Update: Miss the pre-sale? You can still submit an order and pay for your shirt! We will reserve your shirt in your requested size and you can pick it up at the concert. Available while supplies last.
This year will be the first year for CREW Concert T-shirts!
We noticed last year that there was a demand for our leftover concert volunteer shirts – thank you to everyone who eagerly purchased them!
And while we do appreciate that extra support, we felt a little bit sad that we didn’t have a fun concert shirt in a non-safety-color availalbe for our concert-goers to purchase.
We’re kicking off a series of commemorative concert t-shirts, and for 2018, our t-shirt mascot is a rockin’ bear!
T-shirts are available in unisex size small, medium, large, XL and 2XL. They will be for sale at the concert for $20 in very limited quantities.
Due to the likelihood that the shirts will sell out, we are offering a pre-sale opportunity through February 2, 2018. Please use one of the forms below and email your order to Anne (anne@crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com). Pre-ordered shirts will be picked up at the concert or you can email Anne to make other arrangements.
This coming February, the CREW Trust is hosting their 11th annual Concert & Silent Eco-Auction! Join us on Saturday, February 24, 2018 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park, located at 10451 Old 41 Road in Bonita Springs.
Don’t miss out on a chance to have a great time while making a difference in our community!
Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the gate. Guests should bring lawn chairs and blankets to relax and enjoy the concert; dogs and outside food and drink will not be permitted.
This year’s performance will be provided by The High Voltage Band. They will be playing a mix of Motown music and today’s hit songs.
The High Voltage Band has performed for The NFL Players Association, Panasonic, the Boston Red Sox, Toyota, Allstate, and many others!
Last year’s annual concert and auction raised over $30,000. This went to numerous amounts of environmental education programs including field trips for thirds graders, classes for FGCU students and the Nature’s Peace programs, among many others.
The Silent Eco-Auction items this year will include a swamp hike, swamp buggy tour, selection of gourmet cheeses and fine wines from Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm in North Fort Myers, private birthday party hike with gourmet cupcakes at the CREW Marsh Trails, artwork from local artists and antique botany books.
We hope you’ll join us and CONNECT with CREW! See you there!
Anne here. Yes, that Anne – the one that answers the Facebook messages at all hours of the day and night, the one that chats you up on the phone when you call to ask me if BRS is open. I want to tell you that it’s open – I do. It breaks my heart to know I’m breaking your heart. And when you are mad- and a lot of you are – I want to give you a cookie and tell you it will be okay. Because it will. We’re all just in Bird Rookery Swamp Withdrawal – all of us, even the staff and volunteers.
Of course you can still call me at the office, or Facebook message me – some of you are becoming quite good friends of mine – but in the meantime, here are a few answers to our Frequently Asked Questions about the closure of Bird Rookery Swamp.
Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?
WHY is Bird Rookery Swamp Closed?
This is an important question, and one we have to address right away. It’s come to our attention thanks to some of the fence-hoppers (we’ll chat about y’all in a hot minute) that the public perception is that the boardwalk is barricaded and big NO ENTRY signs are up because the trails are wet, like they always are this time of year, and we don’t want you to get wet feet.
We love wet feet. And we know our die-hard Bird Rookery Swamp friends do as well.
The trails are wet, just as they always are this time of year – okay, maybe a BIT more wet than usual. But the reason the trail is shut down at the end of the boardwalk is hazardous conditions due to contractors working on the trail to fix washouts.
Working with BIG LOUD DANGEROUS machinery and they can’t see anything around them, so the trail was closed for the safety of all involved.
Why are there so many washouts, and what is a washout?
The trail at Bird Rookery Swamp should not be there.
WHAT?
Bird Rookery Swamp is at the very bottom of the 60,000-acre watershed. And when the area was logged for cypress, the tram was built to hold the railroad, blocking the natural flow of water. Every single year when the water flows south, we have blow-outs on the trail, and we slap a band-aid on (a gravel band-aid) and fill it in, then wait for the next rainy season to blow out different areas.
