Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Transcription

1 Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary General Information Contact Information Nonprofit Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Primary Contact First Name Tabitha Primary Contact Last Name Stadler Address 375 Sanctuary Road Naples, FL Phone (239) Organization Web Site corkscrew.audubon.org Facebook Twitter At A Glance Year of Incorporation 1954 Organization's type of tax exempt status Public Supported Charity Organization EIN#

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Our mission is to protect the natural resources of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, its surrounding watershed and the western Everglades, and influence Everglades restoration; for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people; through land management, science, education, restoration and public policy advocacy. Background Audubon uses science, education, land management, and advocacy, partnering with other conservation organizations locally and nationally as well as with government agencies to protect and restore natural habitat for the benefit of all wildlife and people. Audubon's national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, and our educational programs and citizen science activities engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences. Our work is designed to build a stronger conservation constituency, strengthen communities, and achieve positive conservation results. Needs Audubon welcomes support for its national programs in science, education, and policy and for its field programs through state offices and at nature centers. CEO/Executive Director Statement Scientific data gathered from field research at Corkscrew guides our work and best practices. Audubon s research and science pedigree goes back more than 75 years in Southwest Florida, with a continuous dataset on the wood stork colony at Corkscrew dating to The collected research has helped prioritize, direct and refine our land management practices, restoration efforts and public policy advocacy. Through sound science, Audubon pioneers the development of vital regulatory reforms, monitors restoration efforts and successes, helps reform mitigation banking, and offers insight into the effectiveness of current regulatory practices. Areas Of Service Areas Served Areas Served ALL Geographic areas served in Collier County Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary consists of 13,000 acres located in northeastern Collier County. The management of this land and habitat benefits the residents of Southwest Florida. The Blair Audubon Center hosts over 100,000 visitors annually including people from around the world making us one of the top tourist attractions. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is affiliated with the local chapter called Audubon of the Western Everglades, Audubon Florida, and the National Audubon Society. We are the crown jewel within Audubon's national network of nature centers/sanctuaries and participate in the development and implementation of national, regional and local conservation initiatives. Service Catergories Land Resources Conservation Environmental Education 2

3 Programs Programs Stewardship & Restoration Programs Description Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary covers 13,000 acres of wetlands habitat assembled since Some parts are pristine cypress forests, and others are drained farm fields in need of significant restoration. In today s altered landscape, Corkscrew s use of fire and invasive species control is essential to maintaining high functioning habitats. Audubon also works with government agencies to conserve land within the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. Imagine the impact of adding three square miles of strategically located, high-quality shallow wetlands to the landscape, land designed to produce and concentrate fish at the right time of the year to support early wading bird nesting. The parcels that Audubon s Corkscrew has identified for restoration are severely degraded. By bringing back the ecological functions of the land, we remake habitat for birds and many other species of wildlife that depend on wetlands and wild lands. In doing so, we enhance water supplies. Long-Term Success An increase in native biodiversity, restored wetland and natural functions, increased shallow wetland habitat. Examples of Long-Term Success Target Population 1 Wild Turkey Strand Preserve The Wild Turkey Strand restoration project is a strategic partnership with Lee County Parks to restore land lost as a result of wildcat farming. In addition to the 242 acres of farm fields that will be restored, hundreds of acres of adjacent wetlands will benefit by better connectivity, less flashy and more historic hydroperiods. This project is within the Core Foraging Area of two active wood stork colonies, including the Corkscrew colony. This is an ongoing project. To-date, we have secured a memorandum of agreement with Lee County and have a year of data on the Preserve s hydrology and wildlife communities. We are at the initial restoration design stage. North Marsh: Corkscrew The western Everglades is experiencing a widespread invasion of willow. While willow is native and does benefit certain species, its dramatic spread and dense cover has negatively impacted piscavores, including wood storks, spoonbills, herons, and egrets. In the spring of 2013, Audubon implemented a pilot project to remove aboveground woody material. Waterfowl, wading birds and rails quickly responded to the willow removal, arriving a few days later to forage. Sixty additional acres of mechanical marsh rehabilitation is planned for Corkscrew in With the removal of the willow, Sanctuary staff will be able to apply fire to the landscape, aiding in the maintenance of the herbaceous character of these soup bowls for foraging birds. US Target Population 2 3

