Audubon Western Everglades

2019

Annual Report

32

A U D U B O N W E S T E R N E V E R G L A D E S 2 0 1 9 A N N U A L R E P O R T

The Western Everglades,

a region of varied ecological

characteristics distinct from

those of the “River of Grass”

farther to the east,

is critical to preservation

of the way of life

that attracted most of us

to southwest Florida.

Great Egret – Photo: Jean Hall Photos: Snowy Egret cover, Wood Stork and Roseate Spoonbill families by Dr. Jane Ruprecht. Florida Panther image courtesy Defenders of Wildlife

teach the science and research protocols required for students to understand their own environment, leadership strategies that can shape conservation actions in the Western Everglades and beyond, and the commitment required for reversing the degradation of the Western Everglades eco-system. This program is for high school students from all socio-economic backgrounds who may be interested in becoming active environmental stewards in their communities. This is a tuition-based program with financial support from community funded scholarships and business sponsorships. Outcomes: Collier County youth will develop respect for the environment, learn leadership and communications skills, acquire a dynamic extra-curricular activity accomplishment for college admissions, and explore career options and the educational pathways required to realize their goals. New “Business in AWE” Program The objective of this new program offering is to dramatically grow AWE’s chapter membership while creating a sustainable annual funding source for its core programs and services. This is a marketing and sales initiative designed to appeal to businesses who want to align themselves with a conservation organization that advocates for environmental solutions on the local level. This is an employee benefit program funded by an em-ployer for employees that includes: an AWE family membership for an unlimited number of employees; a unique numbered identification card for discount admissions to Corkscrew Sanctuary, Rookery Bay, Naples Botanical Gardens, and a number of partnering restaurant, hospitality and outdoor retailers in Collier County, free admission to our speaker series and field trips, and a subscription to our Climate Voice digital monthly newsletter. Year in Review In FY-2018/19 we received two major grants and a number of other very generous ones from family foundations, as well as important annual gifts from long-time sustaining and new supporters. Although membership numbers held steady, membership revenue increased due to the growth of “family” memberships and support of the new Directors Circle Found-ing Member program. The annual GALA fundraising event met revenue expectations with help from a very hard-working GALA committee that again delivered the perfect venue and great food. We added a full-time biologist to continue threatened species research and manage our Owl Watch and new gopher tortoise research programs on Marco Island in 2020. We also contracted an environmental scientist to run our expanding Winter Shorebird Stewardship program. Two new board members joined AWE: Jim Henderson from Naples and Wolfeboro, NH, and Andrew Tyler from Marco Island.

2 0 1 9 A N N U A L R E P O R T

AWE’s mission is

to conserve, restore

and protect natural

ecosystems,

by focusing on

Southwest Florida

wetlands, coastal

estuaries and

beaches, which are

critical habitats

for resident and

migrating birds and

other wildlife.”

I like this job! Eight months ago I joined AWE thinking an opportunity to help protect threatened habitats and wildlife in SWFL would give me purpose, but never expected it would become as much

a part of my life as it has. Looking back at my move to Florida from Maine and a history of working with local and national nonprofit organizations leading growth, strategic marketing, brand management, business planning, marketing communications and contract publishing, I feel well prepared for what I am doing now. Western Everglades Bio-Region At Risk Audubon Western Everglades—founded as Collier County Audubon Society in 1961 and thus the oldest conservation organization in the area—has vigorously pursued a mission to protect and restore the sub-tropical natural environment of this unique section of the Everglades. Importantly, though, many of Southwest Florida’s inhabitants and visitors are not even aware that increasing natural and man-made environmental threats are impacting its very existence. Climate warming is contributing to the increase and severity of freshwater blue-green algae blooms in its rivers and massive red tide infestations in coastal waters, which arise from excessive phosphorus and nitrogen run offs. Multiple occurences of these scourges have dramatically impacted commercial and sport fishing businesses; caused massive die-offs of shore birds, sea birds, wading birds; killed dolphins and manatees, and continue to raise public health concerns. Tourism and real estate businesses are reeling from negative news coverage on beach closings, storm damage and flooding. Key habitat “at risk” indicators abound—the most dramatic beingthe loss of freshwater aquifers, collapse of wetlands, urban sprawl and loss of species habitat—which forebode incalculable and potentially irreversible negative consequences to natural and human ecologies. These are the issues that keep us up at night! Forward Thinking After a number of meetings with the board, staff, members and donors, it was apparent that AWE needed to explore a new strategic focus in order to increase community awareness and the fundraising base; grow the membership; identify new sources of earned income with scaleable “Connecting-With-Nature” youth programming, and promote new adult “Birding Adventures” marketed locally and nationally to attract business and foundation support. Consequently, our strategic focus for the coming year is to develop and fund these initiatives, which support our vital Western Everglades conservation work. Youth Environmental Stewardship (YES) Program. The primary goal of this program is to develop “tomorrow’s environmental leaders today” using the Western Everglades, Audubon’s Corkscrew Sanctuary, and SWFL’s 10,000 Islands, as experiential education classrooms supported by a virtual online platform. The “online” tool engages students to interact with other students given their shared experience with field-truthing excursions, satellite image surveying, drone exploration, and discuss and report on their experiences. AWE’s objective is to

