The Charitable Community Foundation recently honored SCCF's CEO James Evans as one of Southwest Florida’s most influential nonprofit executives, recognizing leaders whose ideas inspire progress, whose organizations create lasting change, and whose leadership strengthens the wider charitable sector. James credits the award to the entire SCCF team — staff, trustees, volunteers, donors, members, and community partners. Read more: sccf.org/2026/10/21/sccf-ceo…

The weekend’s cold front, recorded by SCCF's RECON. 🥶⁠ ⁠ Our Marine Lab station logged a 22°F drop in air temperature and wind gusts up to 37 mph Saturday night, and Tarpon Bay’s water cooled 10°F by Monday morning. RECON sensors take readings around the clock, and anyone can see the live data. ⁠ Click the link to view real-time data: recon.sccf.org/

SCCF's sea turtle team reports that 31,778 hatchlings have now made their way to the Gulf during the 2026 record-breaking nesting season. Sanibel's loggerhead count has reached 929 nests, building on the island's new single-season record. The previous record of 878 was set in 2023. Sanibel's west end, spanning the West and Far West zones, now has 714 loggerhead nests, up from a previous high of 631. Read more about our season's nesting counts and how you can protect island sea turtles: sccf.org/2026/09/22/hatchlin…

Join our team! 🐟 SCCF's Marine Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Fisheries Science. This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career scientist to develop an independent, field-based research program focused on fish species of recreational importance within the estuarine systems of Southwest Florida. The successful candidate will lead the development and implementation of a research program centered on ecologically, recreationally, or commercially significant fish species in the local estuary. The research will align with the SCCF Marine Laboratory’s mission to understand and protect coastal ecosystems, while complementing ongoing programs in estuarine ecology, water quality, and habitat status and trends. This position is designed to support scientific independence and innovation. The postdoctoral researcher will have flexibility to shape their research questions, methodologies, and collaborations, while integrating into the lab’s collaborative and applied research environment. Learn more & apply 👇 app.trinethire.com/companies…

Today is Plover Appreciation Day! 🐦🎉⁠ ⁠ Our shorebird team monitors and protects six different species of plovers on Sanibel, Captiva, and surrounding coastal areas.⁠ ⁠ Learn more and support our island plovers by symbolically adopting a plover through our adopt-a-shorebird program.⁠ sccf.org/what-we-do/protect-…

Join our team! ☀️🌱🌸 We are hiring a Native Landscapes & Garden Center Assistant and Native Landscapes & Garden Center Intern. 🌱 The Native Landscapes & Garden Center Assistant provides education, retail sales assistance, and customer service in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of the SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center. They act as the public face of SCCF, introducing visitors and residents to the mission of the Foundation and its role in the preservation of the islands. 🌱 The Native Landscapes & Garden Center Intern responsibilities will include all aspects of retail nursery operation and plant care, including watering, potting, pruning, weeding, landscape installation/maintenance, and customer service. In addition, interns will work closely with our gardener to assist in the upkeep of 2 acres of demonstration gardens surrounding the Garden Center. Learn more & apply! 👇 sccf.org/about/employment-in…

Listen to our new podcast episode: Rising All-Time Climate Records In this episode, the Policy team breaks down recent all-time records that have been broken relating to the Earth's climate including sea surface temperature, heat waves and emissions to the atmosphere. They discuss impacts from these events to the environment and human health, reasons these records continue to rise and what we can each do to mitigate this continuing trend. spotifycreators-web.app.link…

Sign up for the International Coastal Cleanup TODAY! 🌊 Join us in participating in the Ocean Conservancy’s Annual International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 19. Volunteers will be collecting trash from both Sanibel and Captiva beaches as an island-wide effort to maintain coastal habitat and lead to cleaner, healthier waters. The event will be held from 9-11 a.m. with an Ice Cream Social afterward at the Bailey Homestead. This cleanup is supported by Bank of the Islands as the event’s T-shirt Sponsor. Each participant of the cleanup will receive a free cleanup shirt thanks to Bank of the Island’s generous donation.  Bones Coffee will serve as the Energy Sponsor — serving up caffeinated drinks before the event to help fuel clean beaches. Sanibel Captiva Rotary is the Coastal Cleanup’s Ice Cream Social Sponsor. Join us after the event to cool down with some refreshing ice cream thanks to our community partner! Click the link to register: dash.pointapp.org/events/764…

In 2023, our sea turtle team tagged a loggerhead sea turtle that we named after the late and great Dolly Parton. This year, Dolly Parton the sea turtle returned to Sanibel and laid three nests. So far, her nests have produced 108 hatchlings that have made their journey to the ocean. Although we mourn the loss of this great country legend and environmentalist, her legacy will continue to live on through our important conservation research and monitoring. *Photo taken using red light during research activities permitted by FWC MTP 270.

