{"id":1690,"date":"2020-10-29T22:39:35","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T02:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/eastern-collier-county\/"},"modified":"2025-03-27T12:01:10","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T16:01:10","slug":"eastern-collier-county","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/eastern-collier-county\/","title":{"rendered":"Eastern Collier County"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t<h1>GREATER WESTERN EVERGLADES<\/h1>\n\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\tNow is a pivotal time in Southwest Florida&#8217;s history.\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>The decisions being made now in the Greater Western Everglades will shape Southwest Florida&#8217;s future forevermore, and if our precious natural resources are lost, the results are irreversible.<\/p>\n<p>As our coastal communities are nearly built out, the pressure from growth and development continues to march inland at an alarming pace. These projects are massive, many of them being thousands of acres in size. These proposed developments, miles from the coastal urban area, would replace wetlands, agricultural lands and wildlife habitat with strip malls and thousands of houses.<\/p>\n<p>Help us to protect our wetlands, listed species, and wildlife habitat from poorly planned and inappropriately located development.<\/p>\n\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\tPotential Impacts to our Greater Western Everglades\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\tBellmar\n\t\t\t\tHabitat Conservation Plan\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBellmar\n\t<h2>Bellmar<\/h2>\n\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\tA development called Bellmar, just south of the proposed Rivergrass property, is threatening the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. If approved, it will destroy and fragment important panther habitat and corridors, and add traffic onto already deadly roadways.\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/8ef1baaac40140a8b3ca74c1222cbbad\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLEARN MORE: INTERACTIVE PAGE\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Update: October 8, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Bellmar project was advertised for comments and concerns to be submitted for consideration by the federal permitting agency (Army Corps of Engineers). Take action to oppose the Bellmar project and other large and unacceptable projects like it at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.conservancy.org\/takeaction\">www.conservancy.org\/takeaction<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Update: February 16, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A federal court struck down an unlawful scheme that threatened Florida&#8217;s wetlands and the species that inhabit them on February 16, 2024. The judge&#8217;s ruling will allow for a better review of the proposed development as the state of Florida is experiencing extreme pressure from growth. The ruling specifically calls out the Bellmar and Kingston projects, in eastern Collier and Lee counties respectively. The judge&#8217;s order states that these projects cannot be permitted under the state&#8217;s flawed program. We will continue to track these proposals, and other damaging projects like them.\u00a0<a title=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/landmark-victory-for-floridas-future\/\" href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/landmark-victory-for-floridas-future\/\"><b>Read more about this landmark victory here.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/panther-and-cub-square.jpg\" alt=\"Florida panther and kit walking along path\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1200\" width=\"1600\" title=\"Panther And Cub\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t<h4>\n\t\t\thELP PROTECT THE fLORIDA PANTHER\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t<p><strong>Bellmar is a sprawling development that will consist of strip malls and more than 4,000 homes. It is not based on smart growth principles and is not being built as a walkable community.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Bellmar is proposed to be located in eastern Collier County, south of Oil Well Road and 1 mile northwest of the Panther Refuge. It is about 17 miles east of the city of Naples.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t<h2>Why we oppose Bellmar<\/h2>\n\t<h3><strong>Bellmar will destroy Florida panther habitat and connectivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t<p>There are very few panthers left in the wild. Experts estimate there are between 120-230 adult and subadult panthers, putting their very continued existence at risk. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most densely used areas by Florida panthers, and Bellmar is proposed to be located only about 1 mile away. Further, panthers are wide ranging and need connected habitat areas to support their home ranges. Bellmar is located in the most important area for Florida panthers called the Primary Zone, and it is also located directly within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. If we want the panther to recover and survive, this level of habitat loss in this location must not be permitted.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Panther-738-Bellmar.jpg\" alt=\"Florida panther walking through habitat\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"639\" width=\"798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Panther-738-Bellmar.jpg 798w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Panther-738-Bellmar-768x615.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" title=\"Panther 738 Bellmar\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Bellmar-map-V2.jpg\" alt=\"Map that shows Bellmar Project Boundary nears Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"639\" width=\"798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Bellmar-map-V2.jpg 798w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Bellmar-map-V2-768x615.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" title=\"Bellmar Map V2\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t<h3>Bellmar will impact our wildlife<\/h3>\n\t<p>Other rare and imperiled wildlife also depend on the habitat within and around the Bellmar project. For example, the following listed species have been documented in the project area:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Crested caracara<\/li>\n<li>Bonneted Bat<\/li>\n<li>Wood Stork<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In fact, the applicant&#8217;s surveys show that there is likely bonneted bat roosting within or close to the project, and there is a documented caracara nest in the middle of the project that is not being avoided.<\/p>\n\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Supplemental-Report-on-the-Potential-Impacts-to-Panther-Habitat-from-Bellmar-and-RLW-projects_11.23_Frakes.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Extra Reading: Supplemental Report on the Potential Impacts to Panther Habitat from Bellmar and RLW projects<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/CaraCara-square.jpg\" alt=\"Crested Caracara standing on a grassy hill\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1146\" width=\"1600\" title=\"Crested Caracara\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/Florida_bonneted_bat_Eumops_floridanus_photo_by_Shalana_Gray-square.