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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
November 15, 2018
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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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There is no one group or one organization who can do it all and it takes everyone working together to make an impact on our water quality. The DDWS works with many groups and individuals, but we would like to say a special thanks to the City of Sanibel and in particular Mayor Kevin Ruane, Vice Mayor Mick Denham and Director of Natural Resources James Evans. Also thanks to the leadership of SCCF's Rae Ann Wessel who people go to for input and feedback as a result of her years of knowledge and experience with water quality issues.
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Major Step Toward Acquisition
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| The Wulfert Bayous parcel |
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Last week, the Lee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to move our 68-acre Wulfert Bayous acquisition project into the next phase of potential purchase through Lee County's Conservation 20/20 Program. This vote was crucial to move this project forward through the process.
Many thanks to all of our supporters for helping to make this happen, from contacting the commissioners via email and phone call to the leaders of the HOA's on Sanibel, COTI and Erick Lindblad of SCCF who all sent letters of support for this acquisition.
From here, the Lee County 20/20 staff will begin the due process for possible acquisition of the 68-acre parcel. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society has committed to raising a partial match of the county's investment. We will keep you posted as actions develop.
Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane. The Mayor met individually with each commissioner to encourage support of this land acquisition. Even during the water crisis and time consuming responsibilities with the City and beyond, he took the time to do this, and it had a great impact on the vote.
John McCabe & Marc Giattini. Both John and Marc have spent an inordinate amount of time working hard behind the scenes to get the DDWS and this property to this stage.
Interested in learning more about this project and what you can do to help make it a reality? Call Executive Director, Birgie Miller at 239.292.0566 or via
email.
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Two Volunteers Needed this Saturday for Merit Badge Univ.
W
e need two volunteers
Saturday, November 17th
from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to help hand out lunches at Boy Scout Badge University. Please email Ranger
Monica Scroggin
or call at 239-940-1198.
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Saturday: Boy Scout Badge University
Are you an Eagle Scout? All Eagle Scout alums are invited to the closing ceremony from 4 to 4:30. It will include retiring of the colors and a meet-and-greet.
For more information, call 472-1100 ext. 249.
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Scouts pose with the Refuge System Blue Goose mascot.
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Thank you to LCEC for their grant to support this badge university.
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On November 17, the Refuge and "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society will host their first Merit Badge University for registered Boy Scouts of America. Scouts will have the opportunity to earn up to two out of six badges being offered that day. |
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November 27, 2018
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Make Giving Tree donations in honor of loved ones and receive this White Pelican ornament to give them. |
Free refreshments, extended hours, and complimentary gift wrapping: Mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 27, the date of the Refuge Nature Store's fifth annual Happy Hour Holiday Shopping event in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society
will keep the store open two extra hours after the Center closes, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The date also marks the nationally promoted
Giving Tuesday
, and the store will set up a Giving Tree that allows donors to easily contribute to education, land acquisition, and research projects at the Refuge in the name of a loved one for holiday gifting. The Refuge Nature Store has stocked READ MORE
Click
HERE
to see the ad and print it to remind yourself to attend!
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New DDWS Hire
Welcome to Dot Voorhees, a new Development Officer for the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. She, along with fellow Development Officer Sierra Hoisington and Director of Development Lynnae Messina,
works with Executive Director Birgie Miller in strengthening and enhancing overall development efforts to support the Refuge mission.
A native of Katonah, New York, Dot brings more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit events management, marketing, and communications to READ MORE
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Watch your inbox and our social media pages for news about how you can support Refuge conservation education on the nationwide philanthropic
Giving Tuesday, November 27.
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First-place prizes include a top-of-the-line SLR digital camera with case and lenses.
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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
Click
HERE
for entry rules.
