Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF

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Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Protecting our Water
                   		 Protecting our Land
                   				 Protecting our Future

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation   Annual Report 2012 - 2013
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Time and Space

Dear SCCF Supporters and Island Neighbors:

   Looking at the many accomplishments highlighted in this annual report, there are two
broad concepts that come to mind – Time and Space.
   In pursuit of our mission to conserve coastal habitats and aquatic resources on Sanibel
and Captiva and in the surrounding watershed, the time and space to get that job done has
expanded significantly.
   SCCF and its island home of Sanibel-Captiva were once very much seasonal in nature.
That timing has certainly changed. Our work no longer “slows down” in the summer months.
We are constantly vigilant throughout the year, especially when it comes to marine research,
water quality issues, natural resource policy, and the management and monitoring of wildlife
and wildlife habitat.
   The concept of space has also expanded in our day-to-day work. In the last 46 years, our
generous supporters have made it possible to acquire and expand the space we have protected
for wildlife. We continue the restoration of our most recent land acquisition – the Bailey
Homestead Preserve – and see signs of its increased use as part of Sanibel’s Northern Wildlife
Corridor.
   The space we must consider “on our watch” has also expanded significantly. Particularly
with regard to water quality issues, our concerns flow all the way from the Kissimmee Basin
in Orlando to our estuary; and we are seeking solutions from as far away as the Everglades,
Lake O, Tallahassee, and Washington, D.C.
   Our work, and the time and space needed to achieve results, has never been more
imporant. To get that work done, we need your help – now more than ever. Please
consider expanding your support of SCCF by returning the enclosed envelope with your
most generous tax-deductible gift to the Annual Fund Drive. Thank you in advance for
supporting the islands’ good nature.

Sincerely,

Linda Uhler			                 Erick Lindblad
President, Board of Trustees   Executive Director
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Sanibel and Captiva.
         Two islands.
         Connected to a drop of rain in Orlando by a river
         ... and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
         ... and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
         ... and the Central & South Florida Flood Control Project

                                                   The web that
                                                   binds us

                                                                                    ap
                                                                                es m
                                                                          ciliti
                                                                        fa
                                                                   MD
                                                                SFW

Page 2
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
SCCF. Working to
  protect our waters.

SCCF Marine Lab Intern Maddie Johnston collecting water samples in Tarpon Bay.

                                                                                  SCCF is dedicated to
                                                                    the conservation of coastal habitats
                                                          and aquatic resources on Sanibel and Captiva
                                                            and in the surrounding watershed through:
                                                                                           Marine Research
                                                                                    Natural Resource Policy
                                                                              Wildlife Habitat Management
                                                              Native Plant Nursery/Landscaping for Wildlife
                                                                                    Sea Turtle Conservation
                                                                                           Land Acquisition
                                                                                  Environmental Education

                                                                                                      Page 3
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Protecting our Water through Advocacy
Water Supply/Water Quality                                          inequitable and unsupportable water policies, the South
   Our water resources and the habitats they support have           Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) brought
suffered devastating extremes in recent years. A shift in the       an old proposal out of the closet in a new package.
climate this year officially ended six years of drought and            Agricultural backpumping of nitrogen and phospho-
brought near-record-setting rains that have resulted in bil-        rus-laden water from the Everglades Agricultural Area
lions of gallons of excess, polluted water being dumped into        (EAA, south of Lake O) into Lake Okeechobee was re-
the Caloosahatchee estuary. Like the flows of 2005, the             vived as a solution for Caloosahatchee water shortages
freshwater plume has washed the estuary out beyond the bar-         under a new name: Water Supply Augmentation, WSA.
rier islands into the Gulf of Mexico. This follows one of the          The SFWMD’s concept is that backpumping unwant-
longest running red tide blooms in the region. The environ-         ed water from the EAA into the lake would provide more
mental and economic damage is compounding.                          water in the lake that could be allocated to the Caloosa-
                                                                    hatchee in times of drought. No thanks!
Water Shortage and Backpumping Revisited                               EAA discharge water adds to the phosphorus and ni-
   Between 2007 and 2012 our region suffered drought                trogen pollution of the lake and — ultimately ­— our es-
that resulted in significant habitat losses due to poor wa-         tuary. Both water bodies are already classified as Impaired
ter management policies that cut off the Caloosahatchee             due to excess nutrients.
from vital freshwater flows. (See pages 6-7 to learn more              Instead, our solution has been to hold out for no-cost
about the impacts caused by the extremes of too much                operational changes that would fairly divide water be-
water and too little water on the river and estuary.)               tween competing users. Called “shared adversity,” this is
   In response to our pushing for change in the existing            what Florida’s model water code envisioned, rather than
                                                                    moving untreated polluted water from one source to an-
                                                                    other already impaired natural system. With the return
Too Much Water/Too Little Water Impacts                             of the rains, this issue is no longer being actively discussed
Salinity, Tape grass and Manatees                                   but we expect it to return when water shortages reoccur.
                                                                       (See pages 8-9 for solutions and storage projects and
                                                                    what you can do to help.)

                                                                     Weekly Caloosahatchee Condition Report
                                                                        SCCF policy and science staff participate with our
                                                                     west coast partners in weekly science status conference
                                                                     calls with state and federal agencies to provide detailed
                                                                     scientific assessments of the ever-changing conditions
                                                                     in the Caloosahatchee, estuary and coastal waters.
                                                                        SCCF’s Rae Ann Wessel coordinates preparation
                                                                     of the Weekly Caloosahatchee & Estuary Condition
                                                                     Reports on behalf of local stakeholders. The report is
                                                                     provided to state and federal water managers, legisla-
                                                                     tors and elected officials.
                                                                        These reports provide a factual basis for water man-
                                                                     agement decisions to be made and they also provide
                                                                     an unparalleled data base of ongoing conditions and
                                                                     natural system responses to management decisions.
                                                                        The reports are available on our web site (www.
                                                                     sccf.org).

Above: In the winter, manatees congregate in the warm water supplied by the FPL power plant along the Orange River (by Manatee
Park). However, high salinities have killed their primary food source, Tape grass, in the upper estuary (see page 7), forcing manatees
and calves to travel 25 miles downriver to feed on sea grass in the lower estuary. During Red Tide events, like the 2012-13 bloom,
manatees feeding downstream are exposed to the Red Tide toxin. 309 manatee deaths were linked to the 2012-13 Red Tide. Photo
of March 2013 rescue of a distressed manatee courtesy Red Rubino.
Page 4
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Weather Stations and RECON

Marine Lab Research Assistant A.J. Martignette working on an SCCF weather station on a navigational marker that also
serves as a RECON data transmission platform. Weather stations are at three RECON sites: Redfish Pass, Fort Myers in the
Caloosahatchee by the U.S. 41 bridge, and the Gulf of Mexico, west of the Sanibel Causeway. www.recon.sccf.org/weather

RECON (River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network)
   RECON has become the model for “wiring an estuary” and determining estuarine conditions in “real time.” SCCF
is on the leading edge of this technological wave and RECON and its real time data transmissions are the
premier model for determining estuarine conditions in the United States. Other established
labs such as Harbor Branch and other communities have followed our lead,
looking for water quality solutions.
   RECON has seven stations that monitor 24-7, 365 days
a year. A new global initiative, combining other estuar-
ies that have deployed similar sensors, has been convened
to develop modeling and data-sharing tools for researchers
with the goal of resource protection. Predicting water qual-
ity conditions has lagged behind meteorological predictions
because of the lack of adequate data.
   Locally, RECON provides important real-time data showing
the impact of water management decisions on the environment.
RECON data are used in weekly conference calls with water man-
agers and other concerned stakeholders in Southwest Florida (see
Caloosahatchee Condition Report, left) and Marine Lab scientists also col-
lect water samples as needed and photographs of conditions as needed.
                                                                                                                    Page 5
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Water Management, Salinity and the Caloosahatchee