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of Florida bonneted bat\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"960\" width=\"960\" title=\"Florida Bonneted Bat (Eumops Floridanus) Photo By Shalana Gray\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/Wood-Stork-square.jpg\" alt=\"Wood stork and fledglings in the nest\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1200\" width=\"1200\" title=\"Wood Stork\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t<h3><strong>Bellmar will infringe on rural lifestyle and have devastating cumulative impacts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t<p>Until February 2024, many permits were being considered by FDEP that would transform eastern Collier and eastern Lee into more urbanized areas. There were more than 900 state 404 &#8220;dredge and fill&#8221; program permits being reviewed within a 25-mile radius of the Bellmar project. Read more about the state&#8217;s wetland permitting processing program <a href=\"http:\/\/conservancy.org\/404\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The map below shows Bellmar along with 10 additional large-scale developments requesting permits in eastern Lee and Collier counties. We believe the cumulative impacts of these permits must be considered for the panther, for increased traffic, and for impacts on the existing rural and natural ecosystems where these projects are being proposed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ELeeECollierProjectsREV6.jpg\" target=\"_self\" itemprop=\"url\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ELeeECollierProjectsREV6.jpg\" alt=\"Map highlighting proposed developments in eastern Collier and Lee counties\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"842\" width=\"1089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ELeeECollierProjectsREV6.jpg 1089w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ELeeECollierProjectsREV6-768x594.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1089px) 100vw, 1089px\" title=\"ELeeECollierProjectsREV6\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<p>Click to enlarge<\/p>\n\t<h3><strong>Bellmar will add deadly traffic into our roadways<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t<p>Panther vehicle mortality, a leading cause of documented panther deaths, will increase and this could lead to extinction of the Florida panther. Although we believe the number may be higher, the applicant acknowledges that for Bellmar, and their project just north of Bellmar, over 133,000 additional vehicle daily trips would be generated. The roads near Bellmar, such as Golden Gate Blvd. and Oil Well Road, are already deadly hotspots for panther-vehicle collisions.<\/p>\n\t<h3><strong>Bellmar will impact our cherished public lands<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/fl-panther-square.jpg\" alt=\"Florida panther in front of natural habitat\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1350\" width=\"1800\" title=\"Fl Panther\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t<p>Bellmar will negatively impact the adjacent Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. This project is an affront to this publicly held 26,000 acre sanctuary which was founded with the purpose of protecting the Florida panther and their habitat.<\/p>\n\t<h2>Join our fight against Bellmar<\/h2>\n\t<p>Bellmar has some but not all of its permits.<\/p>\n<p>The property owner is not entitled to this type or intensity of development. There are other places to build strip malls and housing that are less impactful to the Florida panther and our natural resources. This is not the right place for this type and intensity of development.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHabitat Conservation Plan\n\t<iframe allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RiKf3xF_4gw?feature=oembed&amp;start&amp;end&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;loop=0&amp;controls=1&amp;mute=0&amp;rel=0&amp;modestbranding=0\"><\/iframe>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPlay Video\n\t<p>As part of the development march eastward, the Eastern Collier &#8220;Habitat Conservation Plan&#8221; was being formally considered that would permit more than 45,000 acres of rural lands to be destroyed &#8211; including lands relied on by endangered wildlife species. If it had been approved, it would have resulted in incidental take permits for 19 protected state and federally listed species.<\/p>\n\t<a href=\"#\" id=\"trigger-jpkzsw8fd2q6\" role=\"button\" data-modal=\"jpkzsw8fd2q6\" data-node=\"jpkzsw8fd2q6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat does &#8220;take&#8221; mean?\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPreview\n\t\t\tmodal-jpkzsw8fd2q6\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 id=\"modal-title-jpkzsw8fd2q6\">What does &#8220;take&#8221; mean?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Take<\/strong> is a legal term defined in the Endangered Species Act as harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any threatened or endangered species. These impacts can be direct (such as removing a nest tree to make way for a new housing community) or indirect (such as the loss of habitat results in increased competition for fewer resources or fragmentation of habitat).<\/p>\n<p>In order for a development, mine, road, or other action that poses impacts to a protected species and\/or its habitat to advance, a permit is needed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Incidental Take Permit<\/strong> is such an authorization under the Endangered Species Act.<\/p>\n\t<p><b>Update: <\/b>The applicants for the disastrous HCP withdrew their application in July 2022. The Conservancy will continue to remain vigilant on any future efforts to develop in Eastern Collier County, in order to protect our precious wetlands and wildlife habitats.<\/p>\n\t\t<h4>\n\t\t\tWhat WAs proposed by the HCP?\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t<ul><li>45,000 acres of intense mining and residential\/commercial development &#8211; the equivalent of nine new Town of Ave Marias!<\/li><li>Continued or intensified agriculture, oil exploration and drilling in the &#8220;preserve&#8221; areas meant to mitigate impacts<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\n\t\t<h4>\n\t\t\tOur Concerns\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t<p>Here are the Conservancy&#8217;s concerns regarding what would have occurred if HCP were to be approved:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Loss of habitat and impacts for several rare and unique species including the scrub jay, caracara, wood stork, red cockaded woodpecker, snail kite, indigo snake, bonneted bat, and the Florida panther.<\/li>\n<li>Additional impacts from associated infrastructure and new roads to support tens of thousands of new homes in a currently rural and undeveloped area.<\/li>\n<li>Unknown total development footprint (45,000 acre minimum, but there is potential for additional development), as adjacent development is likely to sprawl from these new towns.<\/li>\n<li>Impacts to endangered species and their habitats not adequately avoided and minimized as required by the Endangered Species Act.<\/li>\n<li>Transportation impacts are not accounted for in the assessment of impacts. There has already been a record number of Florida panther deaths on roadways and these deaths are likely to increase from the several new towns and developments proposed by the HCP.