Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife to celebrate 20th anniversary
A volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of habitats of protected wildlife species is marking a milestone this Saturday.
The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will celebrate 20 years of being Cape Coral wildlife’s No. 1 advocate and protector at the Cape Coral Museum of History.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, an outdoor celebration of CCFW will take place detailing the history of the organization, guest speakers, award ceremony and historical items from years past.
“We’re pleased to still be around 20 years later, and hope we’re around for another 20 protecting wildlife in Southwest Florida,” said CCFW Vice President Pascha Donaldson.
CCFW started when resident Carol Kiefer moved to the city and took notice of the high population of burrowing owls. She got together with Sue Scott, a member of the planning division of Cape Coral and set out to stake and recognize each burrow in the city. The pair brought a group of like-minded individuals together and the first official CCFW meeting took place on April 24, 2001 at Jaycee Park.
The plight of the first CCFW crew was to advocate and raise awareness of the burrowing owl population. Over time, CCFW members have helped the burrowing owl become a protected species in the city, as their habitats are constantly under duress from development. The Burrowing Owl Festival has become a Southwest Florida staple and one of the largest special events in the area annually. In 2019, CCFW even created its own take on Groundhog’s Day with “Ground Owl Day” and their mascot Athene. CCFW routinely goes around the city to perform burrow maintenance, and also recently started their “Adopt a Burrow” program, where residents can help assist in keeping habitats cleared and even report unmarked burrows.
And it’s not just the burrowing owl they advocate for, it’s other threatened local species such as gopher tortoise, bald eagles, manatees, scrub jays, purple martins, various butterflies, birds, cats and more. A sister of CCFW, the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife Trust aims at purchasing plots of land with known burrowing owl or gopher tortoise burrows for conservation.
“The organization has really grown,” said CCFW Historian Marlene Paulding. “We want to continue to expand and touch other environmental realms such as water quality and parks. The big thing is conservation. Once the land is developed, the wildlife need a space that’s more appropriate for them. We want to make sure our wildlife stays in the Cape and we can live with them.
A letter from Kiefer , who is no longer a Cape resident, will be read at the ceremony by Beverly Saltonstall, as will a letter from long-time President Carl Veaux, by Donaldson, who has dedicated much of his life to protecting Cape Coral wildlife. There will be an exhibit dedicated to CCFW inside after the ceremony, as well as refreshments and CCFW information.
The museum will also provide activities for children.
“I’m grateful for their love of wildlife and the conservation, as well as their research and education they provide to our citizens,” said Cape Coral Councilmember Gloria Tate, who also serves as president of the museum board of directors.
The event is free and open to the public.
The Cape Coral Museum of History is at 544 Cultural Park Blvd.
For more information on CCFW, visit www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org.
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