain and are rutted from the heavy construction vehicles.

They say some work remains to be done on the 200-acre site. That includes vegetation plantings that will occur in the April-to-May time period, with completion of the overall project sometime in June.

Viera resident Anita Ingram, who moderates the 1,900-member Viera Wetlands Facebook page, said early reaction has been positive to the revamped wetlands area.

"We're all real anxious to see what it looks like out here," Ingram said. "And, so far, we're really pleased, The roads are pretty much dry, except for a couple of little patches. They've really done a good job of preparing things for the public. And everything is going so smoothly."

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Viera Wetlands reopens to public after being closed since June