A New Strategic Direction

D I R E C T O R S R E P O R T

TWO YEAR FINANCIAL SUMMARY

REVENUE FY-2017-2018 FY-2018-2019

• Contributions $136,985 $115,299

• Grants 70,000 115,000

• Programs & Services 50,579 100,060

• Investment 12,109 6,820

• Other revenue 50,751 59,985

Total $320,424 $397,164

EXPENSE

• Conservation $116,178 $127,866

• Education 57,760 61,330

• Management 56,867 105,524

• Fundraising 44,265 76,663

• Programs 36,986 50,90

Total $312, 056 $422,333

P&L $8,368 ($25,169)

NET ASSETS

• Beginning FY Year $172,433 $180,800

• End of FY Year 180,799 155,631

• Change +$8,366 –$25,169

5Ted Rodman, Executive Director

6

The Western Everglades, a region of varied ecological characteristics distinct from those of the “River of Grass” farther to the east, is critical to preservation of the way of life that attracted most

of us to southwest Florida. Composed of Corkscrew and Big Cypress Swamps, the Caloosahatchee watershed, 10,000 islands, as well as countless other permanent and seasonal wetlands. It also contains hundreds of thousands of acres of cypress forests, strands, prairies, and pine flat woods —and faces a growing threat from ill managed development. Where unimpeded by development, the rains that fall here flow slowly toward the coasts, recharging the aquifers along the way thus assuring our supplies of drinking and irrigation water. From inland the sheet flows of rain water eventually reach the rivers and creeks and ultimately the estuaries providing the fresh/salt water necessary for healthy beaches, productive coastal estuaries, mangrove islands, and brackish backwater fisheries. In the Western Everglades lies a key battle-ground for clean water necessary to reduce susceptibility to blue/green algae and red tide. There are to be found broad scale vistas of “what Florida used to look like.” There are the wildlife habitats needed by birds and other key species such as the Florida Panther.

The Western Everglades

n Protection of shallow seasonal wetlands is imperative for recovering wading birds who have been losing traditional habitat for decades and for the natural environment that provides clean water to the underground aquifers and ultimately human use. The return of other wildlife dependent on these ecosystems is an irrefutable indicator of successful restoration of the Western Ever-glades habitat. It is also about a key watershed principle that protecting wetlands upstream helps prevent red tide, and blue-green algae downstream.

n Advocating for coastal habitat protection and restoration, including estuaries, beaches, mangroves

and barrier islands, from the consequences of unwise development, are mandates that have immediate impact. Local governments must plan for sea level rise and coastal habitat protection.

n Conservation land protection, restoration and management especially on large ranches, and farms

encompassing keystone wood stork and panther habitats are key initiatives. AWE has helped lead the Conservation Collier Renewal Campaign and major conservation planning for the state’s proposed Southwest Florida toll road corridor connecting Collier and Polk Counties—which may be our best chance to protect Central Florida habitat.

The Broad Focus of our Work

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.

When we see land as a community

to which we belong, we may begin to

use it with love and respect.”

— Aldo Leopold

Snow

y Eg

ret

and

Ro

seat

e Sp

oo

nbill

: Pho

tos:

Dr.

Jane

Rup

rech

t.

7

A W E C O N S E R V A T I O N & P O L I C Y S C O P EA W E C O N S E R V A T I O N & P O L I C Y S C O P E

Photo courtesy of the Aldo Leopold Foundation

8

Milestones

1961 – Collier County Audubon Society Inc.

Chapter is formed.

