On June 5th, Sand Dollar’s south berm was regraded from a vertical 90-degree wall into a gentler slope of 45 degrees, more or less. This was triggered by the high number of sea turtle false crawls …

Each spring, the longer days and warming temperatures in Southwest Florida trigger breeding season for native wildlife, which results in a surge of young wild animals. To raise awareness and support …

On May 21, 2025 the Marco Island Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee held a Rodenticide Workshop to develop a plan to protect Marco Island’s wildlife from the harmful effects of …

Marco Island’s beach has been monitored for sea turtle activities since 1990 to comply with the permit requirements for beach renourishment and raking. Every morning during Sea Turtle season, you …

Two years into the $3.3 million Fruit Farm Creek mangrove restoration project - the largest in Florida history at 209 acres - things are not progressing as quickly as planned. According to Jamie …

Sea Turtle nests in Marco are almost as high as last year’s for this same period (15 vs. 16). The typical peaks occur between the last week of May and the third week of June. Nesting sea turtles …

Waterlily enthusiasts experienced walking among the waterlilies at the Naples Botanical Garden on Friday, May 23. If you want to be closer to a Hardy or Tropical Waterlily, this was a must-do event. …

In areas known for high depredation, such as Sand Dollar Island beach and on the main beaches of Marco Island, protected screens or cages are used to protect sea turtle nests, according to the …

Volunteers gathered at South Beach on May 17 for the monthly beach cleanup! This was coordinated by the Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee and sponsored by the Marco Island Area …

The Audubon of the Western Everglades Owl Watch Program was recognized by Marco City Council with a Proclamation of an Owl Watch Volunteers Appreciation Day on Monday, May 19, 2025. City Council …

Finally, sea turtle monitors recorded two nests on Sand Dollar Island, giving Marco a total of two nests for the past week. On one nest, she crawled over an escarpment greater than 18”, and on the …

In a world grappling with rising seas, intensifying storms, and sprawling development, the answers to some of our most urgent environmental questions may lie just beneath our feet. Archaeology, …

Loggerheads nested at Keewaydin last weekend, according to Jeff Schmid, environmental research manager at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. He also added, “That was the first nest that we’ve …

Since the beginning of April, we've seen a noticeable increase in baby bird admissions. One of our recent patients was a young pileated woodpecker. The bird was found hopping around a backyard, …

Winter migration is a vital time for our shorebird team to survey and educate the public. We have compiled our results of the 2024-2025 winter shorebird season from the data of myself, our winter …

I will never forget the first time I saw a glimpse or a flash of the famed indigo bunting. It was foraging underneath a sideyard butterfly bush in full bloom, and this bunting was in bright blue …

Mary Toro, Environmental Supervisor for the Collier County Sea Turtle Monitoring Program, confirmed that a Leatherback sea turtle came ashore on Vanderbilt Beach on Friday, April 25th, and nested! It …

On April 25, 2025, a bridalveil tree (Caesalpinia granadillo) was planted at Calusa Park to honor National Arbor Day, recognizing the importance of trees. Members of Marco’s Beautification Advisory …

Burrowing owl nesting season is in full swing with chicks popping out all over Marco Island. This set the stage for an amazing event we held at the Wesley United Methodist Church, thanks to the help …

An Amazon delivery landed in the Everglades on Saturday, and it wasn’t from an online shopping spree. Instead, Arassari Pataxó, a member of a bird clan who lives in the Amazon forest of Brazil, …