Add in a hurricane and we’ve got a lot more washouts than usual and some of the old ones became dangerous deep-water crossings. The one by Ida’s pond was waist deep on me (Anne) two weeks after the hurricane and the water was flowing pretty hard as I stood there and tried to trim back part of a tree that fell.
So. We have washouts. We will continue to have washouts. We just had a lot more than normal this rainy season. And all the washouts need to be repaired so you can hike, bike and enjoy the entire loop.
Why is this taking so LONNNNNNNGGGGG?
Water. The trails are wet. The big, heavy machinery will do a lot of damage to the really wet sections, or get stuck. So wet trail conditions are delaying the project. But every week the contractor is checking on the trails, and it is drying up – so we keep our fingers crossed.
You OTTER be fixing these trails!
Why can’t you just open up the first part? It looks fixed.
Remember how I talked about the heavy machinery? Well, it made deep ruts in that first section, and those need to be smoothed out for the safety of our guests and visitors. And, to get that machinery in, the trails need to dry up.
Also – I, or we, the CREW Trust – cannot open or close trails. The South Florida Water Management District manages the lands within the CREW Project, and most of those are public lands (which is why there is no charge to park or visit the trail). We – the CREW Trust- are the non-profit that provides environmental education for all ages on the trails. We also do our best to raise awareness about the watershed by telling people about the trail systems through Facebook and this website. WE cannot open or close the trails – only the District, our partner agency, can do that.
If I can’t go to Bird Rookery Swamp to ride my bike/hike/walk my dog/take photos of awesome wildlife, where can I go?
There are two trail systems off of Corkscrew Road, just a quick fifteen minute drive east of I-75. The CREW Marsh Trails is the only trail system within the CREW Project that is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, and the Cypress Dome Trails is our least-visited trails BUT has the most active wildlife according to sightings by hikers.
I saw a bear there about two months ago – my first sighting of a bear on one of the CREW Trails.
You can hike, go birding, walk your dog and/or take photos at either trail system. Bikers, head to the Cypress Dome Trails. 100% of the Marsh Trails are clear, thanks to Jessi and a lot of FGCU student volunteers. The Cypress Dome Trails are mostly clear, except for the Wild Coffee Trail, which is the back part of the white trail. CREW Trust staff and volunteers are slowly clearing that by hand and waiting for it to dry up to continue working.
Can I volunteer and help clean up Bird Rookery Swamp so it gets open sooner?
I wish you could. I wish I could. But the District is in charge of this project, so we respect their closure and try to wait patiently.
If you do like to clear trails, please volunteer! We will have trail clean-ups in preparation for the opening of Flint Pen Strand for the public. We also have a great group of volunteers – please fill out an application if you are interested.
What happens if I just hop the fence?
Well, that’s a bad idea. We’ve already been told of one rescue by Collier County deputies of a hiker who hopped the fence and then needed assistance in the back part of the trails. The District also has signs posted that say the trail is closed; FWC Law Enforcement says it is a $50 fine if/when you are caught.
From a purely personal standpoint – we, your friendly staff at the CREW Trust, worry about your safety. Please respect the closure and try to wait patiently for it to re-open so we can see you soon at our guided walks and programs.
Ready to hit the trails this season, but looking for a few fun new tools? Check out these apps for your smartphone that can help take your trek to the next tech level.
You can use your phone for more than selfies, Mr. Bear.
IveGot1: This app from FWC is for reporting sightings of non-native invasive animals, like pythons, which have been spotted within the CREW Project. Get as much information as you can, including photos of tracks. Just remember when taking a photo to place something, like a coin or a pen or a tube of chapstick next to the track to help with noting the size. (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reporting-hotline/)
WeatherBug: This app has a program within the app called Spark which will show how close lightning is to your location. When should you find shelter and get far away from lightning? We say follow the pool rule – if lightning is within ten miles, get to shelter. Florida is the lightning captial of the United States and it is always better to be safe than sorry.
PlantNet: Can’t remember the name of that pretty purple flower? You can jog your memory with the use of this app and maybe correctly identify the plant. This is part of a global project so, if your plant isn’t in the app, you can help by adding it! Check out this shot of a flower I took by our office, then searched for, and quickly identified!
