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Photo: Conservation Easement Palm Drive
Open Email to friends of the Bocilla Islands Conservancy.
From: Bocilla Islands Conservancy Newsletter - OLD FIRE HOUSE #10 PROPERTY <newsletter@bocillaislandsconservancy.org>
Date: August 3, 2023 at 8:24:23 AM EDT
To: Linda <LCotherman@yahoo.com>
Subject: OLD FIRE HOUSE #10 PROPERTY UPDATE - TIME SENSITIVE - We did it!!! -Now it's time to act fast on the next step.
Reply-To: Bocilla Islands Conservancy Newsletter - OLD FIRE HOUSE #10 PROPERTY <newsletter@bocillaislandsconservancy.org>
BOCILLA ISLANDS CONSERVANCY, INC.
Dear Friends and Supporters:
Subject: Old Fire Station #10 Property
Thanks to all of you for your letters, emails, phone calls, and signing the petition. We got the Commissioners attention and accomplished the first step by getting the bid process postponed until September.
Our next step is fund raising. We are on a short time frame of around 2 weeks or August 18th, so please respond promptly. We are trying to schedule meetings with each Commissioner shortly after Aug 18th and need to know where we stand on purchase cash and commitments.
If purchased, this property would continue to be a Community Hub/Mini-Park as defined in the Charlotte County Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2015 – 2050.
We need to act promptly and get contributions in hand so we can entertain a bid and/or start negotiating for a purchase. As a 501(c)(3) public charity, we feel we have the opportunity to negotiate with the County prior to the bid process finale.
Our fundraising goal is $80,000 to $100,000 prior to Aug 15th. We have $27,500 to date, gathered in just one weekend.
We request contributions be in the form of check, cash, or credit card. All Contributions should be marked specifically for “Fire House #10 Property” with a copy of this letter, signed, and your contribution. By doing this, your contribution can only be used for the Fire House Property and if our negotiations with the County fail or our bid is not accepted, then your contributions will be refunded to you. These funds are considered “Restricted Funds” for a specific purpose.
Thank you for your support. A contribution form is attached for your convenience.
Questions should be directed to any of the following Conservancy Board Executives: Barbara DeYulio bkdey@comcast.net Linda Cotherman lcotherman@yahoo.com Mike Riley mikenriley@comcast.net
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.
BECOME A SUPER CITIZEN!! APPLY TODAY!!
Currently there are 17 registered Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yards on the islands.
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.
Have you ever wondered about the wildlife you might see on our islands?
Thank you to Buzz Mallett for capturing these images of a coyote and a bobcat on our Conservancy property at 26 Palm Drive.
This project is a non-profit effort and all funds go to the purchase and installations of the Mini Reefs.
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
Did You Know?
Bocilla Islands Conservancy has
published its own children's book,
How the No, No, Gnome Forest 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.