Beginning in the early 2000s, Gary made annual trips from Michigan to Naples, spending time on the water and exploring the Ten Thousand Islands. Those experiences deepened his appreciation for Florida’s coastal ecosystems and the need to protect them. During those visits, he became a supporter of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, returning often and sharing that connection with his family.

His daughter, Sharon Seevers, remembers those years as a time when nature brought their family together. Boat rides, visits to the Conservancy, and even family birthday celebrations on campus became part of that shared experience. Although her career initially took her to Manhattan, it was Sharon’s father who encouraged her to put down roots in Florida. In 2004, she did just that, opening what would become Goodness for Pets, an all-natural pet supply store centered on animal wellness and thoughtful care. That focus on animals and conservation carries forward her father’s values.

Gary’s commitment to conservation extended far beyond Florida. A graduate of Michigan State University, where he earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, he began his career as a 4-H extension agent and later served as a professor. Throughout his life, he supported agriculture, natural resources conservation, and education through leadership roles and philanthropy, including establishing endowed scholarships and conservation-focused positions at Michigan State University. His support also included organizations dedicated to land conservation, sustainable agriculture, and environmental stewardship nationwide.

Thank you to Goodness for Pets and the Seevers Family Foundation for making a $100,000 gift to the Conservancy to support conservation efforts in Southwest Florida. The donation reflects a long-held belief among Sharon’s family that protecting water, land, and wildlife is essential to the community’s health.

Gary Seevers’ love for fishing and nature left a lasting mark on the places he cherished. This gift honors that legacy, helping ensure that the waters he fished and the wildlife that depend on them remain protected for future generations.

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has launched two new Nature-Based Solution resources. The first is an interactive tool that provides a high-level overview of nature-based solutions and their benefits, while showcasing examples of how they are being applied in locations across Florida, successfully addressing flooding, high-heat impacts, coastal erosion, and declining water quality.

The tool also serves as a portal to a library of fact sheets that profile each project in more depth.   Each fact sheet includes the challenge addressed, project cost, materials used, permitting considerations, performance outcomes, and lessons learned. These resources are intended to provide practical guidance to government officials, developers, HOAs, and others seeking effective, scalable solutions that help support long-term community resilience. 

Nature-based solutions rely on the power of nature to mitigate or solve problems, using elements like mangroves, salt marshes, oyster reefs, beach dunes, and native plantings to reduce flooding, erosion, and heat, for example. Hybrid solutions combine these natural features with traditional infrastructure, such as seawalls or culverts, when needed. Together, they provide flexible options that protect communities while also supporting healthy ecosystems. 

“Nature-based options for pressing issues like flooding can provide some significant protective advantages while also often being economical and providing a lot of additional benefits,” said Dr. Carrie Schuman, Conservancy Climate Resilience Advisor. “These new resources showcase practical examples that communities can evaluate, replicate, and learn from as they plan for a more resilient future.” 

The Conservancy developed the resources following its December 2024 symposium, Working with Nature: Nature-Based and Hybrid Solutions for Resilient Communities, which brought together experts from across the state. The Conservancy will continue adding new example projects over time, expanding understanding of the benefits nature-based and hybrid solutions can provide across Southwest Florida and beyond. 

The Eagle Award is selected annually through a rigorous review process led by former board chairs, with input from staff and leadership, and honors individuals who exemplify the grassroots strength and mission of the Conservancy. 

Jon Kukk, a current member of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors, is recognized for more than a decade of leadership through RedSnook and his broader contributions to the organization. A Naples-based architect, Kukk brought strategic insight and professional expertise to key campus expansion projects, including serving as a trusted owner’s representative with the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience.  

Wayne Meland is honored for his extraordinary leadership and long-term impact on the RedSnook Catch & Release Charity Fishing Tournament. In addition to serving two full board terms, Meland chaired RedSnook for 15 years, acted as a key sponsor, and served as one of the primary strategists behind the tournament’s sustained success, raising nearly $2.5 million to date. His leadership was instrumental in expanding outreach within the angling community and establishing RedSnook as a conservation-focused event. 

Susan Snyder received the Eagle Award for more than 26 years of dedicated volunteer service. Previously honored with the Conservancy’s Volunteer Award in 2018, Snyder is recognized for her involvement in assisting the science department and managing protected habitats on campus, where she has identified 1,300 species, including never-before-identified insects. 

View the video highlighting the accomplishments and support of our Eagle Award winners here.

