Category: Misc

Most of our visitors come to the CREW trails for recreation. Walking, hiking, camping, birding, trail running, horseback riding – there are a lot of different ways to play!

What most people don’t know is that recreation – and people – are actually third on the list of what the CREW Project land is for. Habitat for wildlife is second on the list, and the number one spot, the main reason that the CREW Project exists is to preserve land for water.

If you’ve been on a guided walk or attended a field trip, you’ve probably heard us talk about the watershed, and our aquifer, and why it’s important for our aquifer to be recharged each year during the rainy season. It’s a tough concept, though – explaining a watershed while you’re standing on top of an observation tower, looking over the 5,000-acre sawgrass marsh.

A few years ago, Brenda Brooks, our executive director had an idea – what if we had something permanent on the trails, like a sign, or a 3-D model, that explained what a watershed was? Something that helped our visitors with a sense of their place within a watershed, something that helped them understand their connection to the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and, most importantly – why they should care.

In 2017, the CREW Trust staff approached local graphic designer Mike Donlan with a rough construction paper model created by Brenda and volunteer George Luther and asked him – could he help?

The result, after months of work, is our new “What is a Watershed” sign, installed at each of our trail systems.

The signs were paid for by a generous grant through the South Florida Water Management District – Big Cypress Basin.

The center image of each sign is a watershed model that depicts the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed, including the very slight elevation change and the different ecosystems within it. The background photograph was taken from inside one of the sawgrass marshes at the Cypress Dome Trails. Pictures on the right panel help explain the four reasons why visitors should care about the watershed.

“Our hope is that this sign will help visitors connect with CREW,” explained Brenda. “We know people love the trails and the wildlife but CREW is really about water. This sign will help further our mission of protecting and preserving the land for our most important natural resource in Southwest Florida.”

Because CREW is all about water, it’s only natural that we go ahead and use the “Glass-half-empty-or-half-full” analogy for this season.

Yes, truly, April is the end of season for us. We’re still catching our breath from five months packed full of guided walks and programs and….

quiet down back there, we hear you laughing

Let’s be honest for a second.

This season was NOT packed full of guided walks and programs.

It was planned that way. Honestly.

We sat down in August, like we always do, with a giant calendar and list of ideas and programs and names and dates and times. We look at all kinds of things, from holidays to full moons to school spring breaks, when planning our season. And we had a GREAT season planned. We patted ourselves on the back and gave ourselves gold stars and then Hurricane Irma hit.

And, month by month, we cancelled programs at Bird Rookery Swamp as the trail was closed for repairs. And then, Flint Pen Strand’s opening was delayed, so we cancelled those programs month by month.

For many of the people that messaged us, or emailed us, or left comments on our blog posts, or called and complained to us – our glass, for them, was half empty. Understandably so.

Luckily for us, we had volunteers, members, friends and visitors who also saw our glass as half full. So what if half our programs were cancelled and our busiest, most popular trail was closed? There is more to CREW than Bird Rookery Swamp and the unfulfilled promise of a new trail in Bonita Springs.

And those people helped our glass get to where it is today – overflowing.

This season that was a non-season brought us so much, including a few highlights:

-Two successful clean-ups in Flint Pen Strand. With the help of FGCU students, Passarella & Associates, Inc., CREW Trust volunteers and community volunteers, tires, appliances, carpets, trash and more were removed from this section of the watershed.

-an increase in visitors to the CREW Marsh Trails, which is mainly used for field trips for FGCU students and elementary students in Lee and Collier Counties.

-a big increase in visitors to the Cypress Dome Trails, which has always been our quietest trail system.

-a new nickname for alligators that block the path at Bird Rookery Swamp – “Hi Susan!”

-a new sign answering the question “What is a Watershed?” designed locally by graphic designer Michael Donlan and paid for by a grant from South Florida Water Management District-Big Cypress Basin. This sign is installed at each of the CREW trail systems.

-award-winning photographer Andrew West, who set up a camera trap and began capturing gorgeous images of panthers in the northern part of the CREW Project.

-the launch of Soil ROCKS at the Cypress Dome Trails, a program for second grade students that has been two years in the making

-a record number of Swallow-tailed kite nests found at the CREW Marsh trails.

-a record amount of funds raised at our February concert in spite of two downpours.

-an outpouring of warmth and happiness from our friends and members and social media followers when Bird Rookery Swamp finally re-opened.

-the surprise creation, donation and installation of a brand new sign for our field station – thank you, Klaus, for your creativity and support. It replaced the sad, hastily-spray painted post-Hurricane Irma sign that we had propped out by the road for months.