4 Youth and Public Education Programs Description Long-Term Success Corkscrew youth education programs provide an outdoor classroom for elementary and university students. We partner with Collier County Public School District to host 2nd grade students on the Insect Adventure and 5th grade students in the Wild Florida curriculum. In addition, university students visit Corkscrew to learn about sustainability. Annually, nearly 3,000 children experience the wonders of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and this includes numerous private school students and homeschool groups. Approximately a dozen volunteers are trained to co-teach youth education programs alongside our trained and experienced environmental educators. An Education Internship position was started in 2016 through a generous donation from Hertz and the position is part of the Audubon Wings internship program. The Wings Program aims to inspire lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities, providing individuals the opportunity to develop skills needed for a successful career in conservation. Corkscrew also partners with the Golisano Children s Museum, the Naples Zoo, and other conservation organizations to inspire children at many local and regional events, festivals and camps. Public education includes the 100,000 visitors to the Blair Audubon Center and boardwalk, and additional swamp walks, swamp buggy tours, Florida Master Naturalist trainings, Swamp Meditation, After Hours and on and off-site presentations and outreach events. The public education programs serve approximately 6,000 people per year, mostly adults, with the goal of increasing their knowledge, awareness and value of the natural resources of Corkscrew Swamp and the Western Everglades. The primary goal of youth education programs at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary are to increase knowledge of the environment and inspire conservation and stewardship behaviors. Post-even surveys are collected from participants that demonstrate success in achieving these goals. 4

5 Examples of Long-Term Success Corkscrew s youth education program is more than ten years old and has consistently served several thousand students annually. Pre and post-test comparisons range from 30-60% increased knowledge and overall teacher satisfaction rates are consistently a five, rating excellent, on a scale of one to five. Public boardwalk programs are not currently evaluated, but Trip Advisor consistently rates Corkscrew within the top two tourist destinations in Naples. Some public programs are evaluated including the FL Master Naturalist training where participants report increases in knowledge and skills. The history and positive relationships that Corkscrew has with its many partners, visitors and students demonstrates an immeasurable level of success. Public boardwalk program tours are not currently measured, however, Trip Advisory has rated us consistently in the top two tourist destinations in Collier County with many qualitative comments about visitor satisfaction. Some of our public programs are measured including the Florida Master Naturalist program where participants self-report increased knowledge and skills. While the Education Internship is new, the Corkscrew internship program is more than 20 years old, with former interns becoming staff, volunteers, and environmental professionals. The history and positive relationships that Corkscrew has with its many partners, visitors, and students demonstrates an immeasurable level of success. Public boardwalk program tours are not currently evaluated, however, Trip Advisor has consistently rated Corkscrew in the top two tourist destinations in Collier County with many qualitative comments about visitor satisfaction. Some of our public programs are evaluated including the Florida Master Naturalist training program where participants selfreport increased knowledge and skills. Target Population 1 Target Population 2 Children and Youth (0-19 years) US& International 5

6 Science and Research Program Description Long-Term Success The Western Everglades Research Center is located at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has a central and critical role in the network of conservation lands within the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) and the Western Everglades. The primary goal of our research program is to collect and provide ecological data to land managers, our policy team, and decision makers to help drive the conservation and restoration of our Western Everglades ecosystems. Although the Western Everglades has the same plants, animals, and general ecosystem processes found in other parts of the Everglades, the characteristic mosaic of upland and wetland habitats distinguishes it from other, better-studied parts of the Greater Everglades. Our science team is focused on filling gaps in our understanding of Western Everglades ecology in order to (1) document and understand how Corkscrew and the Western Everglades are changing, (2) maximize the ecological benefit from wetland restoration, (3) inform and support the Sanctuary's resource management team, and (4) apply scientific knowledge gained from our long-term datasets to other parts of the Greater Everglades. We are working on (or have completed) creating digital images of historic data sheets and entering data into databases for the following citizen science data sets to allow for analysis (and publication when appropriate). Data analyses will detect/describe long-term trends in changes in Corkscrew s ecosystem. Hydrology (water levels and rainfall) Daily and monthly bird counts Corkscrew s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Corkscrew s North American Butterfly Association surveys (NABA) 6