1962 – Developed “birding” programs for

Collier County youth and field-trips for residents

1964 – Opposed the

Kewaydin road to Marco project protecting Rookery

Bay from development

1986/1989 – Vital role in minimizing negative environ-mental effects of proposed

Sabal Bay project

1995 – Legal challenge of Collier County breaking

Urban Boundary for Twin Eagles development

1996 – Established the

Florida Panther Audubon Refuge Keeper group,

which became the Friends of the Florida

Panther Refuge

1997 – Legal challenge of Collier County deleting habitat protections for

300,000 rural acres

2001 – AWE hires first professional policy advocate

and opens new office

2002 – Creation of Rural Land Stewardship and Rural

Fringe panther/wetland habitat protection programs

A W E C O N S E R V A T I O N & P O L I C Y S C O P E

Private and Public Lands Conservation n Rural Land Stewardship Program Re-study. Recent focus is on details getting Collier County and State

to adopt mandated five-year review policy recommendations to protect 40,000 acres of farms and ranches plus more panther habitat from harmful development. AWE helped create this original program and now revised policy recommendations.

n Conservation Collier/Lee 2020. AWE and allies are creating a PAC and organizing a campaign to put

the Conservation Collier land buying program on the Nov. 2020 ballot. Polling will be in the fall. Lee County’s 2020 land purchasing program must be maintained.

n Florida Forever. The Florida Legislature reduced funding to $33 million and put nothing into Rural &

Family Lands Protection Program. AWE is pushing for at least $100 million and ranch protections. n Land and Water Conservation Fund. Gulf oil royalties have funded a program to buy conservation

lands nationally, permanently reauthorized after expiring in Sept, 2018. AWE and allies successfully engaged Rep. Francis Rooney to champion federal appropriations for Everglades/wetland help.

Everglades Restoration, Water and Wetlands

n Picayune Strand, Caloosahatchee Reservoir, Western Everglades Restoration Projects (WERP). The Caloosahatchee C-42 reservoir project was fully funded 2019 with the state as sole builder to be completed by 2023. The Picayune Strand project was delayed by Army Corps modeling due to last phase pollution issues, but collaboration is promising. AWE is actively advocating fixes and comple-tion by 2023. WERP also has pollution problems which have delayed its design.

n Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Everglades Restoration. Big part of HAB problem is lack of restoration

of greater Everglades wetlands to store and clean water heading to estuaries. Environmentally responsible land use and protection of Caloosahatchee river are part of the solution to mitigating threats from red tide and blue/green algae outbreaks. AWE advocated for $200 million in FY-2020 funding from state and federal governments.

n State and Federal Wetland Rules Reform. According to analyses by AWE, Corkscrew, and NOAA, Florida

and Federal permitting rules are causing major wetland losses in Florida. AWE sees HABs pointing to regulatory fixes.

n Corkscrew Regional Hydrologic Impacts. Big dry-season water level drops are afflicting Corkscrew,

with drainage and pumping causes likely. Bonita flooding involved AWE working with Corkscrew, allies and agencies on bi-regional hydrologic model to identify causes/fixes. Still need $100,000. Target start Dec, 2019.

2002 – Successful collaborative campaign for

Conservation Collier

2008 – Founding of Florida Panther Protection Program with 3 other conservation

groups and 8 major landowners

2009 – Funded Energy use audits for Naples and for

Collier County.

2010 – Successful court defense of Lee County’s Restoration Plan/Rock

Mine Regulation for SE Lee

2010 – Established Collier Shorebird Stewardship Program with Rookery Bay, FWC and Audubon

Florida at Sand Dollar Island

2012 – Successful settlement of Mirasol

permit suit stopped huge drainage ditch and restored thousands

of wetland acres

2016 – Took over Burrowing Owl Watch

Program on Marco Island and hired a biologist to

manage research

2018 – AWE hires biologist for Collier Winter Shorebird

Stewardship Program at Clam Pass and Marco Island

2018 – Hired first

Executive Director wiith support and funding from

major donor 9

Current Priorities

A W E C O N S E R V A T I O N & P O L I C Y S C O P E

n Lee County Rock Mining and Wetland Regulations. AWE testified unsuccessfully several times against Lee County’s reduction of wetland protections at the proposed huge rock mine (Troyer Mine) near Corkscrew. Reduced limitations on rock mines near Corkscrew and CREW resulted from the final hearing in the Fall of 2019.

