Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, in partnership with Growing Climate Solutions, has launched a new climate change patch that recognizes Girl Scouts who are willing to advocate for the environment.

Girl Scouts earn patches for participating in events, activities and programs, and display their patches on the back of vests or sashes. To earn the climate change patch, which is specific to Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, girls must complete three components:

• Discover: understand the science behind the carbon cycle and global warming, as well as their impacts.
• Connect: recognize how to measure and reduce an individual’s carbon footprint through…

Written by Conservancy President and CEO, Rob Moher

Protecting our quality of life for generations to come is at the core of our mission. In fact, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s first accomplishment was protecting Rookery Bay from roadway development that would have run through the heart of Rookery Bay, invading the mangroves and barrier islands. After purchasing the land in partnership with other partners and concerned citizens, we saved the estuary. …

Thank you to everyone who donated to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital’s virtual Wildlife Baby Shower!

Our local community, as well as people who follow us on social media from around the country, donated over 100 items from our Amazon Wish List — items that are always needed inside the hospital in order to provide the best care possible to all the injured and orphaned animals that are admitted.

We also received more than $1,500 from social media fundraisers, and the team at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital is so thankful for all the support shown by the community of…

In 1995, the Conservancy’s sea turtle biologists first encountered Doodler, a loggerhead sea turtle. Her carapace (shell) measured approximately 39 inches from notch to tip (lengthwise) and was about 28.5 inches wide.

Sea turtles typically start nesting when they are smaller and get larger as they age. Doodler’s large size is indicative that she had been a nesting mama for many years prior to our encounter in 1995. Although typically Keewaydin sea turtles nest every three years or so, Doodler is an over achiever and has nested on the Island every 2 years since 1995. …

Four killdeer and an osprey were among the 119 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a black-necked stilt, four Carolina wrens, a little blue heron, a swallow-tailed kite, a Florida red-bellied turtle and two fox squirrels.

The four killdeer were found in Immokalee; the rescuer saw two adult killdeer with the four babies acting in a manner he described as aggressive; a third adult killdeer was also nearby. Physical exams performed on each baby when they arrived at our facility showed no signs of injury; all…

This summer marks the homestretch of a three-year long planning process that will dictate how Lake Okeechobee is managed for the next 7–10 years. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of managing Lake Okeechobee and making decisions regarding Lake levels and releasing water into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. As we have seen repeated time and again, harmful discharges from Lake O and associated toxic algae blooms have wreaked havoc on our coastal communities’ environment and economy. Simultaneously, the Everglades and Florida Bay desperately need more freshwater, especially during the dry season.

In order to fix…

By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

A royal tern was among the 119 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a limpkin, a common gallinule, a boat-tailed grackle, a common nighthawk, an evening bat, and a gopher tortoise.

A City of Naples Pier Outreach Pelican Patrol Staff member rescued the royal tern when she saw the bird trying to eat discarded scraps of fish off the Naples Pier. As she approached, she saw a fishing hook pierced through the tern’s lower beak…

By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

A nestling blue-gray gnatcatcher was among the 119 Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a limpkin, a common gallinule, a boat-tailed grackle, a common nighthawk, an evening bat, and a gopher tortoise.

The blue-gray gnatcatcher nestling arrived at the Conservancy loose in the cab of a truck. When the driver realized the tiny nestling was inside his work vehicle, he drove to the Conservancy so staff could safely retrieve the bird. …