7 Examples of Long-Term Success Target Population 1 Hydrology: Rainfall data is collected daily and monthly (2 sites each). Water level data is collected from 2 staff gauges by the boardwalk and digital water level recorders in 6 groundwater wells. A continuous record of daily water levels exists since November Vegetation: Vegetation (trees, shrubs and herbaceous) is censused twice annually at 18 sites on the Panther Island Mitigation Bank expansion property. Aquatic Fauna: Aquatic fauna (fish, crayfish, shrimp, aquatic insects) are collected 3X annually at ~13 sites. 475 samples were collected in the hydrologic year. All samples are lab-analyzed for animal species id, weighed, measured and archived. Wading Birds: Wading and marsh birds are monitored monthly during the wet season and early dry season using two routes, each comprised of 7 points (23 routes surveyed to date). Timed censuses include both observation (birds seen and heard) and response of more cryptic species to recorded calls. Songbirds: Birds are monitored quarterly using five routes, each comprised of 6 points (98 routes surveyed to date). Timed censuses consist of recording all birds seen and heard. Boardwalk Naturalists also collect daily sightings since 1998 and monthly bird surveys since Wood Storks: Five known Wood Stork colonies in Lee and Collier counties are censused monthly during nesting season (January-May). Censuses are conducted by taking overlapping series of high-resolution digital photographs from a slow-flying fixed-wing aircraft at 500 feet. Images are processed by two independent observers who identify wading birds by species, count nests, adults, and chicks. Data is included in the South Florida Wading Bird Report and given to the USFWS Wood Stork Working Group. Mammals: A network of ~20 trail cameras capture images of medium- and large-sized mammals to allow for analyses of species occupancy. Images are downloaded quarterly and processed by two independent observers who id and count animals. US& International Target Population 2 7

8 Impact Goals What are your organization's long-term strategic goals? Sixty years ago, a group of passionate and dedicated individuals joined together, with Audubon s leadership, to realize their vision in saving Florida s last old-growth bald cypress forest, a sanctuary for the region s greatest wood stork colony. Today, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and its treasured forest sits in the heart of a degraded western Everglades ecosystem. Yet, after years of absence, wood storks are returning to their historic sanctuary and taking flight to nearby wetlands to catch fish to feed their young. The cypress forest, nesting wood storks and quality wetlands, dense with forage fish, are vital links in the Corkscrew and Big Cypress ecosystems. Audubon s science-based protection and restoration efforts are saving and recovering healthy wetlands to make wading bird colonies abundant again. Audubon s advocacy and education programs will build the public and financial support necessary to advance this goal. A broad sector of the public is necessary from policy-makers and other professionals to land-owners and school children. Strategies What are the major strategies you will do to accomplish your goals? The four planks of Audubon s Imagine Our Future campaign restoration, science, advocacy, and education provide a solid foundation for gathering together the people and money essential for a hopeful vision of Corkscrew s future. Scientific data gathered from field research guides our work and best practices. Restoration and stewardship are the key strategies that keep wetland systems intact and reestablish water levels and plant communities. Advocacy helps protect undeveloped land and maintain a legal framework of state and federal environmental laws. Education of visitors, residents and students increases ecological literacy, broadens constituencies and diversifies support for conservation. Capabilities What are your organization s capabilities for doing this? Restoration & Stewardship: Expanding the Sanctuary and Applying Hands-on Conservation Work Corkscrew covers 13,000 acres assembled since In today s altered landscape, Corkscrew s use of fire and invasive species control is essential to maintaining high functioning habitats. Audubon also works with government agencies to conserve land within our watershed. Imagine the impact of adding three square miles of strategically located, high-quality shallow wetlands to the landscape, land that produces and concentrates fish at the right time of the year to support early wading bird nesting. The parcels that Audubon s Corkscrew has identified for restoration are severely degraded. By bringing back the ecological functions of the land, we remake habitat for birds and many other species of wildlife that depend on wetlands and wild lands. In doing so, we enhance water supplies. This vision is attainable within the next five years by leveraging our partnerships and harnessing the knowledge and expertise of private and public land managers. Science: Guiding Our Restoration and Policy Work Audubon s research and science pedigree goes back more than 75 years in South Florida, with a continuous dataset on wood storks and water levels dating to The collected research has helped prioritize, direct and refine our land management practices, restoration efforts and public policy advocacy. Science informs us that loss of shallow wetlands contributes significantly to wood stork decline, and directs our restoration vision. Through sound science, Audubon pioneers the development of vital regulatory reforms, some of which have already passed, and continues to fight for more. With the scale of Everglades restoration bearing a 19 billion dollar price tag, monitoring restoration efforts is critical to measuring success. The data will help reform future mitigation banking at the federal level, and offer insight into the effectiveness and appropriateness of current regulatory practices. Advocacy: Using Environmental Laws and Program to Protect Habitat Audubon s Everglades advocacy team works with government agencies to enforce state and federal laws that protect water and wildlife habitats. We also work with other conservation organizations to promote Everglades restoration and state and local land preservation programs. As Southwest Florida grows, agencies that issue permits for land development must be held accountable to the strictest standards for impacts to water and wildlife. Yet, Audubon has demonstrated 8