                               No                         High                      Loss of Tape grass
                            Releases            =        Salinity         =         for food & habitat

        Heavy                      Low                      Loss of
       Releases             =     Salinity           =      Shoal grass
                                                            & Oysters

                              Shoal grass & Oysters                                      Tape grass
                                                                                            The Caloosahatchee once support-
                                                                                         ed lush beds of tape grass that served
                                                                                         as critical nursery habitat, providing
                                                                                         food and protection for a variety of
                                                                                         species. Tape grass prefers salinities
                                                                                         of 10 psu and below. It begins dying
                                                                                         when there are sustained periods of
                                                                                         20 psu and above. Even at 10 psu,
                                                                                         tape grass growth slows.
                                                                                            During the dry season, when the
                                                                                         South Florida Water Management
                                                                                         District provides releases for ag-
                                                                                         riculture and other permitted us-
                                                                                         ers and none (or too little) for the
                                                                                         Caloosahatchee, high sustained sa-
  Healthy Shoal Grass                       Shoal Grass die-off                          linities west of the Franklin Lock
                                                                                         have taken their toll on those
                                                                                         once-lush beds.
High wet season freshwater releases impact the shoal grass beds by Iona and Shell
Point. They also cause oyster die-offs during the critical spawning season.
  45

  40     Salinity at Iona from 2005 to Present
  35

  30

  25

  20
         Oysters preferred salinity range                                                                                              S

  15

  10

   5
                                5 psu or less causes oyster mortality and harm to shoal grass
   0
       2005
  1-Jan-05         2006
                 1-Jan-06          2007
                                1-Jan-07         2008
                                              1-Jan-08         2009
                                                            1-Jan-09          2010
                                                                           1-Jan-10        2011
                                                                                        1-Jan-11          2012
                                                                                                       1-Jan-12         2013
                                                                                                                     1-Jan-13

Salinities are calculated based on flow at S79 (Franklin Lock) and Cape Coral salinities, plus actual data during parts of 2011 thru
2013. (There is a RECON sensor at Shell Point but not upriver at Iona.) In 2007 and 2008, oysters were stressed with sustained
high salinities. Low salinities from 2008-2010 and 2012-13 have resulted in oyster and shoal grass die-offs.

Page 6
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
RECON, Salinity and Tape grass

           X
                                 Salinity at Fort Myers Since Jan. 2008

                                   X
      Salinities of 20 psu and above kill Tape grass
                                                                         XX
       Tape grass growth begins slowing at 10 psu

                                       Tape grass preferred salinity range

           2008               2009               2010               2011               2012               2013

Above: Salinity readings from the RECON sensor at Fort Myers (near the U.S. 41 bridge) since January 2008. The aerial below
shows the retreat of Tape grass to the upriver Caloosahatchee after repeated years of high dry season salinities. There are no longer
lush tape grass beds west of the Franklin Lock. Manatees wintering by the FPL power plant must swim 25 miles downriver to find
seagrass. When there is Red Tide, they are exposed to the toxin.

                                              Tape grass Extent Since 1993

                   High dry season salinities have dramatically
                   impacted the extent of Tape grass in the river
                                                                                                                              Page 7
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Water Quality:              Undoing the Largest Man-Made Plumbing System in the World
   The flood control system in south Florida, called the           With funding assistance from our partner, the Ever-
Central and South Florida Flood Control Project, was            glades Foundation — and working with the City of Sani-
built by the state and federal governments in the 1940s to      bel and the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
provide flood relief extending south from the center of the     — we have focused on recapturing storage throughout
state near Orlando. The flood control plan was focused          the greater Everglades to enable restoration of this inter-
on quickly moving the water off the land, to and through        national treasure. Holding water longer on the landscape
rivers and canals and directly out to tide. It works… too       provides water quality treatment and is key to addressing
well. Dumping all of that excess summer rainy season wa-        the high and low flow water needs of the Caloosahatchee
ter to tide gets it off the land quickly — but then it is not   estuary, and water supply for the parched Everglades Na-
available for water supply in the winter dry season when        tional Park and Florida Bay.
our population more than doubles.                                  Storage in all watersheds is a fundamental piece of the
   Essentially, we need to undo the damage created by the       solution. To achieve this an additional 1 million acre-feet
largest man-made plumbing system in the world. Toward           of storage capacity is needed north of the lake, 1 million
that end, our policy staff spends a significant amount of       acre-feet south of the lake and 450,000 acre-feet in the
time on building partnerships to focus disparate groups         Caloosahatchee watershed. For scale, an acre-foot of
on attainable solutions.                                        water is a football field covered with one foot of water.

  Red Tide Monitoring at the Lab
                                                   When there are Red Tide events, Marine Lab scientists provide in-
                                                formation to the public about daily Red Tide concentrations around
                                                the islands. The staff collect water samples, count the cells responsible
                                                for Florida Red Tide and provide daily updates. Red Tide blooms are
                                                patchy and unpredictable, so a combination of remote sensing and wa-
                                                ter samples are used by Marine Lab scientists to provide information
                                                to the public.
                                                   The Lab works closely with CROW when there is a Red Tide
                                                event. Dr. Heather Barron provides blood samples from CROW
                                                patients to test for the presence of the Red Tide toxin. During the
                                                2012 - 2013 Red Tide event, CROW treated over 250 cases of Red
                                                Tide poisoning, mostly birds but also some sea turtles.
                                                Marine Lab Research Scientist Dr. Rick Bartleson preparing to check water
                                                samples for the Red Tide toxin with ELISA testing equipment.

   Help Us Celebrate!
   The Gateway Kiosk and the Shipley Trail at the Bailey Homestead Preserve
     Please join us on Thursday morning, January 23, 2014 as we officially open the Bailey Homestead Preserve’s
   Gateway Kiosk, Shipley Trail, and the boardwalk SCCF and the City of Sanibel created to connect the Bailey
   Homestead Preserve to the City’s Pond Apple Park. This is a great opportunity to celebrate with all the funding
   partners for these projects, especially Richard Shipley, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands, the Thomas
   Family in memory of Starr Thomas, and the Gilbert Family in memory of Harris Gilbert.
     We look forward to opening the rest of the homestead at a future date. Stay tuned.
     In the meantime, watch for details at www.sccf.org or learn more by calling 472-2329.

Page 8
Protecting our Water Protecting our Land - SCCF
Solution: Move Water South and Find Storage
Moving Water South Out of Lake O
   The one unifying solution is moving water south of Lake        freshwater supplies for the “River of Grass” and Florida
Okeechobee where it historically fed into the Everglades.         Bay. This first phase provides the initial infrastructure
   CEPP (the Central Everglades Planning Project) is the          needed to ultimately reduce the damaging discharges to
first major federal/state plan for restoring flow south from      the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries.
Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades, providing critical
                                                                       Caloosahatchee Watershed Storage Projects

In the Caloosahatchee there are a series of projects we have been working on and advocating for that will supply approximately half
of the storage needed in the river’s watershed.