-the capturing by game camera of the BEST BEAR SELFIE EVER. (full disclosure- the bear destroyed the game camera. our fullest apologies to our volunteer Tom, who donates and monitors the cameras)

Even though it’s April, we’re already planning for next season. Here’s hoping that all of our plans come to fruition, that all of our programs happen and that any hurricanes or major weather events stay far, far away.

Thank you, friends of the CREW Trust, for bearing with us this season through it all, and we hope to see you on the trails.

 

As the South Florida Water Management nears completion of the Southern Critical CREW Restoration Project, the CREW Trust, in partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District held the second clean-up of this year at Flint Pen Strand.

CREW Trust staff, FWC biologists and SFWMD staff were joined by FGCU students, CREW Trust volunteers, volunteers from Passarella & Associates Inc. and community volunteers on Thursday, March 22, 2018.

During the four-hour clean-up, volunteers worked to collect garbage including discarded carpet, tile, toilets and more to fill a 30-yard dumpster. They also worked to remove 650 tires which had been dumped through the years in the vacant lands.

Special thanks to Keep Lee County Beautiful for providing work gloves and trash bags and thank you to Lee County Solid Waste for donating the cost of removing all of the tires.

CREW Trust volunteers worked earlier this year to create a 1.5-mile loop as the first trail in Flint Pen Strand. The parking lot and trail system will open in 2018 and more information will be released as the opening gets closer. Follow CREW Land & Water Trust for updates on the Flint Pen Strand Trails and opening plans.

Great news!

The South Florida Water Management District has completed repair work to the Bird Rookery Swamp Trail and, as of 11:00 a.m. on 3/6/2018, the barricades are down and the trail is OPEN.

Please note that grass has not been mowed but will be mowed by the District soon.

We’re counting down to our biggest night of the year – the 2018 CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs.

Ready, set, BID!

Our 2018 Concert & Silent Eco-Auction is full of unique, eco-related art and experiences. The auction is a highlight each year and has steadily grown in popularity.

Because we limit the number of auction item entries, and many of them are one-of-a-kind, bidding wars are common. We encourage you to bid early and bid often. This year’s Silent Eco-Auction will open at 5:30 p.m. and close promptly at 8:15 p.m. Winners will be posted when check-out begins at 8:30 p.m. Winners must pay with cash, credit car or check by 9:15 p.m.; after that time, the item will be offered to the second-highest bidder.

Check out these five can’t miss items from this year’s silent eco-auction and read more about all of the items by visiting our Silent Eco-Auction Preview page.

1 – A year of chocolate from Norman Love Confections

Do you love chocolate? We do! And so did many of our concert go-ers last year. This very popular item, donated by Norman Love Confections,  is back and we’re hoping it sparks another bidding war.

The high bidder will receive a 15-piece box from the Norman Love Signature Collection, shipped directly to the winner or the recipient of your choice, each month for one year.

2- Brew for a day at Momentum Brewhouse

Brian Hahn, owner of Momentum Brewhouse, has been a friend and member of the CREW Trust for several years. This year’s craft beer served at our concert will once again be from Momentum Brewhouse, and fans can bid on this lot for the chance to brew for a day!

 

3- A year of organically-raised and pastured meat and dairy products from Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm

Our executive director loves the yogurt from Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm and we’re so excited to have this very unique and tasty experience as part of this year’s auction! Owners Rose O’Dell King and Gary King will choose selections each month from the bounty of the farm and the winner will also get to meet Rose and Gary and learn more about the farm. This experience starts in March and will tantalize your test buds through February 2019!

4- CREW Trust Premier Membership Package

Yes, we love CREW and where we work – but guess what we love even more? Artwork from our former FWC Biologist Molly DuVall! Molly painted this one-of-a-kind gourd birdhouse and the only way to win it is to bid on our Premier Membership Package! The package includes a Southern Bald Eagle level membership ($1000 value) , CREW Trust swag, invitations to our members-only events and a private guided hike at a CREW location of your choice for up to 8 people. AND Molly’s gourd birdhouse, painted with the CREW logo.

5- Gulf Sunset Cruise for 6 guests

We spend a LOT of time inland on our trails, and sometimes its nice to head to the coast and enjoy our gorgeous Gulf views!

SW Florida Boat Tours will tailor this 2-3 hour tour to you and your guests. Their EGret 290 departs an hour before sunset, tours Naples Bay and Port Royal waters before making its way to the gulf for the Florida sunset. Your party can bring food, beverages and alcohol or arrange for a custom catered cruise. Date of cruise subject to agreement between winning bidder and Southwest Florida Boat Tours.

 

Ready to bid? We’ll see you at the 2018 CREW Concert & Silent Eco-Auction on Feb. 24 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door; children 12 and under are free. To purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com.