The Annual Member Meeting also included board leadership updates. The Conservancy recognized retiring board members Stefan Bothe, Barry Frank, and Nick Penniman for their years of service and leadership. New members elected include Ken Cole, Robin McClanathan, Ric Phillips, and Dave Tolmie to four-year terms on the Board of Directors, and renewing members Linda Grijalva and Roger Weston for an additional term, in accordance with the Conservancy’s governance and term-limit structure. 

About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida 

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a nonprofit environmental organization that has protected water, land and wildlife in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties for more than 60 years. Through environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation, the Conservancy safeguards Southwest Florida’s natural resources for future generations. 

Headquartered in Naples, Florida, the Conservancy is home to Collier County’s only native wildlife hospital and its vibrant Nature Center. Currently open to visitors, the Nature Center is undergoing a major transformation into a new, impactful community offering—the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, set to open in early 2028. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a gateway to conservation, offering immersive exhibits, hands-on learning and expanded programs to inspire environmental stewardship and enhance the region’s quality of life. 

Learn more and support Southwest Florida’s environmental future at conservancy.org. 

Media Inquiries 

Reneé Stoll, Conservancy of Southwest Florida Director of Communications and Marketing, (239) 430-2460, renees@conservancy.org 

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida will hold its Annual Member Meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Eaton Conservation Hall on the Conservancy campus at 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples. The meeting will feature new updates and first-look information on the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience. 

During the meeting, Conservancy President & CEO Rob Moher will share new information and conceptual renderings highlighting changes to the campus with the transformation into the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, along with details on free monthly public programming that will be offered to the community during the Nature Center’s expected closure from May through November 2026. 

The meeting will also include an update on the Picayune Strand Restoration Project, highlighting the Conservancy’s decades-long role in advancing one of the largest wetland restoration efforts in Florida. Additional agenda items include program updates and the election of new and returning board members. The Conservancy would also like to thank Stefan Bothe, Barry Frank, and Nick Penniman for their years of dedicated service on the Board. 

Live Broadcast and Recording Availability 

To ensure broad access, the Annual Member Meeting will be streamed live on the Conservancy’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ConservancySWF beginning at the scheduled start time. A recording of the meeting will be posted on the Conservancy’s Facebook page following the event for those unable to attend in person or view the livestream. 

About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida 

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a nonprofit environmental organization that has protected water, land and wildlife in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties for more than 60 years. Through environmental science, policy, education and wildlife rehabilitation, the Conservancy safeguards Southwest Florida’s natural resources for future generations. 

Headquartered in Naples, Florida, the Conservancy is home to Collier County’s only native wildlife hospital and its vibrant Nature Center. Currently open to visitors, the Nature Center is undergoing a major transformation into a new, impactful community offering—the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, set to open in 2028. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a gateway to conservation, offering immersive exhibits, hands-on learning and expanded programs to inspire environmental stewardship and enhance the region’s quality of life. 

Learn more and support Southwest Florida’s environmental future at www.conservancy.org. 

To help ensure that every gift is stewarded responsibly and in compliance with IRS regulations, we would like to share a few important reminders related to charitable giving, event participation, and asset transfers. These guidelines are intended to protect both our supporters and the Conservancy, while making the giving process as smooth and transparent as possible.

Below is a brief overview to help everyone prepare for the upcoming season.

Bifurcation is not allowed by the IRS.

There are a lot of great events scheduled for the upcoming season. As you register to attend or sponsor an event or purchase an auction item, please remember that the IRS does not allow for bifurcation of the payment for these items.

What is bifurcation?

Bifurcation is when a donor who is involved with a private foundation or donor advised fund asks the charity to split the cost of an event ticket, auction item, sponsorship, etc. in two, so that the “charitable” portion is paid with foundation assets and the “benefit” (fair market value) portion is paid by family members (or by the company). 

For example, the cost of a table of ten at the fundraising dinner is $10,000, with the food and entertainment being assigned a value of $200 per ticket (or $2,000 for the whole table). In the bifurcation scenario, the private foundation or donor advised fund would write a check for $8,000, and the disqualified persons (e.g., foundation directors, officers, fund advisors, and substantial contributors and certain members of their families) would pay $2,000. 

Even though bifurcation of payments may appear to be a logical and practical solution, the IRS still considers it self-dealing, which could trigger not only adverse tax consequences for the recipient charity but also impose an onerous excise tax on the private foundation or donor advised fund.

Event tickets and auction purchases:

If using a private foundation or donor advised fund to make a charitable contribution, any charitable benefit received through a sponsorship, membership, auction item, event tickets, etc., is considered self-dealing by the IRS and therefore, not allowed.