  How You Can Help
     We need to send a strong message to legislators and water managers. Damaging conditions this year have cap-
  tured the attention of elected officials. This is our opportunity to support changes they are beginning to discuss.
  Now that we have their attention, we need to keep the pressure on to encourage meaningful action. You’ll find
  more information on our website, www.sccf.org (look at the Caloosahatchee and Lake O green box on the right of
  the home page) about ways that you can help:
  1. As we head to press, the U.S. House passed the WRRDA bill (Water Resources Reform Development Act).
     WRRDA funding is needed for the C-43 Reservoir (see “D” above). A conference committee will reconcile
     differences between the bills from the House and Senate (passed last May). We’ll keep you posted on the status.
  2. Write the Florida Governor and the SFWMD Governing Board to urge them to make planned water proj-
     ects in the Caloosahatchee watershed operational before next year’s rainy season begins and urge them to
     immediately revise the SFWMD Operational Protocols to store more water north and south of Lake O.
  Contact information can be found on the website (click “contacts” off the Caloosahatchee and Lake O
  green box).
                                                                                                                            Page 9
Improving Water Quality in the Lakes at The Dunes
                                                                               Algae blooms, fish kills, and ex-
                                                                            otic infestation plague the lakes on
                                                                            Sanibel as well as the Sanibel “riv-
                                                                            er,” more accurately called a slough.
                                                                               The Marine Lab was invited
                                                                            by The Dunes Golf & Tennis
                                                                            Club to study the fish communi-
                                                                            ties and water quality in the lakes
                                                                            at The Dunes.
                                                                               Monitoring by the Lab has pro-
                                                                            vided the golf course managers with
                                                                            feedback on improvements such
                                                                            as no-mow zones around the lake
                                                                            edges, eliminating both overspray
                                                                            for irrigation and the treatment of
                                                                            lakes with copper sulfate.

                                                                            Left: Intern Mary Kate Swenarton
                                                                            in Ladyfinger Lakes (part of “Ding”
                                                                            Darling) by Dixie Beach Road, seine
                                                                            netting and looking for exotic fish;
                                                                            and (far left middle) looking at accu-
                                                                            mulations of algae. Discharges from
                                                                            the Dunes lakes raise nutrient levels,
                                                                            supporting the growth of algae. Left:
                                                                            Lab staff spent a day cast netting for
                                                                            exotic fish in the Dunes lakes, collect-
                                                                            ing several bucketloads of fish which
                                   Tilapia and Mayan cichlid
                                                                            were delivered to CROW.

          Non-native invasive tilapia and Mayan cichlids present
          a danger to native fish by competing for food and out-
          reproducing them; they have no native predators; and
          they pose a threat to the estuary if they escape from the
          Dunes lakes during rain and high tide events.

                                                                      March 2013

                                                                            This mat in Lake 4 of The Dunes
                                                                            is 250 sq. ft. and it was installed in
                                                                            March 2013. Financed by a Dunes
                                                                            resident as a pilot project, it is a first
                                                                            step toward improving water quality
                                                                            in the lake.

Page 10
When Marine Lab staff began looking at options for removing
nutrients from stormwater ponds in The Dunes, they found that
the City of Naples has been successfully using Beemats’ floating
islands in some of their stormwater ponds.
   Basically, the mat provides for a hydroponic system, with the
plant roots absorbing nutrients directly from the water. The plants
will grow larger and seem to fill the area between pots (see below          The root systems grow and form large un-
right). After about a year, the adult plants will be harvested or cut    derwater clusters, which provide refuge for zoo-
and the plant material will be taken offsite for composting. The         plankton, which in turn eat algae. The roots
cut plants will then be allowed to regrow on the island, beginning       help protect the zooplankton from the large non-
the process again.                                                       native fish population of tilapia and cichlids.

The mat in July (below) and September (below right). Almost immediately birds began using the island for foraging and even for
nesting (top photos). Algae has been a large problem in Horseshoe Lake in The Dunes. Bird photos above and mat photos pg. 10
courtesy Thelma Clark.

                           July 2013                                                September 2013
                                                                                                                      Page 11
SCCF. Working to protect wildlife and their habitat.
                                                                  Eden Oak is the name of a 158-acre proposed develop-
                                                              ment located along both sides of Shell Point Road in Punta
                                                              Rassa. The proposed 306 residential units and 171-slip ma-
                                                              rina and clubhouse are all proposed to be built in wetlands
                                                              that are considered aquatic resources of national importance
                                          Shell Point
                                                              and essential fish and wildlife habitat. SCCF has engaged
                                                              with the neighboring community and other partners to
                                                              fight this proposal and protect the mangrove wetlands and
                                                              fishery habitat that also provide protection from hurricanes,
                                                              as we saw after Hurricane Charley in 2004.

                        Proposed Eden Oak
                        Preserve development

    The red outlines the proposed Eden Oak
    Preserve development. Yellow-outlined
    areas are also owned by the developer.

Above right: In June, SCCF Natural Resource Policy Director Rae Ann Wessel and Marine Lab Director, Dr. Eric Milbrandt,
inspected the mangrove areas that would be impacted by the Eden Oak development. Diamondback terrapins are among the
wildlife that would be affected by the development (see story next page about SCCF’s diamondback terrapin research project).

Legal Action: Cape Coral Ceitus Canal                                                          Ceitus Boat Lift
   SCCF has joined six other local stakeholder partner groups
to issue a 60-day notice to bring a legal action to compel the
DEP to enforce a settlement agreement on the stormwater
discharge from the Cape Coral Ceitus Canal. Agency inaction
has left this project languishing for the past two years. The                        Northwest
Ceitus canal barrier and boat lift on the western edge of Cape                       Cape Coral
Coral were required by the state to force the water collected
in this “spreader” canal to flow slowly west through the man-
grove fringe, where the mangroves could filter the water before
entering the Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve, an Outstanding
Florida Waterbody.
   Its removal causes concentrated stormwater discharges to
flow directly south, unfiltered, dropping salinity levels and
dumping sediment and pollutants on submerged aquatic veg-
etation, devastating the aquatic marine community.                                          Location of Ceitus Barrier
There are about 100 miles of canals in the northwest Cape,         Image from GoogleEarth
                                                                                            and Boat Lift before removal
carrying stormwater discharge into the Ceitus Canal.

Page 12
Diamondback Terrapin Project

    The SCCF Diamondback Terrapin Project began in early 2012. With permits and cooperation from the Florida
Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) and the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, SCCF
has embarked on a new research and monitoring project involving these unique, secretive and under-researched turtles
in Southwest Florida. Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are a group of “freshwater” turtles that exist in
a marine environment, typically brackish water. They exist along the eastern coast from Massachusetts to Texas in
mostly salt marshes and mangrove creeks and lakes. Their major threats are drowning in crab pots, and collection for
the pet trade. In the early 1900s, they were an upper class food source. As a result, populations were nearly depleted
in much of the northeastern U.S.
    SCCF has begun a mark-recapture study to assess their population size, conservation status and natural history at several
locations on and around Sanibel. These
turtles have some level of protection in all of
their range states and were added to CITES
(Convention on International Trade in En-
dangered Species) in March 2013. SCCF
and our partners are interested in finding
their nesting areas so they can be protected.
SCCF has deployed satellite transmitters
on some females to find their nesting loca-
tions. SCCF is the first entity to use satel-
lite transmitters on diamondback terrapins.
Measurements and habits from Pine Island
Sound terrapins are being compared with
terrapins from other parts of the state.
    Results from these studies will be used to
develop further management actions, such
as nest site protection.

