Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Conservancy of Southwest Florida
The work of saving our environment started in 1964 when plans were revealed to build a road through Rookery Bay, crossing Gordon Pass and into the Ten Thousand Islands. A small group of citizens became concerned, involved, and politically active mobilizing grassroots efforts to prevent the project. As a result, the road was never built. Rookery Bay and its inhabitants were saved and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida was founded. Since then, we have expanded our scope across the five counties in Southwest Florida: Collier, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry and Glades. We maximize the combined forces of environmental policy, advocacy, research, education and wildlife rehabilitation to protect southwest Florida’s natural treasures --- our water, our land and our wildlife. The Conservancy is committed to helping citizens stay informed; assisting our government and business leaders with science-based research encouraging them to make growth decisions that keep the health, well-being, and the sustainability of our region in mind. We, along with several other dynamic environmental organizations, have achieved a long list of accomplishments in this region.

At the Nature Center, guests get connected to conservation through hands-on interactive experiences in the Dalton Discover Center, on our famous electric boat tours and in our Little Explorer Play Zone. The Conservancy Nature Center is also listed as Site #69 on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Here you will learn about the importance of our resources, understand the role the Conservancy of Southwest Florida plays in protecting those treasures and get inspired to take action to help protect our water, land, wildlife and future.