Gifts of securities and complex assets:

1. If you transfer stock to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida or any other charity, please contact them directly to ensure that the gift is identified and designated properly. Please do not assume that stock gifts are transferred with identifying information included.

2. Gifts of complex assets and securities require planning and some extra time. Please contact the receiving charity to discuss your intentions, as well as the requirements and timing of making your gift.

3. Your transfer from a brokerage account is complete when the securities have been received by an account owned by the charity, not upon giving instructions to a broker.

4. Initiate your transfers early, allowing several weeks. While some transfers may be received within days of your instruction, longer delays are possible. (i.e., mutual fund transfers can take two to five weeks)

Please consult your attorney or tax advisor for further clarification as to how this applies to your personal situation. 

Thank you for your generosity and your continued support of our mission.

When you include the Conservancy of Southwest Florida in your will or estate plan, you’re making a lasting commitment to the places and species that define our region. Your decision helps ensure that clean water flows, wildlife thrives, and future generations can experience the natural beauty we cherish today.

Named for a symbol of strength and tradition, the Eagle Society honors individuals who have chosen to include the Conservancy in their estate plans, any planned gift arrangement, or have established an endowed gift for the benefit of the Conservancy.

Why legacy giving matters

Our region’s water, land, and wildlife face constant pressures, from development and climate change to invasive species, making the need for conservation more urgent than ever. Through science-based programs, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is making a measurable impact, including the removal of more than 20 tons of invasive Burmese pythons from the region since 2013. By making a planned gift, you become a partner in the long view, helping the Conservancy plan boldly, invest strategically, and respond to emerging threats. Your legacy ensures that future generations can explore the 21-acre Nature Center, experience electric boat tours, encounter native wildlife, and learn how to protect the natural world around them. As a member of the Eagle Society, you affirm that conservation isn’t just for today – it’s for tomorrow.

Ways to give

You can support the Conservancy’s mission through a variety of planned-giving options. Each option has unique benefits and can be tailored to meet your personal, financial, and philanthropic goals.

Here are some of the most effective & flexible ways:

• Bequest in your will or trust: A simple and widely-used way to leave a legacy gift. You specify a dollar amount or percentage to come to the Conservancy after other distributions.
• Beneficiary designation: Name the Conservancy as a beneficiary of an IRA, retirement plan account, life-insurance policy, or other financial account.
• Charitable remainder trust (CRT): Create a trust that provides income to you or other beneficiaries for a period of time, then the remainder flows to the Conservancy, offering income, tax, and estate-planning benefits.
• Gift of real estate, stock, or other assets: Giving appreciated assets may produce tax advantages and let you support conservation in a meaningful way.
• Endowed fund or named legacy gift: Establish a fund in your name (or in memory of a loved one) that supports a specific program or general mission, forever.
• Gifts in honor or memory of someone: A meaningful way to celebrate a life and support the natural treasures of Southwest Florida.

Click here to view resources, benefits, and more.

Tell us about your gift

If you’ve chosen to make this kind of legacy gift, we encourage you to let us know. Sharing your plans allows us to honor your intentions, steward your generosity wisely, and plan responsibly for the future of conservation in Southwest Florida.

When you share your gift with us, you:

• Help ensure your gift is used exactly as you intend.
• Choose to join a community of like-minded conservation supporters creating lasting impact.
• Aid the Conservancy plan responsibly for the future.
• Allow us to thank you for your generosity and vision.

If privacy is important to you, your gift can remain anonymous. And if flexibility matters, many estate gifts allow you to update your plans at any time.

We’re in this together. Your commitment makes you a valued partner in our work to protect the natural environment of Southwest Florida, today and for generations to come. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how your dedication can become your legacy. To share your plans or learn more, please contact Jan Fernandez, Director of Development, at janf@conservancy.org.

As 2025 comes to a close, your gift to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida can help protect our region’s water, land, wildlife, and future — and may also provide meaningful tax benefits. Below is a high-level overview of recent tax law changes to keep on your radar as you plan your giving for 2025 and beyond. As always, please consult your financial advisor or tax professional about what’s best for you.

How Recent Tax Law Changes May Affect Your Giving

Change: New floor for itemizers
Starting with the 2026 tax year, you will need to give at least 0.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) to claim a charitable deduction.
What this means: If you itemize, you may want to maximize your charitable giving in 2025 before this threshold takes effect.

Change: New limit for top earners
Currently, top earners receive a 37-cent tax benefit for every dollar deducted. Starting in 2026, that benefit drops to 35 cents.
What this means: If you’re in the highest tax bracket, giving more in 2025 may deliver greater tax savings.