Right: Map showing the movement of
two terrapins in the study.
                                                                                                                      Page 13
Pine Island Sound Eastern Indigo Snake Project
   The SCCF Pine Island Sound Eastern Indigo Snake Project is in its second year of research. In cooperation with the
Orianne Society, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the Florida Department of Environmental Protec-
tion/Division of Parks and Recreation and the residents of several barrier islands, eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon
couperi) have been verified on three of the five major islands in Pine Island Sound. Recapture data has given us a
glimpse of the home range on at least one of these islands.
   These rare barrier island populations of this federal and state threatened species are a treasure that needs im-
mediate attention and effort to remain sustainable. With the help of the cooperative entities and many concerned
                                                                                              residents, indigo snake
                                                                                              education and awareness
                                                                                              has increased. As a result,
                                                                                              more people are report-
                                                                                              ing indigo snakes and un-
                                                                                              derstand their role in the
                                                                                              ecosystem and the need
                                                                                              to protect them. The
                                                                                              residents of these barrier
                                                                                              islands are the most im-
                                                                                              portant stewards of these
                                                                                              large, docile snakes.
                                                                                                 Most of the funding for
                                                                                              this project has come from
                                                                                              the North Captiva Con-
                                                                                              servation Fund and Upper
                                                                                              Captiva Civic Assocation.

Measuring the length of an indigo

Page 14
SCCF. Working to protect conservation land.
Legislative Session                                          2014 ballot. The initiative would allocate the 33% of doc
   One of the bills passed by the 2013 legislative session   stamp taxes that for 20 years has been used to fund state
is driving two conservation efforts for SCCF policy staff:   conservation and park purchases — but for the last sev-
advocating for protection of park lands being promoted       eral years, most of this money has been redirected by the
for surplusing by the state; and securing a funding source   legislature to other programs. Petitions are available in
for the state’s Florida Forever land conservation program.   the Nature Center; they can also be downloaded at flori-
The Florida legislature passed a bill that tied the budget   dawaterlandlegacy.org.
for land purchases for conservation to the sale of exist-
ing conservation lands. This unworkable concept has          Two Proposals Defeated on North Captiva
prompted the state to suggest the surplusing of state park       On North Captiva, two development proposals were
lands across the state including portions of Cayo Costa       successfully opposed by SCCF. One was to build a 17-
State Park in our area.                                       unit hotel on lands that were flooded during a storm
                                                              last fall.
Florida Water and Land Legacy Petition                           The other was the construction of a boat barn and
   To address the funding question SCCF has endorsed marina near an aquatic preserve. Although new docks
and is actively engaged in collecting petitions for a consti- may still be dredged as part of a multi-slip dockage
tutional amendment initiative called the Florida Water & facility, it cannot be a commercial marina or contain a
Land Legacy (FWLL). The objective is to collect 680,000 72-unit boat barn.
signatures of Florida voters to qualify for the November                                         See Growth Page 17

     Outlined in red are the proposed Cayo
     Costa land parcels for surplusing

                                                                                                               Page 15
Air Potato Control: Beetle Release
   Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is an invasive, exotic vine from tropical Asia that has become a large problem in
south Florida, especially Sanibel. It aggressively grows over the top of native trees and shrubs, choking them out. They
are very difficult to eradicate because of the numerous bulbils that can form a new plant, even after the plant is sprayed
                                                                              with herbicide.
                                                                                 The USDA-ARS (Agricultural Research
                                                                              Service) Invasive Plant Laboratory has
                                                                              identified an Asian beetle (Lilioceris cheni),
                                                                              that feeds on air potato but does not devour
                                                                              any native Florida plants. After remaining
                                                                              in quarantine testing for two years, this in-
                                                                              sect is being released at various locations
                                                                              around south Florida. SCCF lands are
                                                                              being used as part of the project. We are
                                                                              happy to report that reproduction of the
                                                                              released insects has been verified as well as
                                                                              evidence of skeletonized air potato leaves
                                                                              from the beetles. This will not rid the is-
                                                                              land of air potato but it will slow down the
                                                                              reproductive success of the plant.

                                                                                               Field Technician Toby Clark
                                                                                               introducing air potato beetles
                                                                                               onto SCCF lands in an effort
                                                                                               to slow down the growth of in-
                                                                                               vasive air potato.

Page 16
Exotic Removal Success and Reappearances
  Continual monitoring and maintenance of SCCF properties is essential to prevent reoccurrences of exotic plant
invasions. The punktree (Melaleuca quinquenervia) is an all too common invasive, exotic tree that has taken over
much of South Florida. It was eradicated from Sanibel over a decade ago; it has reappeared in very small numbers
twice on the West Sanibel River Preserve (2005, 2013). Even though Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) has
been removed from all SCCF properties, newly sprouted individuals are found every year on these properties and
must be removed.
  Our field technicians (Toby Clark and Victor Young) have had around 90% success in eradicating Widow’s-Thrill
(Kalanchoe sp) on the Wulfert Gopher Tortoise Preserve. At least four species of this plant have been found on Sanibel.
Meanwhile, other extremely invasive plants like Java Plum (Syzygium cumini) and cogon grass (Imperata cylindrical)
have infiltrated properties where they were previously not known to occur. Consistent surveys and knowledge of native
and exotic flora are essential for keeping our properties as healthy as possible for native wildlife.

Widow’s Thrill (Kalanchoe sp) has been 90% eliminated on the Wulfert Gopher Tortoise Preserve
Brazilian Pepper Removal on North Captiva
                                                                     North Captiva conservation projects have included
                                                                  eradication of over 40 acres of Brazilian pepper on
                                                                  state park lands as well as on private properties. Cayo
                                                                  Costa State Park and Barnacle’s Restaurant have been
                                                                  generous in supporting this initiative. Draft docu-
                                                                  ments for Lee County Code modifications have been
                                                                  submitted that include a requirement for all private
                                                                  lands on North Captiva to have Brazilian pepper re-
                                                                  moved by 2021. Those documents also request a “dark
                                                                  skies” lighting code.

                                                                  Brazilian pepper

Growth -- Continued from page 15
Growth Management
  SCCF celebrated a victory in protecting our critical quiet backbay wildlife habitat with the defeat of a request by
the marina on Connie Mack Island to modify two Lee County ordinances to allow them to operate jet ski tours. This
win protects habitat where at least three species of endangered sea turtles, juvenile and adult, are known to forage as
well as the rare Ornate Diamondback Terrapin, federally endangered smalltooth sawfish and Florida manatee. This is
doubly important for seagrass, which grows densely in the proposed tour area and has been heavily impacted by this
year’s high freshwater flows.
                                                                                                                  Page 17
Beach Dune Planting
                                                              SCCF’s Native Plant Nursery was contracted by
                                                              the City of Sanibel to plant dune vegetation at
                                                              island beaches.