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Bailey Tract Planting
On Friday, November 9, Refuge staff planted 4,300 more plugs of native cordgrass
along the north and south sides of the Tarpon Bay Slough pond as part of the Bailey Tract marsh habitat restoration project. The three-month project included hydrologic enhancements that benefit the wildlife that inhabits the tract. Species such as secretive marsh birds and others dependent on cordgrass marsh habitats benefit as a result, and visitors are already seeing lots of birds, including a bald eagle. As the cordgrass grows, you will see the appearance of the tract improve and mature.
Click HERE to read an article about the restoration project in Florida Weekly.
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From the Education Staff...
Click
HERE
to make a donation to the "Ding" Darling education mission.
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New Resident Volunteers
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Jerry and Melinda Sweeten
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Since late September, seasonal resident volunteers have been arriving from points across the U.S. to stay and work at the Refuge. On November 3, the Refuge welcomed first-time resident volunteers
Jerry and Melinda Sweeten
. They will be assisting Sara Hallas in the conservation education department through March 2019.
The Sweetens, who hail from rural Indiana, have worked in the education field much of their lives. Melinda was director of the Garber-Simons Senior Center in North Manchester, Indiana, and also was the Director of the Manchester University Biological Field Station Environmental Education Program called Koinonia. Jerry was Director of the Asherwood Environmental Science Center from 1976 to 2003. From 2004 to 2018 he was Professor of Biology and Director of the Environmental Studies Program at Manchester University (now as emeritus). Melinda and Jerry recently started a small environmental consulting company called Ecosystems Connections Institute, focused mostly on water quality and ecological restoration.
They have visited "Ding" Darling often in the past with students in a college travel course. "The folks here have always been welcoming and friendly to the students," said Jerry. "This stop was always rated high by students. As we approached retirement, we decided this is where we might give back and hopefully add value to the great work here. We believe strongly in the Refuge's mission and all of the conservation partnerships."
Returning resident volunteers this year include Ken and Louann Gum (who will arrive mid-December), Ron and Mary Horney, and Jack and Patty Wettstein. Resident volunteers put in hours at the Refuge in exchange for space and utilities to accommodate their temporary RV homes.
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DDWS Development Officer Sierra Hoisington, Patuxent Ranger Jenn Hill, and "Ding" rangers Monica Scroggin and Toni Westland
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On November 10, three "Ding" representatives hosted a reception at Patuxent Research Center, a refuge in Maryland, for members and friends of "Ding" Darling. About 20 people attended to hear about Refuge projects and mingle with the staffers. See more about the Patuxent refuge below
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INSERT ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE
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Lightweight Rain Capes
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Assistant Store Manager models one style of our new rain capes.
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Perfect for Florida showers, our new reversible rain capes
come in pink and black, pink and tan, yellow and tan, plaid and tan, green and navy, navy and pink, and black and black-and-brown striped. Hoods and button and magnetic closures make them as practical as smart.
Stop in to pick up your rain cape and other stylish weather wear 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. Proceeds from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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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.
This week, on the heels of our Refuge-DDWS team's outreach visit to Patuxent Research Refuge, we visit there with pictures and tips they contributed.
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Scarlet Tanager, courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location:
12,841 acres along the Patuxent and Little Patuxent rivers between Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, DC
Totemic fauna:
Scarlet Tanager and Eastern Red Bat
Fun for the Family
: The North Tract is a great place to horseback ride and see waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds.
Visitor's tip:
Check the website for details about free public tram tours.
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| Photo by Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland |
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Eastern Red Bat, courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
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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
Plant Native
A new Smithsonian study links declines in suburban backyard birds to the presence of nonnative plants. Findings give landowners a simple road map to provide essential habitat for breeding birds. Insect-eating birds that depend on the availability of high-calorie, high-protein cuisine - namely caterpillars and spiders - during the breeding season to feed their young are finding the menu severely lacking in backyards landscaped with even a small proportion of nonnative plants, according to a new study from READ MORE
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Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings
Carol Matthai captured this Yellow-crowned Night Heron with a crab
on the Refuge recently.
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-May 5, 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 Christopher Gutierrez & April Boehnen.
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