FY 2021-22 Annual Report CEO & President Letter

Dear Valued Members and Island Neighbors,

Please join us in celebrating an exciting year filled with growth, accomplishments, and new opportunities in protecting and caring for our coastal ecosystems. We are so proud of our talented team at SCCF, Sanibel Sea School, and Coastal Watch—supported by our cadre of hard-working volunteers—and what we achieved in just 12 short months. This work would not be possible without the generous support of our members, donors, local businesses, and our other local and regional partners. From the bottom of our hearts—thank you!

In December, we bid a fond farewell to CEO Ryan Orgera, Ph.D., who led SCCF from 2019 through 2021. We wish him well and are grateful for all that we accomplished under his leadership. The Board of Trustees was unanimously and wholeheartedly happy to welcome James into his new role as CEO in January 2022. We also welcomed two new staff members to the SCCF family — Coastal Resilience Manager Carrie Schuman, Ph.D. and Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis. Mike Mills returned as a Field Biologist.

During the 2021-22 fiscal year, it was full speed ahead for our missiondriven work. We are raising the bar every day with our science, education, and advocacy work. The Marine Lab’s collaboration with the University of Florida’s Center for Coastal Solutions resulted in ground-breaking research on the link between human nutrient sources and red tide blooms, changing the way we approach harmful algal blooms in our region. The Sanibel Sea School provided meaningful experiences for thousands of children in the region, immersing them in the wonders of our oceans, and reaching underserved communities through scholarships and No Child Left on Shore programs.

There is no question that the conservation spirit continues to glow brightly on our islands and is a beacon of hope for future generations.

Our policy and advocacy work on the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) is changing the way water will be delivered to our coast; and our coastal resiliency efforts, in partnership with the Captiva Erosion Prevention District and the City of Sanibel, are making our communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change. We are leading by example on renewable energy by implementing solar and energy conservation measures in our newly remodeled headquarters building. Coastal Watch and our army of enthusiastic volunteers planted thousands of mangroves and placed tons of oyster shell to restore mangrove islands in Pine Island Sound.

Targeted land acquisition and restoration efforts continue to protect and enhancehabitat for wildlife, including preservation of important wildlife habitat along Dixie Beach Road and McGregor Boulevard, and the ongoing restoration of the Gretchen C. Valade Preserve and the Puschel Preserve. Our sea turtle biologists monitored nests throughout another active season—somehow making time to conduct critical research on the impacts of red tide and beach renourishment on hatchling success. If that weren’t enough, we also celebrated the 20-year anniversary of our shorebird monitoring program. A big thanks to all our staff and volunteers who have committed your blood, sweat, and tears to these important programs.

It is this work and the amazing people who live and work within our community that make Sanibel and Captiva islands so special. There is no question that the conservation spirit continues to glow brightly on our islands and is a beacon of hope for future generations.

We hope you will read more about our conservation accomplishments and show your ongoing support for this work by using the enclosed contribution envelope. We hope to see you at our Annual Meeting on Dec. 6 and other fun and informative SCCF events this season.

Sincerely,

James Evans Chief Executive Officer

Don Rice President, Board of Trustees