The Lee County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on Wednesday, August 19 to change the current land use rules to allow more residential density and more intensive commercial and industrial uses in the area of Lee County known as the Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource (DR/GR) area.⁠ ⁠ As a result of the out-of-control growth patterns of the 1970’s and 80’s in Lee County, the now defunct Florida Department of Community Affairs, worked with Lee County to designate this environmentally sensitive area for reduced density and for aquifer recharge.⁠ ⁠ Now, the county, in response to requests from a few private developers, wants to change the rules to allow more development to “better reflect current conditions”. While the staff’s recommendations contain some good proposals for establishing guardrails for adequately protecting the county’s water resources and wildlife habitat into the future, the clear objective is to change the rules to accommodate more growth.⁠ ⁠ Click the link to learn more and take action: conta.cc/4bQy64t

Group signups are now open for this year’s International Coastal Cleanup! 🌊🪣 Join us for the Ocean Conservancy’s Annual International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 19. Volunteers will collect trash from Sanibel and Captiva beaches as part of this global effort to contribute to cleaner waterways and safe coastal habitats. Groups larger than five can sign up now through August 10 using the link below. Individual registration and groups of fewer than 5 will begin on Aug. 12. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F… #sccf #conservation #swfl #InternationalCoastalCleanup

The first black skimmer chick documented on the Sanibel Causeway in 30 years is thriving! The chick has reached flight-capable age, and while the SCCF shorebird team and volunteers haven’t witnessed its first flight yet, they’re watching closely for the milestone. The rest of the Causeway colony remains active. A few dozen more skimmer chicks have hatched, and about a half-dozen adults are still incubating nests, with hatches expected soon. Help protect nesting birds by listening to the parents! Chicks often wander outside posted string lines, and their parents will defend them wherever they go. If a shorebird starts dive-bombing or screaming at you, you’re too close to their young — step back to give them space. 📷 Cheri Hollis

In an exciting milestone, the first black skimmer chicks have hatched at the Sanibel Causeway since the early 1990s — the first successful nesting record we have been able to confirm in more than three decades! Learn more and help support our shorebird team’s work by symbolically adopting a shorebird👇 sccf.org/2026/06/17/shorebir… #sccf #blackskimmers #leastterns #conservation

Introducing our Coastal Wildlife team’s new monthly tracker! We will be posting updates on our sea turtle and shorebird nesting season monthly in June, July, August, September, and October. Our data reporting includes year-over-year comparisons, so you can see how the 2026 nesting season is unfolding relative to 2025. While this provides useful context, it’s also important to remember that two-year snapshots are not sufficient to characterize true trends, particularly for long-lived species such as sea turtles. After sea turtle nesting season ends on Oct. 30, we will spend several weeks carefully assessing the final season counts along with expanded comparative data that reflect multi-year trends. Call our Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 to report any issues with nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings. Report any issues with shorebirds to [email protected]. *Please note shorebird colonies are dynamic, and the number of nests is constantly changing as predation occurs and nests hatch. Exact totals are estimates. For these nests, coyotes are not the sole predator, and washouts are not the only other cause of loss. Some snowy plover nests are abandoned, and we lose nests to ghost crabs, crows, and, most recently, snakes. Learn more about how you can help protect nesting wildlife: sancaplifesavers.org/

340 sea turtles nests and counting so far this year! 🐢⁠ ⁠ Our sea turtle team has documented a total of 340 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests and 2 green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests on the islands so far this nesting season. The total number of nests is up from last year’s 264 loggerhead nests to date, with the same number for green sea turtle nests.⁠ ⁠ Please call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 to report issues related to nests or sea turtles.⁠ ⁠ View the full breakdown of sea turtle nests by island, species, depredation, and washouts. 👇 sccf.org/2026/06/03/340-sea-… ⁠ #seaturtle #sccf #swfl