9 that developers are not being asked to fully mitigate for loss of wetlands, especially the shallow wetlands used by wading birds. The impacts have been devastating to wood storks and other species. A major feature of Audubon s advocacy work is to correct this shortcoming. Education: Building Generations of Conservation Voices Through Corkscrew s variety of communication program and 170 volunteers, we take our conservation message to a wide audience, thereby advancing our goal of ecological literacy and increased citizen engagement. These constituents become advocates and supporters of our restoration and research efforts. The cycle continues. Corkscrew s education programs provide an outdoor classroom for elementary and university students. We pioneered and educate the educator program for teachers who help us serve thousands of students annually. Environmental encounters begin in Corkscrew s Blair Audubon Center and on its renowned boardwalk. Volunteers are the foundation of visitor outreach as they communicate their special knowledge and immediate observations to tens of thousands of visitors every year. They are a significant key to gaining new advocates. Staff and volunteers, along with our science and policy experts, undertake ongoing outreach with stakeholders throughout Southwest Florida s public and private sectors. Indicators What indicators do you use to measure progress? Restoration & Stewardship successes are measured through the number of acres of prescribed fire used to restore and enhance the native biodiversity of the system. During year, 1,000 acres of pine flatwoods, wet prairie, and marsh habitat were burned. Management of exotic invasive and native nuisance plant species is an ongoing process at Corkscrew and thousands of hours of work were conducted to remove more than a dozen different species. Four interns also worked as part of this program dedicating 5,200 hours, along with two full-time staff members and volunteers. Science successes are measured through the amount of monitoring and research that is conducted and includes the collection of rainfall and water level data, vegetation census, aquatic fauna collections and analysis, wading and marsh bird monitoring, Wood Stork census, mammal monitoring. Advocacy successes are measured through changes in decision-making such as when a developer changes the density, location, or type of project they are building, or when a policy or law is changed to better protect shallow-wetlands, wildlife or habitat, or when citizens show up at a public meeting to share their ideas and feelings about a public decision. These are typically documented through case studies or success stories. Education successes are measured through the number of people served, the number of events offered or the satisfaction or increased knowledge assessed through post-event surveys. During the year Corkscrew served 100,000 visitors of all ages to the Blair Audubon Center and boardwalk, educated visitors during 99 programs/tours for 1,104 participants, conducted approximately 20 offsite outreach presentations, held the Corkscrew Science Forum for 50 local professionals, and conducted field trips for 3,000 youth. Progress What have and haven t you accomplished so far? Wild Turkey Strand Preserve The Wild Turkey Strand restoration project is a strategic partnership with Lee County Parks to restore land lost as a result of wildcat farming. In addition to the 242 acres of farm fields that will be restored, hundreds of acres of adjacent wetlands will benefit by better connectivity, less flashy and more historic hydroperiods. This project is within the Core Foraging Area of two active wood stork colonies, including the Corkscrew colony. This is an ongoing project. To-date, we have secured a memorandum of agreement with Lee County and have a year of data on the Preserve s hydrology and wildlife communities. We are at the initial restoration design stage. North Marsh: Corkscrew The western Everglades is experiencing a widespread invasion of willow. While willow is native and does benefit certain species, its dramatic spread and dense cover has negatively impacted piscavores, including wood storks, spoonbills, herons, and egrets. In the spring of 2013, Audubon implemented a pilot project to remove aboveground woody material. Waterfowl, wading birds and rails quickly responded to the willow removal, arriving a few days later to forage. Sixty additional acres of mechanical marsh rehabilitation is planned for Corkscrew in With the removal of the willow, Sanctuary staff will be able to apply fire to the landscape, aiding in the maintenance of the herbaceous character of these soup bowls for foraging birds. 9

