SAVE THE DATE!

Gopher Tortoise Forage Garden Certification

HAVE FUN!  BE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT OF OUR CRITTER FRIENDS!!!

Go to  this website: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/gopher-tortoise/yard-recognition/

Once you are on the site, there is an embedded link in blue that asks you to apply for recognition.  Click on the link and complete the form to register your yard for the FWC Gopher Tortoise Yard Recognition Program.  It will take you less than 10 minutes …honest!

You will need to designate three tortoise friendly forage plants in your yard, from a drop-down menu of plants. Simply click on the plants you have.  For your own reference, included below is a list of the plants you likely have.  If you need help identifying any of them, call Kjell Plotkin at  (941) 456-5252. The site also asks what invasive plants you have removed.  Those invasive plants are also listed on the bottom of the attachment.

Click here for list of gopher tortoise friendly plants and invasive plants.

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BECOME A SUPER CITIZEN!! APPLY TODAY!!

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission recently instituted a

Gopher Tortoise Friendly Recognition Program.  There are a few yards on the island that have already been registered and recognized. We are waiting for the official FWC recognition signs to arrive to place in those yards. We’d like to get as many of our island properties recognized as possible.  Please consider becoming one of those recognized properties.

On Sunday, April 25, Island residents and guests met for the ribbon cutting ceremony of our newest conservation property at 30 Bocilla Drive. This is the 10th conservation property acquired by the Conservancy. The group then proceeded to the 181 Bocilla Dr. property where an information session about the Mini Reef Nursery Habitats was presented by Garrett Stuart (Captain Planet) of the Eco Presevation Project. Then Ocean Habitats Inc. began the installation of 20 minis reefs under the dock and walkway on this property. The purchase of these reefs was made possible by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota.

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HELP US ACHIEVE 1000 REEFS

Be a part of this amazing challenge. Have a reef (or a few) installed under your dock.
Don’t have a dock, no problem

you can still participate by sponsoring a reef!

Each reef can support reef life that is capable of filtering over 30,000 gallons of water per day and provides nursery habitats to help hundreds of native fish and crabs grow.

Reefs can be ordered for $297 each plus installation of $97 for the first one and $40 installation for additional reefs at the same dock plus tax. Installations of 10 or more on a dock could be free.

Reefs can be ordered through the Oceans Habitat, Inc. website.

https://www.oceanhabitatsinc.com

For more information:
Call Linda Cotherman (941) 276-1140.
Or Barbara DeYulio (941) 830-4179.

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Click here for more Mini Reef facts

This project is a non-profit effort and all funds go to the purchase and installations of the Mini Reefs.

Did You Know?

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Bocilla Islands Conservancy has

published it's own children's book,

How the No, No, Gnome Forrest Came to Be.

The book in an introduction to

invasive plant species that change the

ecosystem and harm the environment.

It was written and illustrated by children

who love the island.

If you haven't purchased your copy,

or if you would like additional copies,

you can email your order to:

newsletter@bocillaislandsconservancy.org

Books are $10 each.

Congratulations to the Conservancy for recently being awarded the following prestigious grants :

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$7050 Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota.

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Dale and Patsy Hosman Foundation $5,000

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William G. and Marie Selby Foundation $20,000

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