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab: This app lets you load bird packs (birds in your area) so you can tailor the app to where you are, or where you are travelling to.
Peterson Bird Identifier & Field Guide: They had me at field guide. This includes over 800 species of North American Birds and looks enough like your hardcover field guide that you’ll feel right at home.
Audubon Bird Guide: Reviews say it is the best free bird field guide available and it lists nearby observations. You can log your sightings and connect to a social community of birders. And, if you love owls, check out the Audubon Owl Guide app.
AllTrails: This app is one we are starting to use ourselves to get our trails out to the world! This app lets you explore trails and check out reviews. It’s also helpful if you are looking to explore more trails in the area (and more of our trails) or heading out of town on vacation and want to scope out the local landscape.
Looking to fill out your already bustling December calendar? We have something for everyone this December!
For the insectually curious and those itching for a bit of fun, join FGCU instructor and President of the Florida Mosquito Control Association Neil Wilkinson for Mosquitos of the Marsh: a CREW Strolling Science Seminar on Friday, Dec. 8. You’ll learn about the life cycles and histories of fresh floodwater and natural container species of mosquitos common to Southwest Florida. From identifying adult mosquitos caught in traps set the night before to using dip nets to survey for mosquiot predtaors, this is sure to be a can’t miss event! For more information or to purchase tickets, head to eventbrite.com.
Tuesdays are TrailDays at the CREW Marsh Trail! Volunteer naturalist and spider enthusiast Janet Bunch leads our free weekly guided walks from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. What can you expect in December? From the small boardwalk, you might spy string lilies blooming. Butterfly sightings may include Gulf Frittilaries and Zebra Longwings, both often spotted close to Suzanne’s Pavillion. The view from the observation tower will still show lush green sawgrass as the water levels are just beginning to dry down from our very wet rainy season. Red-shouldered hawks are pairing up and filling the air with their boisterous calls. As always, what we see depends on the day, which makes each walk different from the last! Register today at eventbrite.com. Can’t make it out to the trails on Tuesdays? You’re in luck! December’s Saturday Walk will be at the CREW Marsh Trails on Dec. 9; register at eventbrite.com.
The wading birds are flocking to Bird Rookery Swamp and will join us on our Wednesday walks!! Egrets and herons and Roseate Spoonbills are filling in the small ponds and are even visible at times from the trail parking lot. String lilies are blooming throughout the swamp and you may even spy an adult or juvenille water moccasin swimming slowly around the bases of the cypress trees and knees. The pied-billed grebes are back in the small canal and we’re hoping to see little tiny grebes this spring. We’re still waiting on the full trail to re-open but our Wednesday walks will continue, covering the shell path and boardwalk, then expanding onto the grassy traim once the district completes repairs and restoration. Sign up for your free spot today at eventbrite.com.
Members, make sure your calendar is marked for our Member Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, January 13! Want to join in the fun, but aren’t a member? You can become a member today and you’ll receive an invitation to our picnic, our very popular wine and cheese social under the stars; our quarterly newsletter; and discounts on Strolling Science Seminars and other CREW Trust programs.
Whether it’s a quiet sunrise walk along the trails, the first glimpse of a Swallow-tailed kite, or a field trip experience with your child’s school, we all become connected to the CREW Project.
The support of our members is vital to the CREW Trust’s environmental education programs, which help teach visitors of all ages about the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed and why it is important to preserve CREW and the plants and wildlife within its borders.
YOU can help those programs continue to grow!
Consider becoming a member of the CREW Land & Water Trust today. You can register online or find a membership form in the kiosks at one of our trailheads.
Members receive quarterly newsletters, reduced admission to specialty programs and are invited to attend members-only events. Questions about becoming a member? Feel free to email allison@crewtrust.org or call our office at 239-657-2253.
Join local experts, volunteer naturalists and CREW Trust staff this season on one of our free guided walks, Strolling Science Seminars or specialty programs!
Members receive a discount on paid registrations and also access to our two members-only programs: our very popular Wine and Cheese Social and Member Appreciation Picnic!
