POST-HURRICANE IAN UPDATES | OCT. 31, 2022
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SCCF Celebrates 55th Anniversary Today |
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A message from CEO James Evans
Today, Oct. 31, marks 55 years since the incorporation of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. The conservation trailblazers from Sanibel and Captiva who laid the roots of SCCF couldn’t have foreseen the challenges we would face five and a half decades later, yet I know — even with some of our facilities in shambles — they would be deeply impressed by the progress the foundation has made since its inception.
Because of everyone who has supported conservation on the islands, more than 70% of Sanibel is protected natural land. SCCF is the the island’s largest private landowner, managing over 1,200 acres, as well as 600+ acres in surrounding areas including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Captiva, and other barrier islands in the estuary. Without these wetlands, woodlands, mangrove forests, beach dunes, and other natural systems, the impacts of Hurricane Ian on the islands would have undoubtedly been graver. There has never been a better time to extend SCCF’s deep, heartfelt gratitude to the strong conservation legacy we were built upon, including to all of those who have helped and continue to help further our mission-driven work. Through your support, and through science, education, and advocacy, SCCF has stood stronger than ever to protect and monitor Southwest Florida’s wildlife and habitats in the face of ever-increasing development pressure.
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Nearly 200 Wildlife Sightings Reported on Sanibel & Captiva |
Thank you to everyone who has submitted reports of wildlife on Sanibel and Captiva — we've received almost 200 sightings! Species reported span all taxonomic groups present on the islands before the hurricane. This data will be vital as our scientists continue to study which of our island species and ecosystems have been negatively affected or unaffected by Hurricane Ian. |
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A Discussion on Wildlife Sightings So Far |
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SCCF Wildlife & Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz gives an update on the many wildlife sightings that have been reported on our barrier islands since Hurricane Ian, including dozens of bird species, mammals, insects, and amphibians and reptiles.
"Biologists had a solid understanding of what existed on the islands before the hurricane," Lechowicz said. "The storm surge and high wind's effects on the islands will be studied for many years, and we also need as much information as we can gather on what wildlife survived the hurricane."
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International Osprey Foundation Seeks Information on Osprey Nests & Platforms
The International Osprey Foundation (TIOF) — which monitors nesting data for over 150 osprey nests on Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island, Fort Myers, and Cape Coral — is concerned most osprey homes were destroyed in Hurricane Ian and that the birds will now be returning to inappropriate nesting spots atop power lines and chimney tops and possibly increasing human/osprey conflict.
On behalf of the ospreys and our partners at TIOF, we are asking everyone to let the foundation know about the condition of nesting sites, platforms, and tree nests in their neighborhoods, especially those that have been successful in the past. TIOF wants to know the exact location (street address or intersection) or GPS coordinates (obtainable with cell phone map apps).
Click the video screenshot to see footage of an osprey on Sanibel last week, courtesy Gregory Anderson.
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For supporters interested in helping SCCF through this unprecedented chapter in our history, please consider making an unrestricted tax-deductible donation using the link below. It will be used to address our greatest immediate needs. As we learn of the unmet needs of other island nonprofits, we will do what we can to redirect donations to them as well.
If you have questions, including information on our bank wiring instructions and making a donation of stock shares, please contact SCCF Development Director Cheryl Giattini at 239-822-6121 or cgiattini@sccf.org. Also, please remember that the island post offices are not functioning and SCCF’s temporary mailing address is PO Box 101130, Cape Coral, FL 33910. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this heartfelt request.
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