When he retired from CSX Transportation in 2009 after a 40-year career, Gary Coulliette expected a slower pace filled with projects around the house. Instead, a chance encounter with a baby sea turtle on Mickler Beach led to something entirely different, a second chapter defined by purpose, community, and more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service. “I struck up a conversation with turtle patrol volunteers and, almost on a whim, said yes when asked to help,” Gary said. Today, every Wednesday, he heads to a new kind of “job” as a volunteer at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve, a 76,000-acre coastal landscape stretching from Ponte Vedra Beach to Palm Coast. In 2025, he was honored for his dedication to protecting one of Northeast Florida’s most treasured natural spaces.
His dedication matters because the reserve matters. In a region under constant development, GTM protects wildlife habitats, supports research, preserves Florida’s wild character, and gives residents a place to experience birds, marshes, waterways, and unspoiled woods. Gary, who is also co-founder and vice chair of Save Guana Now, shows how one person’s steady commitment can help safeguard not just land, but a community’s sense of place, wonder, memory and future for generations. Gary’s story is not just about showing up. It is about what happens when someone decides to stay. His work helps ensure that residents can continue to experience quiet marshes, winding waterways, and untouched land for years to come. Over the years, Gary has worked sea turtle patrol, taught children about estuaries, earned his Master Naturalist certification, and even served as a part-time ranger. Now, at 77, he continues to give his time to a place that has given so much in return.
Volunteers, like Gary, are needed at GTM to help preserve area natural resources by getting engaged in environmental education programs, beach cleanups, or special events.
