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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
October 25, 2018
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Good News
The
WRDA (2018 Water Resources Development Act)
was signed by the President on October 23.
Now that the President has authorized the EAA Reservoir, the next step is to secure federal funding to make sure we can actually build the project. Urge Congress to fully fund the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan this year.
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Refuge funding continues to decline; private philanthropic support helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
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Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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Photo by Jim Bennight at Ani Marsh at the Bailey Tract
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We Won! 'Ding' Darling Takes the Throne for BEST Restroom!
See Below for the exciting News!
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Land Acquisition Project:
Are you a Lee County Resident or Property Owner? We need your help to preserve the last remaining large parcel of land on Sanibel.
November 6 the Lee County Commissioners will be voting and we need you to let them know this land should be saved for water quality and wildlife.
The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society (DDWS) has been working behind the scenes to find ways to acquire
68 acres along Wulfert Road and San-Cap Road
, which have been approved for development by the City of Sanibel. This parcel extends from the corner of Wulfert Road along San Cap Road up to the beginning of the culvert.
The conservation and planned restoration of the 68-acres Wulfert Bayous property will forward the goals and objectives of the Gulf of Mexico and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem restoration plans. In addition to 16 acres of existing mangroves, Wulfert Bayous has 15 acres of wetlands that can be restored and enhanced to create a wading bird colony of roseate spoonbills, wood storks, white ibis, and associated egrets and herons.
The DDWS currently has an option to purchase this land to delay the development, but time is of the essence. If this acquisition can work, it will ultimately be a partnership with the DDWS, Lee County and the Refuge.
This property recently
passed the Lee County
Conservation Land Acquisition & Stewardship Advisory Committee (CLASAC) which was the first step to move it forward to the Lee County Commissioners to use Lee County 20/20 conservation funds to acquire this land.
We anticipate this going in front of the commissioners for a vote on November 6. We need your help NOW to contact the commissioners in support of using 20/20 funds for this property.
If you are a Lee County resident and/or property owner
, you can help in these efforts by contacting the Lee County Commissioners and sharing with them how important protecting these 68 acres are to you and to the island community for conservation and water quality.
Click
HERE to send a letter to urge the commissioners to support the acquisition of this important parcel of land. Press SEND after filling out all your information. The Lee County Commissioners will receive it by email.
THANK YOU
for taking action and letting your voice be heard!
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We Won! 'Ding' Darling Takes the Throne
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Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik, DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller, and Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland accept the award from Cintas Corporation's Sean McCulhahey, who shared that the 2018 contest garnered more votes than ever before in the 17 years the contest has been running. |
At a special press conference on
Monday at the
Refuge Visitor &
Education Center,
Cintas Corporation announced that the Refuge's Learning Lavatories (#LearningLav) were voted America's Best Restroom® in its 2018 contest.
"We're thrilled that the public is as wild about our restrooms as we are," said Toni Westland, Supervisory Refuge Ranger. "As one of 566 national wildlife refuges around the country READ MORE.
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Volunteer Marilyn Kloosterman received the "Queen of the Throne" award for voting the most times for "Ding" during the contest.
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Thanks to our donors and to all our loyal supporters who voted! To learn more about the evolution of our award-winning #LearningLav, visit
www.bestrestrooms2018.com
Middendorf Family
Laurie & Bill Harkey
Chuck & Irene Raber
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The sixth annual "
Ding" Darling-
Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest
kicked off October 1, 2018, with a deadline of January 15, 2019. It invites high school students in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry counties to compete for prizes that include a Canon digital SLR camera package, chartered class trips to the Refuge, and copies of
READ MORE
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Last year's contest top three winners.
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Chic Bruning (left), Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik and DDWS Director of Development Lynnae Messina
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Thank You to the Hanford Bruning Family!
Original artwork by J.N. "Ding" Darling was donated recently to the DDWS to benefit the Refuge. The artwork which hung in the family home of the late Jean and Max Hanford on Captiva was presented to the Refuge by Chic Bruning, one of the grandchildren of the Hanford's. "Our family agreed that our grandparents would want this to be shared with the visitors at the Refuge" said Chic. It will be displayed in the upcoming renovated "Ding" interpretive space inside the Visitor & Education Center.
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By Sarah Ashton & Ji
m Metzler, DDWS Advocacy Committee
During the recent ecological attack on the Refuge, many of us kept asking:
"Is there anything we can do?" The answer is a resounding
YES. Election Day is just around the corner, and it is critical that you consider the health of the Refuge when you vote.
There are at least two issues that directly impact the health of the National Wildlife Refuge System and "Ding" Darling.
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Water Quality. The summer of 2018 has seen catastrophic attacks on our
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Refuge by adverse water quality. The toxic water releases from Lake Okeechobee, combined with the naturally occurring red tide, resulted in the death of an unprecedented volume of marine life. The issues are extremely complex and don't have a short-term solution. We need to elect officials who will support improving our water quality both now and in the future.
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Federal Funding of the Refuge System. The funding of this national treasure has been reduced dramatically in recent years. This has reduced staffing levels and forced cuts to several important programs. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society has been able to help, but it is essential that federal funding grow.
No matter where you live and vote, you can help. A great way to start is by educating yourself on the positions of the federal, state, and local candidates in your area.
The League of Women Voters website
can be a good place to start. Bottom line - we all need to VOTE!