Our first program of the season is Saturday – the Fall Widlflower Walk with Brenda Thomas! It’s sure to be picture-perfect as we’re already seeing Pine Lilies blooming along the trails.
Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma, the South Florida Water Management District closed all CREW trail systems, including the CREW Marsh Trails, Cypress Dome Trails and Bird Rookery Swamp.
The CREW Office, which is shared by CREW Land & Water Trust, FWC biologists and SFWMD staff, sustained property damage during the storm, including two residences on the property. Staff and volunteers began clean-up this week at the office, which remains closed at this time due to lack of power and water.
CREW Staff have begun surveying the trails and there is a lot of damage from fallen trees, to the point where some trails are not only impassable but appear to no longer be there. The conditions are unsafe for visitors and the trails remain closed at this time.
Trees down in the Popash Slough at the CREW Marsh Trails
Clean-up will be a slow process and, as trails open, we will update the public on our website and Facebook pages. We appreciate your patience during this time and assure you that our staff and volunteers will work diligently to restore the trails and open them to our visitors and friends as soon as possible.
Wondering how you can help? The CREW Trust has a small assortment of trail clean-up tools and replaces them often, usually with funds we receive from grants or community partners. Due to the large amount of work that needs to be completed in order to restore the trails, and the large amount of volunteers we will have helping us, we need more pruners, loppers, saws, work gloves and carts for hauling wood. If you would like to donate supplies directly to the CREW Trust, please email Anne (anne@crewtrus.mystagingwebsite.com). You can also donate online through our website and designate that the funds be used to purchase equipment for trail clean-ups.
Of course, the answer to the title is a strong no.
And it’s a silly title to a blog.
BUT.
Now, in summer, when there are so many young animals and mothers out and about on the trails, it’s a good time to refresh all of our minds about how to view wildlife.
“It’ s rewarding to have close up views of animals, but it’ s easy for even the most responsible wildlife watchers to inadvertently put themselves, or the animals they seek, at risk. Keep the folling tips in mind as you venture out into Florida’ s natural areas.
Every animal differs in how close it will allow you to approach before it pauses in its feeding, nesting or resting activities, or flees altogether. Such disturbances can be disastrous for animals, especially the cumulative effect of frequent disruptions, a common occurrence at beaches, waterways and other busy wildlife viewing sites. When disturbed, an animal uses up valuable energy reserves that are no longer available for other uses, such as migrating, tending to young, mating or escaping predators. A fleeing parent may abandon a nest and risk exposing eggs or young to temperature extremes or predators.
Florida box turtle
How can you tell if you’ re too close? Look for the obvious: Has the animal stopped feeding? Is it looking at you? Does it appear aggressive or skittish? Did the animal begin to move away or fly into the air? Is it dive-bombing you or circling overhead? Do you see distraction displays such as a bird exhibiting a “broken wing?” These behaviors are all progressive signs of disturbance.
If you see any of these signs, move away immediately. When possible, use binoculars or zoom lenses to extend your view. If an adult animal allows you to approach, something’ s wrong. It may be sick, injured or aggressive. If you’ re suspicious, contact the local site manager.”
The number one question we are getting, whether by phone, email, or social media, is “are the trails wet?”
The answer is a resounding YES!
After such a dry end to our winter season, June brought us a refreshing dose of rain – over 20 inches. That’s a lot of rain!
And while it has meant a change in some of our visitor’s hiking plans, we are excited about the rain for a lot of reasons. The main reason is that, when you visit, you get to see our watershed at work.
The water that you see on the CREW Marsh Trails and Cypress Dome Trails is doing exactly what we want it to do – slowly move south through all of the vegetation on the CREW Project’s 60,000 acres, giving the water ample time to seep through the limestone and recharge our aquifer. And that means more water for us, the residents of Southwest Florida, and the plants and animals that call the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed home.
A Band-winged Dragonlet at the Cypress Dome Trails. Photographed by volunteer Dick Brewer.
We hope you’ll enjoy a few wet walks on our trails this summer and would love to see your pictures on our CREW Land & Water Trust Facebook Page! Or tag us on Instagram. See you on the trails!
