Education is an important component of the Lake Trafford restoration plan.  The initial ecosystem and watershed assessment, lake management plan, and the long-term monitoring will be coordinated with Collier County school system, Florida Gulf coast University (FGCU), and the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) of University of Florida in Immokalee.

    Lake Trafford provides an excellent opportunity to conduct in-lake studies and document the progress and results  of a lake restoration program.  Initially, the Task Force recommends that in-lake monitoring be conducted in conjuction with the Surface Water Monitoring project conducted by Immokalee High School.  The ecosystem assessment could be conducted with FGCU's environmental studies program using Lake Trafford as a teaching lab, where students and teachers can take an active part in inventorying, monitoring and reporting.

    Given the specified phases of this conceptual plan and the importance of Lake Trafford to the Immokalee area, Lake Trafford can provide a site for teaching lake management as part of developing the long-term management plan for the lake.  The watershed assessment could be integrated with extension program from SWFREC to provide an opportunity for teaching the public about watershed management and how it affects the lake.  The restoration project can also be integrated into the ecotourism programs already operating on the land and with the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.