<\/li>\n<li>The HCP will authorize the development Rural Lands West (previously known as Town of Big Cypress, and also known as Longwater and Rivergrass), which is proposed on a heavily-utilized Florida panther habitat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The HCP proposed conversion of natural and rural lands to an urban area equivalent to that of Washington DC.<\/p>\n<p>The decisions made regarding lands within Collier County&#8217;s designated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/eastern-collier-county\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rural Lands Stewardship Area<\/a>\u00a0will shape the future of Southwest Florida and determine the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/habitat-protection\/\">fate of the Florida panther.<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/wood-stork.jpg\" alt=\"Wood Stork\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1636\" width=\"1800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/wood-stork.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/wood-stork-1400x1272.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/wood-stork-768x698.jpg 768w, https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/wood-stork-1536x1396.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" title=\"Wood Stork\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/Gopher-Tortoise-6-scaled-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"Gopher Tortoise (6)\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"1365\" width=\"2048\" title=\"Gopher Tortoise (6)\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\"  \/>\n\t\t<h4>\n\t\t\tinterested in learning more? dive deep into the documents and resources on this topic and others by heading to the Policy Resource Center!\n\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/policy-resource-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tpolicy resource center\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\tPolicy Priorities\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/storm-resilience-study\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DrPass1.jpg\" alt=\"DrPass1\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1332\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Coastal Resilience<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>A Collier County resilience study needs public attention. Your help is needed to help create a more sustainable storm resilience plan for the place we call home.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/water-quality\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Canal-Algae.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial picture of algae in Collier County canal\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Water Quality<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>To promote better water management, the Conservancy works with stakeholders and decision-makers to ensure that stringent water management tools and best practices are in place and utilized.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work\/policy\/eastern-collier-county\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Camp-Keais-Strand.jpg\" alt=\"Eastern Lands Tile and Header - Camp Keais Strand\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Eastern Lands<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>Now is a pivotal time in Collier County&#8217;s history. A huge area of eastern Collier County is vulnerable to intensive development. If the eastern lands are developed as currently planned, the county could add over 300,000 residents.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/our-work-policy-habitat-protection\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Panther-eyes.jpeg\" alt=\"Habitat Tile, Resource Center Header - Panther Eyes\" width=\"1580\" height=\"889\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Habitat Protection<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>The Conservancy works to prevent harm to wildlife by preserving their habitats from land use changes, conserving landscape corridors to provide habitat connectivity, and ensuring that habitat protections are strong.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/everglades-restoration\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Everglades-Aerial_AS_249280843-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Aerial view, Everglades Natuional Park, FLORIDA, USA, AMERICA\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1352\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Everglades Restoration<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>The Conservancy Policy Department advocates for CERP projects and funding to restore the River of Grass, reduce damaging discharges of polluted water to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries, and send clean water south to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/policy-resource-center\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/DS_SwampLandscape_Lg-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Policy Resource Center Tile, Everglades Restore Header - Swamp\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1371\" \/>\n\t\t<h3>Policy Resource Center<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<p>Want to learn more? Take a deep dive into our Policy Resource Center to get more information about our work.<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<h6>\n\t\t\tHow You can help\n\t\t<\/h6>\n\t\t<h2>\n\t\t\tHelp protect Eastern Collier County\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/support-us\/membership\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/icon-membership.png\" alt=\"Become a Member!\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Become a Member!<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Membership helps support our work and gets you free membership to the Nature Center and many other perks. Join today!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/donate\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/icon-donate.png\" alt=\"Donate\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Donate<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The majority of our funding comes from people like you who care about protecting our environment in Southwest Florida.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/support-us\/volunteer\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/icon-volunteer.png\" alt=\"Volunteer\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Volunteer<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A variety of fun volunteer opportunities are available. Interact with diverse people, learn new skills, and enhance and share your knowledge.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GREATER WESTERN EVERGLADES Now is a pivotal time in Southwest Florida&#8217;s history. The decisions being made now in the Greater Western Everglades will shape Southwest Florida&#8217;s future forevermore, and if&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"parent":1678,"menu_order":40,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1690","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1690"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15697,"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1690\/revisions\/15697"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservancy.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}