          5,929 plants
          on Sanibel beaches
          planted by the Nurwery
          this summer

17 species were planted: Ambrosia (Ambrosia hispida), Bay Bean
(Canavalia rosea), Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea imperati), Bit-
ter Panic Grass (Panicum amarum), Coastal Sea Rocket (Cakile
lanceolata), Dune Sunflower (Helianthus debilis), Gaillardia
(Gaillardia pulchella), Inkberry (Scaevola plumieri), Railroad
Vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae), Saltmeadow Cordgrass (Spartina
patens), Sea Lavender (Argusia gnaphalodes), Sea Oats (Uniola
paniculata), Seacoast Marsh Elder (Iva imbricata), Seashore Drop-
seed (Sporobolus virginicus), Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vagi-
natum), Seashore Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), Spider Lily (Hy-
menocallis latifolia). Plantings focused on dune areas closest to the      Lighthouse Beach planting. Native Plant Nursery
water, which were impacted by last year’s Tropical Storm Debbie, so       Assistant Rebecca Grotrian, top and above. Nursery
the diversity was a little lower than a “normal” year.
                                                                                            intern Calli Thompson, left above.
Page 18
Nursery at the Florida Association of Native Nurseries Trade Show
                                                                   Partnerships
                                                                     The Native Plant Nursery has informal
                                                                   partnerships with the City of Sanibel, J.N.
                                                                   “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the
                                                                   Sanibel Bike Club, the Lake Murex & Little
                                                                   Lake Murex Homeowner’s Assocation, the
                                                                   Gumbo Limbo Homeowners’s Association
                                                                   and the Naples Botanical Garden. Nursery
                                                                   Manager Jenny Evans is an annual speaker for
                                                                   the Sanibel Master Gardener’s lecture series.

Nursery Manager Jenny Evans and staff setting up for a FANN
(Florida Assocation of Native Nurseries) trade show. The Nursery
also participated in an inaugural Native Plant Trade Show in
Kissimmee, which drew over 350 attendees.

Increased Program Variety in the Nature Center                     Realtor® Partnership

                                                                   All new members of the Sanibel and Captiva
                                                                   Islands Association of Realtors® attend an
                                                                   SCCF orientation program, and more special-
                                                                   ized Realtor® classes continue to be popular.
                                                                   Our relationship with local realtors and their
                                                                   actions have helped in our continuing challenge
FWRI Researcher Gregg Poulakis with a smalltooth sawfish in the    of water quality and water quality issues.
Peace River.
  Increase in program variety and frequency in the Nature Center has led to building relationships with new
members and increasing visitation. Presentations on Endangered species — the smalltooth sawfish and Kemp’s
Ridley sea turtles — by local researchers from Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) and the
Conservancy of Southwest Florida brought these species to the spotlight in the community. New SCCF vol-
unteer-led beach and shorebird programs at Island Inn and Sanibel Inn broadcast the SCCF mission to record
numbers. A new Sea Turtle exhibit in the Nature Center highlights SCCF’s years of sea turtle monitoring. The
“Alien Invasion” program helps islanders understand the effects of introduced species on the islands’ natives.

                                                                                                             Page 19
Clam Bayou Mangrove and Oyster Restoration
The SCCF Marine Lab’s Clam Bayou restoration has wound down. Due to the effectiveness of the Marine Lab’s approach — and
the help of many volunteers — the ecological restoration of Clam Bayou has been measured and deemed a success.

Sea Turtle Nesting on the Islands
   The 2013 sea turtle nesting season was one for the record books. Overall, it was the third highest nesting season with
348 nests on Sanibel and 134 nests on Captiva. Even more exciting was the large number of green sea turtle nests laid
on the islands. Green sea turtles are considered rare nesters on the west coast of Florida, as most of our nests are usually
laid by loggerhead turtles. This year, 23 green nests were laid on the islands. Prior to this year, we had never documented
more than eight green nests.
   In 2013, the sea turtle program expanded its research collaboration with Florida Atlantic University. In addition to
gathering data on the sex ratios of loggerhead turtles, we hosted Ph.D. student Jake Lasala. Jake is studying paternity in
loggerhead, green, and leatherback turtles on Tequesta, Boca Raton, and Sanibel beaches. On Sanibel, his focus is exclu-
sively on loggerheads but may expand to green turtles in light of the large number of nests laid this year.
                                                           Since male sea turtles never return to land after hatching, little
                                                        is known about their biology. By collecting DNA from nesting
                                                        females and hatchlings, Jake is able to determine the DNA of the
                                                        male turtles. The goal of this project is to determine if the same
                                                        males are mating with east and west coast female turtles or if each
                                                        population of females has its own group of males. The project
                                                        will give a better understanding of how, and how many, male
                                                        turtles are contributing to the nesting on the study beaches. This
                                                        knowledge will ultimately aid in the management of sea turtle
                                                        populations in Florida.
Green sea turtle hatchling. Photo by Donna Aldrich
Page 20
Environmental Education
   We continue to work with Captiva Cruises and docents
to provide visitors a rich experience on board natural his-
tory boat trips. No Child Left on Shore has reached hun-
dreds of children in Lee and Collier County that may not
have ever experienced a boat trip, exploring beaches and
seeing the wildlife that lives in our waters.
   This year we also did a special trip with Dr. John Worth,
former Assistant Director of the Randell Research Center
and an archaeologist and ethnohistorian who has spent
time in Spain and Cuba researching both the Calusa In-
dians and the early Cuban fisheries in Pine Island Sound.
   Participation in the Lee County Visitor and Conven-
tion Bureau’s long range planning has kept conservation
of natural resources high on their list. Part of their mis-
sion statement is to preserve and protect the area’s unique
attributes for the continual benefit of its residents and the   Richard Finkel exploring Cayo Costa with kids visiting the
travel and tourism industry. VCB too has dedicated re-          island through the No Child Left on Shore program, a part-
sources to water quality and water quantity issues as well      nership between SCCF and Captiva Cruises.
as beach habitat preservation.
   Programs at Shell Point Village have been extremely          stronger relationships with businesses and residents of
well-received. Many of our members reside there and             Captiva, having great fun and providing more educa-
keeping in touch personally has been a joyful experience.       tional programs on island.
   Captiva Holiday Village participation has built                                             See Education on Page 22

SCCF Shorebird Monitoring Program
   2013 marks the 11th year of SCCF’s Snowy
Plover Monitoring Program, which has contin-
ued to monitor the shore/seabirds of Sanibel
and Captiva islands. This year, Sanibel fledged
19 new Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus)
from 29 chicks: a 67% fledge rate!
   In 2010 the shorebird program began
monitoring Least Terns (Sternula antillarum)
in addition to Snowy Plovers. Least Terns
are colonial nesters which historically nest
on Florida’s beaches. Colonies can consist of
dozens to thousands of birds. Least Terns find
strength in numbers and are highly aggres-
sive when it comes to defending their nesting
habitat. Once a perceived predator approach-
es a colony, the adult birds will fly from their
nests to dive-bomb and defecate on the threat,
whether it is animal or human. Due to this
behavior, Least Terns and humans commonly          Checking out a pair of wooden decoy terns.
come into conflict.
   This year, Wildlife Habitat Management          of Bowman’s Beach, where they placed 30 decoys (approximately half
(WHMP) staff used wooden decoys to try to          of them in pairs) in a small roped-off area high on the beach. Within
attract the terns to nest in areas on Sanibel      two weeks of placement, terns began to nest among the decoys inside
where birds and humans would have minimal          the roped area. Shortly after, the roped area was expanded to over
interaction. WHMP staff chose an area west         three acres. At the height of nesting 34 nests were recorded.
                                                                                                                   Page 21
Education -- Continued from Page 21
   This year, we have been involved in developing exhibits and educational materials about Captiva’s history including
the ever-changing nature of the island, beach erosion and wildlife.
   In our efforts to build relationships upstream, SCCF staff provides programs during the Big O Birding Festival.
   Manatee awareness via fish measuring stickers for boaters and caution of the dangers of feeding dolphins by way of
educational rulers were designed and distributed. Through the years SCCF has learned that useful items appear to be
retained by recipients longer than most print materials.