Renest success with the help of so many amazing community members! 🪹💙 Recently, our Coastal Wildlife team received a call from our friends @crowclinic about an osprey chick found on the ground near its nest in Pine Island, unable to fly. The chick was brought to CROW for evaluation. After it was determined the chick was healthy and uninjured, Osprey Program Coordinator Amanda along with volunteer Rita met the Pine Island/Matlacha Fire Department to renest the chick! Once the chick was back in the nest, it took less than 5 minutes for the mom to return! If you come across sick, injured, or fallen ospreys, please call our osprey hotline at 919-8-Osprey (919-867-7739). Call CROW or a wildlife rehab center near you to report all other sick or injured wildlife. #renest #sccf #swfl #osprey

At SCCF, Earth Day isn’t just one day, it’s every day 🌿🌊 From guided walks to hands-on conservation, every small action helps protect our coast and wildlife. How many squares can you check off? ✔️ Grab our Earth Month Bingo card, get outside, and see how many you can complete! Tag us and share your progress to your stories, we’d love to feature you. #SCCF #EarthDayEveryDay #OceanLove #ProtectOurCoast #SanibelLife #Conservation #BingoChallenge

First day of sea turtle monitoring! 🐢 Starting today through Oct. 31, SCCF staff and trained volunteers will survey 18 miles of beaches on Sanibel and Captiva every morning to look for signs of sea turtle nesting activity. When a nest is found, it’s staked off and monitored daily throughout incubation. Help sea turtles thrive this year by following the tips below: 🌃 After 9, it’s turtle time! Turn off/shield all lights visible from the beach, which disorient baby sea turtles ⛱️ Remove obstacles to nesting females such as beach furniture, toys, and sandcastles 🪣 Fill in holes, which can trap sea turtles, especially hatchlings 🚮 Pick up all trash on the beach. Litter can attract predators, and sea turtles can ingest or become entangled by discarded trash and fishing line 🚷 Keep at least 10 feet from marked sea turtle nests and do not disturb nesting females 🐢 Call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663 (978-SAVE-ONE) to report issues with nests, nesting turtles, or hatchlings SCCF’s sea turtle monitoring activities are conducted under @myfwc permits MTP-047 and MTP-170. #seaturtles #seaturtle #nestingseason #sanibel #sanibelisland #captiva #captivaisland #sanibelislandflorida #sccf #turtles #sharetheshore

Members of the Coastal Wildlife team recently presented research about impacts of beach renourishment and migration strategies at the 44th International Sea Turtle Symposium in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. This symposium, held annually by the International Sea Turtle Society, brings the sea turtle community together to celebrate achievements, commitments, and successes worldwide. Our team shared their research with peers from 55 countries and learned about conservation challenges and successes and emerging challenges from fellow biologists. 🐢✨💚 #ISTS_Symposium44 #seaturtles #seaturtleconservation #sccf

Take action now to save our estuary for the future💧💙 If you’ve been around the waters of the Caloosahatchee estuary recently, you’ve probably noticed how beautiful it looks. The turquoise waters of the Gulf have surrounded our islands, providing picturesque views stretching from the shore to the horizon, but there is currently a disaster unfolding beneath the surface. For a healthy estuary, Gulf waters must be balanced by freshwater flows from the Caloosahatchee watershed. Salty Gulf water is kept out of the upper estuary by fresh water coming through the S-79 Franklin Lock and Dam. The optimum amount for these flows is 750 - 2,100 cubic feet per second (cfs), a range that maintains the salinity balance required for oyster and tape grass habitat while protecting species with low salt tolerances. As of mid- March, the 14-day moving average flow at S-79 has been below the optimum flow envelope for 142 days and below the mandated minimum flow level (MFL) of 457 cfs for 109 consecutive days. Please help us send the message to water managers to increase flows at the Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) to the range required for the health of the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Click the link to take action. 👇 conta.cc/3P8lLjA #waterquality #sanibel #sccf #takeaction #swfl