CONSERVATION RUNS IN THE FAMILY

CLEANING UP THE EVERGLADES - ONE PYTHON AT A TIME

Born and raised in Fort Myers, Matt Roepstorff, Esq. strongly believes in giving back to the community he calls home. When it comes to supporting conservation efforts to protect Florida’s natural environment, Matt and his family are more than willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Matt Roepstorff grew up on Sanibel Island and graduated from Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers. He began his legal career as an assistant state attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit before entering private practice in 2015. He currently serves as counsel at Pratt & Whitney for the Commercial Engines division.

Passionate about protecting his community, meaningful volunteerism is Matt’s greatest focus outside of practicing law. He enjoys mentoring young people to be the best they can be. Additionally, he has served on the boards of many local organizations, including the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida, the Uncommon Friends Foundation, Horizon Foundation Executive Committee, Lee County Building Industry Association, the Lee County Executive Regulatory Oversight Committee and Bishop Verot High School.

Matt is also committed to furthering the legal industry and has served in a variety of capacities for the Lee County Bar Association (LCBA), including as president in 2020, vice president in 2019, treasurer and 2017-18 member at large. As president, Matt played an important role in leading the LCBA in its efforts to support attorney members through the COVID pandemic. He adapted the association’s programming, publications and events to meet the legal needs of the community and provided updates on important legal matters during the challenging recovery period.

When making a difference in the region through conservation, not surprisingly, Matt takes a hands-on approach to cleaning up Florida’s wild places.

Committed to Conservation

Throughout the past decade, Matt has joined his parents, Geoff and Robbie Roepstorff, in supporting the humane removal of invasive Burmese pythons from the region. He even caught an 11-foot snake during a special expedition with his father!

It all started when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued a Python Challenge in 2016, inviting hunters into the Everglades to track the invasive, mammalkilling predators. Everglades National Park has reported near decimation of marsh rabbits, a 99% decline in raccoons, 98% decline in opossums and 87% decline in bobcats.

The python problem in the Everglades is believed to have started after Hurricane Andrew damaged a private reptilebreeding facility in 1992, as well as from pet snakes released into the wild. Hunters began removing pythons in 2013, when the FWC issued its first python challenge. The upcoming 2023 python challenge is a partnership between the South Florida Water Management District and the FWC.

Edison National Bank and Bank of the Islands President Robbie Roepstorff was afraid her banking partner and husband Geoff, who is not fond of snakes and had only hunted them once unsuccessfully with friends, would tackle the Python Challenge alone. She reluctantly offered to go with him, telling him, “At least I can call 9-1-1.”

On the last day of the challenge, Geoff heard rustling and headed down a levy with his gun to see one of the snakes rising like a periscope, three feet out of the water. When Geoff couldn't shoot because his gun still had the safety on, Robbie feared the worst until she heard the gunshot that humanely dispatched the snake.

The couple carried the 12-foot, 50-pound python in a regular pillowcase for about six miles back to the car. It was the beginning of the Roepstorff’s family tradition of participating in FWC’s Python Challenges together.

During certain times of the year, it can take over 40 hours to catch a python. In the summer months, when mating season is over and hatchlings are out, it’s not unusual to catch multiple in one night. Geoff has caught as many as five in one summer evening!

The Roepstorffs catch pythons with their hands, grabbing the snakes by the tail or behind the head, dragging them out in the open to wear them out. Geoff hunts several times a month and has personally captured over 100 snakes to date. Matt joined in the action during a Father’s Day expedition in June 2018, catching an 11-footer in the Everglades with his future wife and fellow attorney, Mairin, by his side. The couple married in 2020, and Mairin has accompanied Matt on several subsequent trips. Robbie also joins in when she can.

Hunting pythons is an ongoing love affair. Although the Roepstorffs are not fond of snakes, Matt and his family have developed great respect for these non-native reptiles. The family feels that removing the invasive snakes is a fitting way to help the environment while honoring Matt’s late grandmothers, both of whom loved mammals.

Clearly, conservation and a love of Florida’s natural environment runs in the family!