                                             Owls on the Islands
                                                Screech Owl and Barn Owl nesting boxes have been made by SCCF
                                             Hammerheads since 2000 and they are available to homeowners in the
                                             Native Plant Nursery. In addition to encouraging homeowners to pro-
                                             vide nesting sites for these owls, education programs include an initiative
                                             to stop the use of rat poisons that can kill these owls. Nesting Barn Owls
                                             have not been observed on Sanibel since 2006; they had been nesting at
                                             the SCCF Nature Center for thirty years.
                                                There has been a North Captiva initiative to install Screech Owl nest-
                                             ing boxes to restore this population, which appears to have crashed in the
                                             past two decades.

                                              Busy at the Nursery

A New SCCF Preserve

    SCCF has a new preserve — the             Native Plant Nursery staffers provided 47 Landscaping for Wildlife consulta-
Bird House Preserve — thanks to an            tions for homeowners plus 16 private landscape designs and installations. There
anonymous donor, who provided funds to        are 12 private properties in the biweekly landscape maintenance program, and
purchase the property. The new preserve       the Nursery has done seven landscaping and restoration installation projects for
is adjacent to land already owned by SCCF     the City of Sanibel and also maintains seven City of Sanibel parks/roadways on
off Bay Drive, on the east end of Sanibel.    a monthly basis. Photo courtesy Thelma Clark.

Page 22
Operating Financial Statement
   July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013
   Income:		 Expenses:
   Unrestricted Contributions / Memberships $1,292,059 Administrative                             $241,766
* Wildlife Habitat / 		 Wildlife Habitat/
     Land Management                           $373,983     Land Management                       $365,020
* Marine Laboratory                            $296,543 Marine Laboratory                         $663,982
* Native Plant Nursery/ 		 Native Plant Nursery/
     Landscaping for Wildlife                  $177,610     Landscaping for Wildlife              $194,399
* Environmental Education / 		 Environmental Education                                            $203,911
     Natural Resource Policy                   $133,584 Natural Resource Policy                   $110,997
** Endowment Support for Operating             $134,172 Special Events                              $31,827
   Special Events                               $74,993 General Operations                        $171,326
   Misc. Income                                 $22,456 Insurance                                   $89,071
   Nature Center Admissions                     $22,704 Public Relations / Communications $204,338
   Memorials                                    $15,000 Memorials                                   $15,000

   Total Operating/Project Income            $2,543,104 Total Operating/Project Expenses $2,291,637
			                           Fund Balance Carry forward $251,467

    Designated Funds and Grant Income are carried forward to the next fiscal year as projects continue.

* Program income, Designated contributions, Grants and Contracts
** 5 % of the average value for the last 12 quarters

Marine Lab: Engaging the scientific community
Six presentations were made by Marine Lab staff at the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and the
Benthic Ecology meetings. There were four publications by Marine Lab staff scientists.

Publications:
Martin, N., L.D. Coen, A.J. Martignette, E.C. Milbrandt, in press. Testing anti-fouling coatings with special emphasis
 on coastal observing systems. Florida Scientist.
Provost, K., E.C. Milbrandt, A.J. Martignette, J.J. Siwicke, in press. Methodological comparison for determining drift
 and attached macroalgae abundance. Florida Scientist.
Thompson, M.A., E.C. Milbrandt, R.B. Bartleson, and A. Rybak, Evaluation of bacteriological and nutrient concerns
 in nearshore waters of a barrier island in SW Florida. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 64:1425-1434
Milbrandt, E.C., R.B. Bartleson, L.D. Coen, A.Rybak, M. Thompson, P. Stevens,. Local and regional effects of reopen-
 ing a tidal inlet on estuarine water quality, seagrass habitat, and fish assemblages. Continental Shelf Research. 41:1-16.

        The Marine Lab’s intern program encourages students to conduct an independent scientific research
     project developed with staff guidance. Interns Nicole Martin and Keleigh Provost each designed field and
     laboratory experiments meant to result in presentations at regional meetings and publication in the peer-
     reviewed journal, Florida Scientist (listed above).

                                                                                                                    Page 23
Fundraising Events
   Our fifth annual Wines in the Wild on November
10, 2012, was bigger and better than ever. Local wine
aficionados Linda and Tom Uhler continued their service
as Wines’ founding co-chairs. More than 175 guests visited
six wine stations set up on the Nature Center porch and
boardwalks to sample fine wines. Delicious hors d’oeuvres
were prepared by Catering by Leslie Adams.
   For the first time, Wines in the Wild had a Presenting
Sponsor! Many thanks go to Bank of the Islands for making
this fundraiser more successful than ever.
   Special Host Committee members were Nancy and
Pete Bender, Linda and Wayne Boyd, Tory and Bill Burch,
Leone and George Graham, Anne Haslem and Ed Wheeler,
                                                                  Luc Century with Men’s 4.5 champions Dave Petrick and Tony
Janie Howland, Mike Kelly, Deborah and John La Gorce,
                                                                  Fittipaldi, and finalists Mark Andrews and Helmut Peters at
Ellen and Erick Lindblad, Kay and John Morse, Roberta
                                                                  this year’s 21st Annual Tennis Tournament.
and Philip Puschel, Joyce and Don Rice, Nancy and Chip
Roach, Robbie and Geoff Roepstorff, Lucy and Paul Roth,           Your Neighborhood Gopher Tortoises… Jack Thomas, Hal
Donna and John Schubert, Tom and Linda Uhler, Nanelle             and June Patinkin, Henry and Inge Glissman, and Carol
Wehmann and Martha and John Wolf.                                 Gardner. Game sponsors are Harry and Mona Gleitz, Dick
   Thanks are also due to all who donated to our raffle: Luc      and Robin Cohan, REMAX: Art and Sandi Corace, Dorado
Century for a set of wine glasses; gift certificates for dinner   Property Management/Lisa Newmeyer-Cochrane, Island
at Il Cielo, Traders, the Normandie Restaurant at the West        Condo Maintenance, Wiles Architects/Arla and George
Wind Inn, Mucky Duck and, also, a gourmet dinner for              Wiles, Tom and Jane Settanni, Bill and Carol Rosenberg,
four prepared by island caterer Leslie Adams; Gift baskets        Sallie Soule and Sanibel-Captiva Community Bank.
from: the Coffee Bar at Bailey’s, Zebra Frozen Yogut, Doc            Raffle prizes were an Eternal Light Glass Sculpture
Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, Tarpon Bay Explorers, Creative         donated by Lucas Century, and a one-week island stay,
Baskets, Dolce Tesoro featuring Queenie’s Ice Cream and           donated by VIP Vacation Rentals. Silent Auction items were
Simply Cupcakes, Holly Cakes; a set of Waterford crystal          donated by Terry See, Sherrie and Chris Hughes, Captain
wine stoppers donated by Diane and Leroy Neitzel, a               James Branca, Jim Castle, Deborah La Gorce, Laura@
bottle of the 2002 vintage from the personal collection of        Creative Baskets, Jessy Lees, Jodi Cort and Warren Schwab,
Wines in the Wild organizer Tom Uhler in honor of the             Tarpon Bay Explorers, Michael and Charlene Zausner, Ace
Marine Lab’s 10th anniversary; and from SCCF, a “Toast            Hardware, Lucas Century, Ed Wheeler, The Dunes, George
the Sunset” sunset excursion for four on Pine Island Sound        and Wendy’s Seafood Grille, Lazy Flamingo, Veranda
with Dr. Eric Milbrandt and Kristie Anders.                       Restaurant, Danny Morgan, and Congress Jewelers.
   SCCF’s 21st Annual Tennis Tournament was held at                  Thanks to The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club for making the
The Dunes Pavel-Blackwood Tennis Academy on April 6-7.            tournament a resounding success, and a very, very special thanks
SCCF gratefully acknowledges Barbara Chappell, the late           to Lisa Newmeyer-Cochrane and also to Warren Schwab.
Francis Bailey and FineMark National Bank & Trust as our             On April 20, partiers gathered at the Nature Center for
lead sponsors, and all of our Championship, Match, Set            SCCF’s second annual Beer in the Bushes, with stations
and Game Sponsors. Championship sponsors were Bill and            offering different signature craft beers. SCCF’s backyard
Tory Burch, VIP Karen Bell Realty, and Wayne and Linda            was opened up for games, tables, dancing and music. An ill-
Boyd; Match sponsors were John and Deborah La Gorce,              timed downpour didn’t stop the fun as Uproot Hootenanny
Philip and Robert Puschel, John and Martha Wolf, Barefoot         led the guests under the porch roofline for more dancing
Charley’s Painting Company, Paul and Lucy Roth, Ellen             as the night went on. Beer in the Bushes was graciously
Raisbeck, and Bob and Nancy Orr. Set sponsors were Tom            sponsored by The Sanibel Captiva Trust Company and
and Mimi Adams, Patrick and April Tzanis, Fran Cameron,           generously supported by Jensen’s Twin Palm Marine, Red
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Curtin, Fred Gobel, Jodi Cort and            White and Brew Distributors, Point Ybel Brewery, Island
Warren Schwab, Rick and Martha Siders, Sally Reed,                BBQ, Catering by Leslie Adams, The Grog Shop and Island
Island Chiropractic/Dr. Bob Fisher, Nanelle Wehmann,              Cinema.