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Sunday, November 4, marks the third annual Sanibel Blues & Jazz Festival in the backyard of Bailey's General Store, starting at noon. Presented by the Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Club, it benefits "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and other island nonprofits. Once again, a great lineup of artists and food vendors promises one of the community's top annual events.
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Get Ready to Celebrate: 75 Years!
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The Refuge has unveiled the logo for its 75th anniversary celebration. |
In 1945, in fear for the wildlife and wetlands that claimed most of Sanibel Island, Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling succeeded in petitioning for the creation of the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge.
"He became aware of the proposal by the state of Florida to sell over 2,000 acres of state-owned lands to developers here on Sanibel," said Paul Tritaik, Refuge Manager of today's J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, renamed after the death of its creator. "And he convinced the governor READ MORE.
To keep up with the latest news about the special celebration, visit www.ding75.org often.
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Boy Scout Badge University
On November 17, the Refuge and "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society will host their first Merit Badge University for up to 90 registered Boy Scouts of America. Scouts will have the opportunity to earn up to two out of six badges being offered that day. Cost is $20 for up to two classes, lunch, goodies, snacks, badge workbooks, and materials. Each class is limited to 15 scouts on a first-signup basis.
Only a few spaces remain, so register today
at 239-472-1100 ext. 237.
Click
HERE
to view the program's flyer.
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Style on the Half Shell
Dangle them or set them on a table. Any way you decide to display our new Grit & Grace oyster ornaments and dishes will make a stylish statement. Crafted from
empty, re-purposed South Carolina oyster shells and painted with gilt, they will brighten a holiday tree or wreath, your dinner table, or knickknack shelf. Buy them by the
dozen, the half-dozen, or single pieces for $24.99 each.
Stop in and order your decorative oyster shells today. Or contact Store Manager Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for more information about pre-purchasing.
Remember, members of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society receive a 10% discount at the Nature Store. Profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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2019 Lecture Series Lineup Announced
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Dusty "Wildman" Crum with a Burmese python he captured in the Everglades. Photo by Joey Waves.
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The 2019 "Ding" Darling Friday Lecture Series, which
runs January 25 through
April 12, features a line-up of celebrities in the world of birds, butterflies, and
conservation. From North American owls and birds
of the Arctic to monarch
butterflies and Burmese
pythons, season lectures
promise to be among the
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2019 Lecture Series Sponsor
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Refuge's
best yet. Lectures take place in the "Ding"
Darling Visitor & Education Center Auditorium
at
READ MORE
.
Click
HERE
for a lecture series flyer.
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Preseason Lecture on December 13
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Betty Anholt and Charles LeBuff
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To get you warmed up for lecture series season, authors Charles LeBuff and Betty Anholt will debut their new collaborative historic work at two free special lectures at the Refuge Visitor & Education Center on
Thursday, December 13
. Their slide presentations at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. will cover highlights of their book
Protecting Sanibel and Captiva Islands: The Conservation Story
, which releases earlier that month. A book-signing with the authors will follow both lectures. Their book will be available for READ MORE.
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More Solar at Refuge
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| Image courtesy of Urban Solar |
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Work has started on installing solar panels on the roof of the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center, the final phase of the Refuge's solar installation on maintenance and public buildings. The project was made possible by our 2015 San-Cap Solar Connect program that brought affordable solar conversion to island residents and businesses through cooperative buying.
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
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Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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Location:
Ullin, Illinois (16,000 acres)
Totemic fauna:
Prothonotary Warbler, Indiana Bat, Monarch Butterfly
Family fun:
The Cache River Wetlands Center in Cypress, Illinois, provides a good introduction to the area.
Visitor's tip:
Bellrose Waterfowl Reserve is closed to the public; however the
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Indiana Bat |
Bellrose Overlook Platform provides a
view
of the grounds and is open to the public.
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In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Hallow-Green
This Halloween, think natural treasures instead of candy. Most children love gifts from nature such as polished rocks, crystals, and seashells. Think keepsakes, tokens, and stocking-stuffer type gifts, but don't forget to think healthy and green. Although non-food items are generally healthier than food items, try to avoid non-recycled plastic toys. (Adapted from www.greenhalloween.org)
Doing Our Part to Reduce Plastic
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife. Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and one-time-use plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge has also installed a filtered water refill station and DDWS has transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use. We have a no-straws policy.
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The Survey Says...
Thanks to those "Ding" Darling Days Family Fun Day attendees who filled out surveys to help us assess the reach of our event. We welcomed visitors from 26 states and two foreign nations. All survey participants were entered in a drawing for two free "Ding" Darling T-shirts. Winners were Laura Lamping from Cape Coral and Nancy Chongoushian from Montville, New Jersey. Congratulations!
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Click
HERE
to see this week's wildlife sightings
River Otter sightings on Wildlife Drive and on the Indigo Trial have been happening frequently in past weeks. Come on out to look for these adorable, playful creatures.
Photo Credit: Jim Bennight
T
o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos taken at the Refuge, send them to Development Officer,
Sierra Hoisington, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Holiday Luncheon
- December 14, 2018
Free Winter Programs
- January 7-April 28, 2019
Woodring Homestead 100th Anniversary Exhibit Unveiling
- January 23, 2019
Volunteer Awards Luncheon
- February 8, 2019
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our
website to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by April Boehnen & Chris Gutierrez.
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