PRESERVING PARADISE SanCap coalitions gets underway with working groups

A coalition of citizens and over a dozen community organizations, the SanCap Citizens for a Resilient Future is launching three, topical working groups to provide resources to residents and businesses

They will include Resilient Buildings, Natural E n v i r o n m e n t / L a n d s c a p i n g a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Each group will be led by volunteers and one or more liaisons from the coalition's steering committee

R e s i l i e n t B u i l d i n g s w i l l b e c o - l e d b y K i p Buntrock, a 50-year-plus Sanibel resident with a background in condominium management, and Brian Wilson, a new resident with a background in construction who moved to Sanibel just after Hurricane Ian to help the community rebuild The steering committee liaisons will include retired, environmental health professor Dr Tom Bierma and Community Housing and Resources Board Member Erika Steiner

“Given Sanibel and Captiva's history and focus on sustainability, I think this community has a unique opportunity to lead on resilience and show other communities what it means to be a resilient coastal community much as it has led on clean water and other issues,” Bierma said Natural Environment/Landscapes will be led by Walter Cheatham, a Sanibel resident with a background in environmental education The steering c o m m i t t e e l i a i s o n s w i l l i n c l u d e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Conservation Foundation Coastal Resilience Manager Dr Carrie Schuman and Sanibel resident and master gardener Mariana Pardo

“I'm excited to see how this new working group can complement efforts already underway and build on the successes of our member organizations,” Pardo said C o m m u n i c a t i o n s w i l l b e l e d b y M a u r e e n McGauran, owner of Beachwalker Marketing and Communications The steering committee liaisons will include “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge Board Member Mark Heiman

“Our goal is to continue to achieve a high level of community involvement with this project We want to both hear from people to understand their needs and involve people to be part of the solution,” Heiman said, adding that the group is in the process of building a website and will launch a Facebook group later this year

In addition to the three groups, the coalition will serve as the team to address energy resilience. Cofounder and Co-chair Bob Moore reported that it will include evaluating how energy infrastructure can be enhanced to perform more effectively in the face of future storms, especially for emergency services, and long-term planning to reduce energy demand and reduce, or ultimately eliminate, reliance on fossil fuels to power homes, businesses and transportation

“Today, clean energy like wind and solar are the cheapest forms of new energy generation in most of the world Renewable energy makes good economic and good environmental sense,” he said “We are lucky to have LCEC as our local utility to help us explore new and better solutions to our energy needs ”

“These new working groups will provide support to community members who are in the process of restoring or rebuilding their homes and businesses with a focus on resiliency,” Schuman added “That could include identifying best practices for hardening a building against future storms or flooding, technology to reduce energy usage, costs and carbon footprint, or strategies to make landscapes more resilient ”

See SANCAP COALITIONS, page 11

Restoration progressing at Puschel Preserve

The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that restoration efforts are quickly progressing at the Puschel Preserve on Sanibel As of July 11, the last of the exotic trees such as Australian pine, javaplum and seaside mahoe had been removed or left in place for cavitynesting birds

“Contractors have cleaned up any construction and demolition debris from the hurricane on the site and have removed a good percentage of organic debris from the parcel to allow replanting, while leaving enough for wildlife to shelter,” Wildlife and Habitat Management Director Chris Lechowicz said

A shipment of large cabbage palms was delivered and planted to begin the process of revegetating the preserve Contractors placed them around water features and the planned trail system, as well as other areas More plants will arrive soon to begin the fill in other areas, but not make it too dense

Restoration of critical habitats

The SCCF reported that there are several wetlands on the north side that will be planted with cordgrass, as well as other wetland plants, to re-establish a slice of the iconic open grassland habitat that once dominated Sanibel

“This open landscape will attract many forms of wildlife from invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals,” he said, adding that the real task will be to keep the native buttonwood from overtaking the open areas over the years

Upon approaching the Sanibel River, the south part of the preserve gets lower in elevation and should be dominated by buttonwoods, as it was the natural habitat for the water-loving species

A circular public trail off the city's Shared Use Path will only traverse the northern section of the property, where there will be a pollinator garden and scenic overlook onto wetland and sculpture gardens Plantings will o c c u r throughout the wet months to maximize water from rainfall.

The preserve is expected to open to the public by the end of the year

DDWS reports on refuge programming and more

T h e “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g W i l d l i f e Society-Friends of the Refuge provided the following updates for the J N “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g N a t i o n a l Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel:

∫ A f r e e m i n i - e x h i b i t i o n o f Artist-in-Residence Jacqui Roch's refuge-inspired work is on display t h r o u g h J u l y i n t h e V i s i t o r & Education Center Auditorium

∫ Free Summer Programs will run from now through Aug 5 For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www dingdarlingsociety org/ articles/free-refuge-programs

∫ Art in the Wild Day will take place on Oct 21-22 at the refuge F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t https://www dingdarlingsociety org/ articles/art-in-the-wild

∫ A Holiday Shopping Night is scheduled for Nov 29

∫ An inaugural Ice Cream Social is planned for December

∫ Photo-artist Niki Butcher will mount an exhibition of her work in January and February in the refuge's Visitor & Education Center

∫ The “Ding” Darling Lecture Series will return to the refuge from Jan 18 through March For more information, visit https://www dingd a r l i n g s o c i e t y o r g / a r t i c l e s / l e c t u r eseries

∫ Wild Days of Wellness will take place at the refuge and beyond on Jan 18-21

∫ A free Estate Planning Seminar will be held on Jan 30 at the refuge

∫ The next Go Wild for “Ding” fundraiser is slated for Feb 7

∫ The refuge will host a unique Solar Eclipse Viewing event on April 8

∫ T h e “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g D a y Conservation Carnival will be held on April 20 at Lakes Park in Fort Myers For more information, visit https://www.dingdarlingsociety.org/ articles/ding-darling-days

∫ T h e 1 2 t h a n n u a l “ D i n g ” D a r l i n g & D o c F o r d ' s T a r p o n Tournament will take place on May 1 0 F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t h t t p s : / / d i n g d a r l i n g s o c i e t y o r g / a r t icles/tarpon-tournament-1

CROW holds volunteer event

On July 15, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel hosted a volunteer event to clean out the Animal Ambassador Enclosures at its Visitor Education Center and to paint inside its student housing CROW thanked the group for all of its hard work

It also extended a thank you to Volunteer Coordinator

Pam Stoike and Facilities and Grounds Manager

Randy Rainbolt for making the events possible CLINIC FOR THE REHABILITATION OF WILDLIFE