Page 24
Special Events
   SCCF kicked off the beginning of the season on September     President Linda Uhler, Vice President Patti Sousa, Secretary
15 with the 27th International Coastal Cleanup. Working         Martha Siders, and Treasurer Don Rice. Outgoing President
with the Ocean Conservancy, Keep Lee County Beautiful           Paul Roth (who remains on the Board of Trustees) thanked
and the City of Sanibel, SCCF directed volunteer efforts to     all who helped him during his board leadership, especially
clean the beaches on Sanibel and Captiva. Debris removed        his wife, Lucy. After program reports and Legacy Society
from the beaches ran the gamut from cigarette filters to crab   inductions, members enjoyed a casual dinner from Catering
traps. Data recorded over the years is used by the Ocean        by Leslie Adams.
Conservancy for education and research.                             The Life Member/Benefactor Luncheon was at the
   In October SCCF once again relied on volunteers for          Sanctuary Golf Club on February 6. SCCF’s Erick Lindblad
the Third Annual Monofilament Madness, a Keep Lee               brought members up-to-date on the work of the Foundation
County Beautiful countywide event. Back bay mangroves           and the ongoing restoration of the Bailey Homestead.
were cleared of fishing line and other trash to protect         Many thanks to Yolande Welch and Diane Neitzel for their
wildlife using that habitat. Every year birds and sea turtles   organization of this event.
are caught in and can perish from old monofilament                  Visiting families and residents enjoyed SCCF’s annual Open
line. On Captiva, Jensen’s Twin Palms adopted Roosevelt         House on President’s Day, Monday, February 18. Family-
Channel to clean for the second year and Captiva Kayak at       friendly displays, crafts and the ever-popular Nature Sounds
McCarthy’s Marina hosted a Kayak cleanup of Buck Key.           Contest were enjoyed by all.
‘Tween Waters provided kayaks for volunteers to clean up            The Nature Center was the venue for another great
Hurricane Hole on Buck Key. FGCU students cleaned up            Volunteer Appreciation Party on March 14. Volunteers
SCCF’s Albright Island in Blind Pass with kayaks provided       had the chance to visit with each other and to explore the
by Castaways Marina. FGCU students also removed debris          outdoor areas at the Foundation. Catering by Leslie Adams
from the mangroves at the end of Dixie Beach Boulevard.         provided a wonderful buffet dinner. Following dessert,
   The Foundation’s Annual Membership Meeting was               awards were passed out in recognition of the invaluable
held December 3. Three outgoing Trustees, Janie Howland,        contributions of our volunteers.
Chip Lesch, and Carol Zell, were recognized for their               With catering partner Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, SCCF
service. New board members voted in at the meeting              hosted the Chamber After Hours on Monday, March 18.
were Ron Gibson (returning to the board), Deborah La            Island business members had an opportunity to enjoy the ideal
Gorce and Ran Niehoff. The members present accepted             outdoor location of the Nature Center porch and learn more
the recommended slate of officers for the coming year –         about SCCF’s mission and programs.

  Membership                                                      Volunteers
                                                                                                          Number of    Number
  Life (Individuals):                          620
                                                                  Program                                 Volunteers   of Hours
  Family:                                    1,134                Board of Trustees and Committees              36          982
  Individual:                                  347                Captiva Cruises Wildlife Cruise docents       11        1,218
  Corporate and Life (Business):                71                Carpentry Crew (Hammerheads)                  11        3,623
                                                                  Marine Laboratory                             67          551
  Total:                                    2,172                 Native Plant Nursery                          26          798
       For 46 years, we have been proud to be a part of           Nature Center and Office and
  this very special community. But we can’t do it without            Environmental Education                    38       2,190
  you. Thank you!                                                 Sea Turtle Conservation Program             120        4,588
                                                                  Shorebird Monitoring                          13         332
    Our volunteers continue to sustain SCCF with their            Special Events                              145          403
expertise and dedicated hard work. We had 475 volunteers          Wildlife Habitat Management                    8         208
work a total of 14,893 hours, which is the equivalent of
seven full-time staff positions. The actual number is prob-
ably higher because we know we miss capturing some hours
for various reasons. Thank you to all!

                                                                                                                           Page 25
Legacy Fund Endowments
   Thanks to the leadership of SCCF Trustee Philip
Puschel and others, the independent governance of the
Legacy Funds has been formally codified. Through a
thoughtful process completed earlier this year, SCCF has
amended its bylaws to formally recognize a newly created
“permanent committee” — the Endowment Committee.
It is charged with overseeing SCCF’s endowment invest-
ments and making an independent determination as to
what the annual allocation from the endowment to the
operating budget should be for the next fiscal year. The
inaugural Endowment Committee members include Don
Rice, Mike Kelly, Doug Ryckman, Richard Shipley and
Rod Verblaauw, who was elected the committee’s first
chairman. We are so appreciative of their service.
   The Legacy Fund endowments as of the June 30, 2013          Sally Lichtenstein, inducted into the Legacy Society at the 2012
close of the fiscal year totaled $3,211,296. This year, the    Annual Membership Meeting
Board of Trustees transferred $134,172 toward program                 and other endangered sea turtles
support, representing 5 percent of the average fund value         • The Marine Laboratory Fund, endowing research
over the previous 12 quarters. That program support is                and public policy activities and promoting the health
distributed through six program funds reflective of the               of the marine nursery areas surrounding our islands
Conservation Foundation’s core program areas:                     This fiscal year, three SCCF members were inducted into
   • The Preservation Fund, supporting our general             the Legacy Society during the December 3, 2012 Annual
        operations and ensuring our ability to act in sup-     Membership Meeting. The new inductees are Natalie Jivoff,
        port of the Foundation’s mission statement             Sally Lichtenstein and Deborah Williamson. The Preserva-
   • The Habitat Management Fund, allowing us to               tion Fund benefited from a very generous outright gift from
        manage the land we have acquired for perpetual         Natalie Jivoff, who made this gift to honor her belated hus-
        conservation                                           band’s longstanding support of SCCF’s mission. Sally Lich-
   • The Landscaping for Wildlife Fund, helping the            tenstein spoke eloquently about her family’s appreciation of
        Native Plant Nursery bring the principles of habi-     SCCF during her induction. Her estate planning includes
        tat management to homes, businesses, and transi-       a significant residuary bequest for the Preservation Fund.
        tional corridors                                       Deborah Williamson also plans to make a residuary bequest
   • The Environmental Education Fund, underwrit-              to SCCF, and has identified the Sea Turtle Conservation and
        ing staff teaching positions and broadening our        Research Fund as the beneficiary.
        program outreach                                          In addition to Mrs. Jivoff, we are also grateful to other
   • The Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Fund,            Legacy Society members who made new endowment gifts
        supporting our work with threatened loggerheads        during this fiscal year. They include dearly departed Jane

