Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) was founded in 1967 on Sanibel Island, Florida, with a mission to preserve the island's interior freshwater system.[1][2] The nonprofit's mission has since evolved to protect and care for Southwest Florida's coastal ecosystems.[2][3]

SCCF headquarters on Sanibel Island
SCCF Headquarters building on Sanibel Island, Florida in Dec. 2023.

SCCF is the largest private landowner on Sanibel, protecting around 1,800 acres on the island. It owns an additional 300-some acres in the region including acreage on islands in Pine Island Sound and in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.[2] Many of these acres are closed to the public, though SCCF has over 8 miles of public trails.[4]

SCCF recently merged with Sanibel Sea School.[5] Sanibel Sea School offers environmentally focused weekly camps, daily and after-school programs, and outreach activities for children and adults.[6]

SCCF's Coastal Watch program holds volunteer-based mangrove planting[7] and beach litter cleanup events.[8]

The Native Landscapes & Garden Center sells native plants and offers landscaping and educational programs,[9][10] and the Marine Laboratory monitors water quality[11] and conducts research on subjects like seagrass, mangroves, harmful algal blooms, and shellfish restoration.[12][13] The lab also oversees a water quality sensor network throughout the Caloosahatchee known as the River, Estuary, and Coastal Observing Network.[14] SCCF monitors snowy plovers[15] and sea turtles[16] on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, has an environmental policy program,[17] and monitors other wildlife like the federally threatened Eastern indigo snake.[18]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Sanibel River Past, Present and Future June 13, 2016" (PDF). mysanibel.com. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "About Us". Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. April 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) - The Sanibel Captiva Guide". January 26, 2022.
  4. ^ "Public Trails". Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. February 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "SCCF, Sanibel Sea School to merge efforts in new year". captivasanibel.com.
  6. ^ "Sanibel Sea School". April 4, 2018.
  7. ^ Biro, Elizabeth (October 2, 2023). "Restoring damaged mangroves to protect our shoreline".
  8. ^ "Beach cleanup efforts continue on Sanibel". captivasanibel.com.
  9. ^ "Plant Real Florida | Bring Your Landscape to Life with Native Plants". www.plantrealflorida.org.
  10. ^ "Native Landscapes & Garden Center". Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. February 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "Memorandum" (PDF). sccf.org.
  12. ^ "Marine Laboratory". Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. February 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Medina, Miles; Kaplan, David; Milbrandt, Eric C.; Tomasko, Dave; Huffaker, Ray; Angelini, Christine (2022). "Nitrogen-enriched discharges from a highly managed watershed intensify red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms in southwest Florida". Science of the Total Environment. 827. Bibcode:2022ScTEn.827o4149M. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154149. PMID 35227724.
  14. ^ "SCCF-RECON". recon.sccf.org.
  15. ^ "SCCF: Successful start for snowy plover season". captivasanibel.com.
  16. ^ "Loggerhead sea turtles nested in record numbers the summer after Hurricane Ian". WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida. October 26, 2023.
  17. ^ "DePaolis starts at SCCF as environmental policy director". captivasanibel.com.
  18. ^ "SCCF: Are there indigo snakes on Cayo Costa?".

External links edit