10 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Wood Stork Key In response to a development application within the Core Foraging Area of Corkscrew s wood stork colony, Audubon s science and policy teams pressed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reform their method of assessing development impacts to wood storks. Central to these reforms was a requirement to compensate for habitat impacts. In 2010, the Service adopted the central element of our reforms. Now, developments impacting wetlands within 30 kilometers of all active wood stork colonies in the greater Everglades must compensate with shallow wetland lift. This science-based advocacy victory has been protecting shallow wetland functions involving hundreds if not thousands of acres for more than four years. Planned Urban Development In 2008, Audubon joined a coalition of local and national conservation organizations to challenge three development permits. In their initial permitted state, these projects would not have compensated for the degradation of the wetland system, and would have compromised Corkscrew s endangered wood stork colony. Audubon s science and policy team determined that inadequate reviews and inaccurate applications were used as criteria for issuing the permits. The courts agreed, and the permits were rescinded. The developers came to the negotiating table to scale back their project footprints, enlarge their preserves and improve foraging opportunities for wading birds. The results of the strategic partnership between Audubon and the coalition were thanks in large measure to Audubon s wood stork science and strong understanding of the regulatory policy landscape. The Next Five Years are the Foundation for the Next 100 Years At Corkscrew, in the Big Cypress and throughout the Everglades ecosystem, Audubon staff and leaders continue a mission started 115 years ago. We walk in the footsteps of the courageous pioneers who stopped the slaughter of plumage birds and the destruction of the world s largest old growth bald cypress forest. The Imagine Our Future campaign will lay the foundation for another century of a healthy ecosystem in Corkscrew and the western Everglades. Be part of this five-year campaign to fulfill our mission for the next 100 years: to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth s biological diversity. 10

11 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair West McCAnn Board Members Name Affiliation Status Joe Ambrozy Retired NonVoting Ralph Arwood Community Volunteer NonVoting Richard Booth Community Volunteer NonVoting Ed Carlson Community Volunteer NonVoting Deb Carrier Community Volunteer NonVoting Mike Duever Retired NonVoting John Elting Community Volunteer NonVoting John Graham Community Volunteer NonVoting John Howard Community Volunteer NonVoting Tom Maish Community Volunteer NonVoting West McCann Northern Trust Bank NonVoting Steve Nellis Community Volunteer NonVoting Christian Spilker Collier Enterprises NonVoting David Upton Community Volunteer NonVoting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 14 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 13 Female 1 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 0 Board Term Limits 0 Board Meeting Attendance % 0 11

12 Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? No No Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 4 12

13 Management Executive Director/CEO Executive Director Jason Lauritsen Term Start July Experience As the Director of Audubon s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Jason Lauritsen leads the effort to sustainably steward its 13,000 acre mosaic of native habitats, working with a talented Audubon staff and an active and gifted Sustainability Board, passionate group of volunteers and strategic partners in the watershed. Jason considers it a priority and obligation to take good care of the land to ensure its ecological health, fill science gaps in our ecological knowledge and invest in education and outreach to improve the ecological literacy of the community. Working with the public and private sector as essential to shaping the conservation landscape for future generations. Jason has been with Audubon since 2001, working as a Resource Manager, Regional Science Coordinator, and Assistant Sanctuary Director. He has helped shape important policy reforms to strengthen wetland protections, conducted studies on wood stork foraging availability in the watershed, consulted on the design and function of wetland restoration projects and has firsthand experience managing the natural resources of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Education: M.A. Science Education: University of Iowa B.S. Animal Ecology: Iowa State University Staff Full Time Staff 13 Part Time Staff 5 Volunteers 170 Plans Organization has a Strategic Plan? Yes Affiliations Affiliation Year National Audubon Society 1954 Audubon of Florida 1995 Audubon of the Western Everglades 2000 Awards Awards 13

14 Award/Recognition Organization Year Ramsar Wetland of International Importance Ramsar

15 Financials Current Fiscal Year July Fiscal Year 0 Projected Revenue $1,574, Projected Expenses $1,574, Budget Explanation Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is part of the National Audubon Society. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary does not have an overarching endowment to fund the entire operations, however, there are some endowed programs. Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue Total Expenses Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation Contributions Government Contributions $0 $0 $0 Federal State Local Unspecified Individual Contributions Indirect Public Support Earned Revenue Investment Income, Net of Losses Membership Dues Special Events Revenue In-Kind Other

16 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense Administration Expense Fundraising Expense Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets Current Assets Long-Term Liabilities Current Liabilities Total Net Assets Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Goal $0.00 State Charitable Solicitations Permit Permit? Yes 0 Created Copyright