Volunteer Spotlight,Rocio Ornelas-Perez
Rocio Ornelas-Perez, Volunteer
For Rocio, the turquoise waters and lush landscapes of the Florida Keys aren’t just home—they’re her inspiration. Raised in Key Largo by her Mexican parents, Rocio has loved the Keys’ environment since childhood. That passion is guiding her future: she recently graduated from high school and will be studying marine biology at the University of South Florida.
Rocio first connected with Florida State Parks through community events like Native Plant Day at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Lignumvitae Christmas celebration. After graduating, she jumped at the chance to volunteer. Since March, she has been helping at Islamorada area state parks and at John Pennekamp, where she volunteers in the plant nursery every Wednesday before work.
Her projects at the Islamorada area state parks have included educating visitors about seagrass restoration, joining kayak cleanups, assisting with seagrass restoration projects and contributing to Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly conservation. Her favorite activity? Seagrass management days. “It’s so awesome to be out on the water and see the recovery of injured seagrass beds,” she says.
Along the way, Rocio has honed her species identification skills and learned how park staff and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection work to restore habitats. She has also had some memorable moments during her volunteer work. She laughs when recalling snorkeling through just six inches of water to collect seagrass restoration data, and treasures moments like spotting dolphins during fieldwork or receiving a surprise tour of Indian Key after her first volunteer outing.
For Rocio, volunteering is a way to give back while building experience for her future career. “Everyone plays a role in conserving our natural resources,” she says. “I’m grateful to be part of it.”