Change: SALT deduction cap increases
The State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction limit increases from $10,000 to $40,000 beginning in 2025, rises by 1% annually through 2029, then reverts to $10,000 in 2030.
What this means: The higher cap may influence whether you itemize and how you structure your charitable giving, especially if you live in a higher-tax area.

Change: Higher standard deduction made permanent (indexed for inflation)
For 2025, the standard deduction will be $15,750 (single) and $31,500 (married filing jointly). If you are 65 or older, you may qualify for an additional deduction of up to $6,000, subject to income phaseouts.
What this means: Even if you don’t itemize, there may be tax-smart ways to give, such as appreciated assets or qualified charitable distributions from an IRA (if eligible).

Change: Cash deduction limit made permanent
You can continue to deduct cash gifts up to 60% of your AGI.
What this means: A blended strategy, combining cash and non-cash assets, may help maximize both your tax benefits and your impact.

Meaningful Year-End Ways to Give

Make an immediate difference with a cash gift
Support the Conservancy with a gift by check or online. Your gift may qualify for a federal charitable deduction.
Important note: Mailed gifts must be postmarked on or before December 31 to count for 2025.

Give appreciated stock
Donating stock you’ve held for more than one year may allow you to avoid capital gains tax and receive a charitable deduction for the fair market value.
Important note: For electronic transfers, the gift date is when the stock reaches our account, not when the transfer is initiated.

Recommend a grant from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF)
If you plan to give in 2025, consider recommending a grant, or recurring grants, from your DAF to support the Conservancy’s mission.
Important note: The tax deduction generally occurs when you contribute to the DAF; recommending a grant allows you to create impact now.

Make a gift from your IRA (if eligible)
If you are 70½ or older, you may be able to make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA, potentially reducing taxable income while supporting conservation.
Important note: Your IRA administrator must complete the transfer by December 31 (and any IRA check must clear by year-end if applicable).

Create income for life
Charitable gift annuities can provide dependable income while supporting the Conservancy long-term.
Important note: Start early to ensure everything is completed before year-end.

End 2025 on a High Note

If you’d like guidance on the best way to structure a year-end or legacy gift to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, please contact Jan Fernandez, Director of Development, at janf@conservancy.org. We’re happy to work with you and your advisor to help you create the greatest possible impact for Southwest Florida’s natural environment.

Porter shared with our supporters at the event, “We celebrate the Conservancy and their conservation efforts which contributes to our local economy and quality life here in Southwest Florida.”

EVENT PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS

• Now & Forever Campaign
• John and Carol Walter Nature Experience
• Compass Report Highlights
• Eagle Society and Leadership Circle
• Internship Endowment and Thanks

To honor that commitment, the Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation committed $1 million to the Now & Forever Endowment Campaign to strengthen environmental education for generations. It complements the longstanding Ferguson $1.2 million endowment that powers immersive programs like Watery Wonders field trip experiences and on-site learning. This support will sustain a share of core student programming at the Nature Center, soon to expand and inspire more future conservationists through the transformation of the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience. This gift allows access for these students to remain discounted or free, the very outcomes Nancy championed. Endowment support to the Now & Forever Campaign, like this one, helps secure the Conservancy’s future by providing steady support for a third of our work. Continued annual giving will support the other two-thirds of our teams’ needs to carry out the mission of protecting paradise. 

The Leonard C. and Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation investment reflects both the opportunities it creates for students and a family’s commitment to honoring their loved one’s life’s work. “Truly, this creates a lasting legacy in honor of our mom and our grandmother. The family’s name will forever be remembered as passionate environmental advocates and children’s education lovers.” Dana adds that her mother would tell every child exactly what she told us: “Get out there and enjoy it, but also work to preserve it.” 

With deep gratitude, we celebrate Nancy and Mildred’s years of service, leadership, and examples. Thank you to Dana, Lynne Seeley, Ron Seeley, and the Seeley–Ferguson family for answering the call to protect paradise. 

While the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center will close temporarily for annual maintenance September 2 through 29, the von Arx Wildlife Hospital will remain open daily from 8 am to 6 pm to meet the ongoing needs of wildlife admissions and rehabilitative care.

Administrative offices will be open for business as usual during the Nature Center closure. Normal operating hours at the Nature Center are expected to resume at 9:30 am on Tuesday, September 30.

Over 4,000 injured, sick, and orphaned native animals are admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital each year. Most of those injuries stem from interactions that involve humans — including car strikes, domestic pet attacks, window collisions, fishing line and hook injuries, gunshots, and toxicosis.

If you find injured or orphaned native wildlife, contact the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at (239) 262-2273.

Check conservancy.org for additional Nature Center updates.