Legacy Society Members
Tom and Mimi Adams               Millie B. Ford                  Kip and Andrea Koss                             Barbara Shane
Bill and Margery Angst           Charles and Janet Gleason       Deborah and John La Gorce                       Sallie and Gardner Soule
AWC Family Foundation            Phyllis and Glen Gresham        Virginia Letourneau                             Sovereign People Internship Fund
Armand and Beverly Ball          Bill and Nancy Hanger           Sally Lichtenstein                              Evelyn Spencer
Edward Beattie                   Bob and Jane Hanger             Sally Lupfer                                    David Stanley
Chuck and Sally Bisbee           Al and Sally Hanser             Bob and Tricia Maxeiner                         Vesta Stearn
Helen Blomquist                  Bill and Tina Hillebrandt       Nancy McDowell                                  Linda Sturgis
F. N. Bowles, Jr.                Dr. Charles Holland             Keith Moffat                                    Barbara Tobin
Claudia Burns                    Harry Huizenga                  Bill and Betsy Pugh                             Linda and Tom Uhler
Dick and Mary Butler             Larry and Jeannette James       John D. Purdy                                   Gretchen Valade
Yolanda Cannon                   Linda and Greg Jennings         Philip and Roberta Puschel                      Judy Wellons
Adelaide Cherbonnier             Natalie Jivoff                  John Raffensperger, M.D. and Susan Luck, M.D.   Jane Werner
Peter Blaze Corcoran             Louise Johnson                  Sally Reed                                      Bob Wigley
Nancy and Richard Curtin, M.D.   Virginia and Thomas Johnson     Jack and Rose Rogers                            Deborah Williamson
Don and Carolyn DeCoster         Joan and Wally Kain             Robert E. Schneider Foundation –                Pat Wilmeth
Meleanor and Donald Deming       Kind World Foundation             Dick Schneider                                Bill and Ann Wollschlager
Elizabeth Eagleton               Stephen and Barbara King        John and Florence Scott                         Barbara Wood
Page 26
Staff Collaborations and Advisory Roles: Regional and State
   SCCF staff actively works with a number of local, regional      representative for the Everglades Coalition. She’s on the board
and statewide groups.                                              of the Southwest Florida Watershed Council and is a founder
   Erick Lindblad has served on the Florida Communities            and past president of CRCA (Caloosahatchee River Citizens
Trust Board since 2009, part of the state’s Florida Forever land   Association) Riverwatch. She currently serves on Lee County’s
acquisition program. He was recently re-appointed to the six-      Historic Preservation Board and is a past Commission appointee
member board by Governor Rick Scott.                               to the County Local Planning Agency. Rae Ann was selected as
   Eric Milbrandt, Ph.D. represents SCCF on the Florida            one of WGCU’s Women Who Make Southwest Florida.
Institute of Oceanography (FIO) Council, and is an adjunct            Kristie Anders works with local REALTORS®,
of the graduate faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University. He       providing ongoing training and a state-accredited, 7-hour
was recently invited to participate in a workshop to develop       class on the conservation history of the islands. Attendance
a strategy for a science-based estuarine observation and           is required for new REALTORS®. Kristie serves as chair
prediction network at Harbor Branch in Fort Pierce, FL.            of the Upper Captiva Community Panel; she is an advisor
Drs. Bartleson and Milbrandt serve on the Charlotte Harbor         to the Captiva Holiday Village and on the board of the
National Estuary Program’s Technical Advisory Committee            Captiva Island Historical Society.
which reviews science and resource management for the                 Chris Lechowicz is a member of the International Union for the
region. Dr. Bartleson provides scientific information to the       Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle
Southwest Stakeholders on weekly conference calls with the         Specialist Group (TFTSG); membership is by appointment only.
South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and                He is also a Board member of the Florida Turtle Conservation
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps); he provides input        Trust; serves on the South Florida Exotic Animal Task Force
on the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council’s Water         and on the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
Quality Functional Assessment Method.                              (FWC) Imperiled Species Advisory Committee for Freshwater
   The Marine Lab has established academic collaborations          Turtles and the Diamondback Terrapin Working Group. As
with numerous universities, including Florida Gulf Coast           coordinator of SCCF’s sea turtle research and protection program,
University, Florida SouthWestern State College (formerly           Amanda Bryant holds a permit from the state and works closely
Edison State College), the University of South Florida,            with the FWC as well as local rehab facilities. Joel Caouette is
Florida Atlantic University (and associated Harbor Branch          a member of the state’s Snowy Plover Working Group Steering
Oceanographic Institute), the University of New Hampshire,         Committee, the Lee County Shorebird Partnership, and the
Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Florida Fish          Florida Ornithological Society.
and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI).                               Jenny Evans is a Board member and Treasurer for the
   Rae Ann Wessel coordinates west coast stakeholder science       Florida Association of Native Nurseries, a Board member
partners on calls with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and        and Newsletter editor for the Florida Native Plant Society,
South Florida Water Management to report on local water            Coccoloba Chapter. She serves on the Lee County Roadway
conditions. She is a member of the Environmental Advisory          Landscape Advisory Committee and on the Horticultural
Committee of the Everglades Foundation and serves as SCCF’s        Advisory Committee for Lee County Extension.

Legacy -- Continued from left
Werner, whose estate planning included a $30,000 be-                      ten gift annuities in support of the endowments.
quest to the Habitat Management Fund. Mr. and Mrs.                        (Please note the Board has suspended the gift an-
William W. Pugh also continued their annual support of                    nuity program at this time.)
the endowments through their $15,000 gift to the Sover-              • Trusts and Bequests – We are aware of the Con-
eign People Internship Fund.                                              servation Foundation being remembered in 42
   We are thankful to them and all the Legacy Society mem-                bequests and trust vehicles. Among others, we are
bers who have used various planned giving vehicles to sup-                most grateful for the planned bequests made by the
port the Legacy Funds. To date, we are aware of the follow-               new Legacy Society members listed above.
ing types of planned gifts being used to endow our efforts:          If you have endowed our work through any of these
   • Outright Gifts of Cash, Real Estate, Securities and           vehicles and feel we are unaware of your gift, we hope you
       Life Insurance – We have received 29 outright gifts         will inform us so we may thank you now for the gift you
       to date in this category.                                   have planned for the future. It is our hope to recognize
   • Charitable Remainder Trusts – Planned gifts to the            new Legacy Society members at our Annual Membership
       Foundation include eight remainder trusts.                  Meeting on December 10, 2013.
   • Charitable Gift Annuities – Members have created
                                                                                                                            Page 27
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