AUCTIONEER

For almost 60 years the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has been a leading environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the water, land, wildlife and future of our five-county region.

EDUCATION:

Conservancy.org/our-work/education

From Pre-K through gray, the Environmental Education team at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is actively connecting with all ages. We reach more than 10,000 local school students each year through field trips to the Conservancy Nature Center and outreach programs at area schools through our Learning Adventures Bus (LAB).

All generations are responsible for making decisions that will shape and protect the environmental health of Southwest Florida. Sound environmental education provides a foundation for making responsible decisions in the future.

Today’s environmental initiatives undertaken by the Conservancy will also influence our quality of life for the next 20, 30, 50 years and beyond. It takes many gifts of time, talent and treasure to support this important work.

POLICY:

Conservancy.org/our-work/policy

Keeping our region healthy, livable, and functioning well is a complex task. It’s about balancing conservation with economic health and making sure decisions and actions are supported by science-based information and policies. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida Policy and Advocacy Department helps protect our wild lands, wildlife, and our waters. We steward smart growth in our area — advising on transportation planning and land-use decisions and helping to preserve habitat and waterways. The Conservancy works actively with decisionmakers to ensure a bright future for generations to come.

SCIENCE:

Conservancy.org/our-work/science

Conservancy biologists specialize in a wide variety of research initiatives that focus on Southwest Florida’s unique habitats and wildlife, ranging from our estuaries to our uplands, urban environments, to the Western Everglades.

The work of the Environmental Science Department includes ecological research and monitoring programs, restoration initiatives, and ongoing collaboration with universities, state and federal agencies, as well as community outreach.

Coastal Ecology, Invasive Species, Western Everglades, and Urban Ecology are the focus areas of the department. We conduct research to enhance our understanding of the wildlife and the biological communities that are necessary to their survival.

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION:

Conservancy.org/our-work/wildliferehabilitation

Providing medical care to injured wildlife has been a priority of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida since 1979. Caring citizens rescue bobcats, deer, herons, gopher tortoises, pelicans, and many other species of native animals and drop them off at the Conservancy for treatment. The wildlife rehabilitation team and a group of dedicated volunteers provide supportive care with the goal of releasing as many “patients” as possible back to their natural habitats.

Over 4,200 injured, sick, and orphaned native animals are admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital each year. Most of those injuries stem from interactions that involve humans — including car strikes, domestic pet attacks, window collisions, fishing line and hook injuries, gunshots, and toxicosis.