Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) is an American ecosystem protection group. It was founded in 1967 on Sanibel Island, Florida to preserve the island's interior freshwater system.[1][2] The non-profit's mission has since evolved to also protect and care for Southwest Florida's coastal ecosystems.[2][3]
SCCF is the largest private landowner on Sanibel, protecting around 1,800 acres on the island. SCCF also owns more than 300 additional acres in the region, including on the islands of Pine Island Sound, Fort Myers and Cape Coral.[2] Many of these acres are closed to the public, though SCCF has over 8 miles of public trails.[4]
The Native Landscapes & Garden Centre sells native plants, and offers landscaping and educational programs.[5][6] The Marine Laboratory monitors water quality[7] and conducts research on subjects such as seagrass, mangroves, harmful algal blooms, and shellfish restoration.[8][9] The lab also oversees a water-quality sensor network throughout the Caloosahatchee, known as the River, Estuary, and Coastal Observing Network.[10] SCCF monitors the shorebird snowy plover,[11] loggerhead sea turtles, and occasional leatherback sea turtles[12] on the Sanibel and Captiva Islands, which has an environmental policy program.[13] SCCF also monitors other wildlife species that are federally threatened such as the Eastern indigo snake.[14]