Sea Level Rise and Climate Change

n Community and Policy-Maker Education. AWE has been a leader in communicating climate

destabilization threats to southwest Florida in the media and policy forums. AWE remains a major supporter of Eco-Voice, which focuses on climate change awareness and sustainable growth.

n Adaptation Planning and Mitigation. AWE advocates that local governments plan to allow coastal habitat to migrate inland to avoid losing beach-nesting bird and sea turtle habitats. AWE is supporting a new regional resilience officer and actively advocates for creation of a West Coast Climate Change Consortium. AWE staff are participating on UF/FGCU Sea Level Rise Adapa-tion Advisory Committee. AWE continues to meet with FPL on advancing solar energy as an increasing source for electricity.

Imperiled Wildlife Protection and Recovery

n Owl Watch and Research Program; Florida Panther Conservation; Gopher Tortoises; Wood

Storks. Marco Island’s burrowing owls, gopher tortoises and coastal beach birds are a major conservation policy and research focus for AWE. Florida panther recovery is a primary objective of AWE’s twenty-year investment in leveaging major habitat protection gains through incentivizing and regulating large landowners. It’s also important to note that AWE’s significant work with Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp scientists to recover the threatened wood stork is focused on Western Everglades restoration and fixing major deficiencies with state and federal wetland regulatory programs.

n Shorebird Stewardship. AWE just finished a unique statewide Winter

Shorebird Stewardship Program staffed by an AWE Anchor Steward biologist. This has yielded important data that shows Clam Pass to be the most important winter site for the threatened Black Skimmer in the entire state, and likely in the nation—a very important fact as we work with local residents to stop the County’s plan to build an ill-advise new parking garage there.

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A W E S C I E N C E & R E S E A R C H P R O G R A MA W E S C I E N C E & R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M

Class of 2019

• 55 volunteers made 6600 checks at 349 sites

• 241 pairs nested on Marco Island

• 8 pairs nested in Naples

• 79% of pairs fledged at least one chick

• 563 chicks fledged was 144 more than last year

• 243 nesting pairs was 50 more than last year

• Last year 44 chicks were banded and 12 of those nested

An incredible OWL tribe of volunteers celebrate their award from National Audubon for an outstanding citizen-science conservation program.

Florida’s Burrowing Owls were historically found in native grasslands, but can now be found in human-modified habitats like cattle ranches and

urban neighborhoods. In 2016 this species of owls was downgraded from a “Species of Special Concern” to State Threatened,” which means their population is continuing to dwindle. AWE currently monitors owls on Marco Island, Isles of Capri, the City of Naples, and now at Fiddlers Creek. Most Burrowing Owls live on private vacant lot property. Their population in those areas is the second largest in the entire state, behind Cape Coral. Florida Burrowing Owls do not migrate. They tend to hide in nearby bushes or trees, around houses, and around burrow entryways.

We are planning on banding owls within the community so we

can see where they are dispersing and will keep you posted of that effort. DNA from blood samples lets us peek into their reproductive choices. We also plan to put starter burrows

in common areas around the community after nesting season.

AWE Owl Watch Program’s goal has been to learn more about Florida burrowing owl biology and behavior in urban habitats such Marco Island, and

to identify effective strategies for sustaining this and other populations of this state-listed threatened species.

The Owl Watch Program is a science research program

partnership between AWE and the University of Florida that

monitors burrow sites, bands the owls and collects data in order

to evaluate reproductive success, geographic dispersal, survival,

and general overall health of this threatened species.

We are very curious to see how the upcoming 2020 season goes: assuming around 25% of those 563 chicks survive to adulthood and settle in the Marco Island/Naples area, we’ll have a whole lot more to monitor next February to July. This is the second year of our research partnership with the University of Florida with banding, and soon DNA testing, as major components. Banding enables us to identify individual owls throughout their lifetimes. And helps an-swer basic questions like, “How long do owls live?” “How many chicks does an owl produce over a lifetime?” “Where do young owls go after they leave the nest?” Due to the many threats and decreasing availability of vacant lots in urban areas, rangelands appear to be critical to the burrowing owl’s overall long-term conservation. Our initial work introducing “starter burrows” seems promising, but further research is key if we are going to save this species.

Alli Smith, AWE’s biologist bands new chick from the class of 2019.

Burrowing Owl family and incoming parent photos: Jean Hall

Please help AWE continue this important work by joining us as a “Owl Watch Ambassador”

10

OWL WATCH AUDUBON WESTERN EVERGLADES

AWE just launched its Winter Shorebird Stewardship Program staffed by our Winter Anchor Steward and

biologist. This program has yielded important data that show Clam Pass and Marco Island to be the two most important winter sites for the threatened Black Skimmer in the entire state, and likely in the nation. This is important as we work with the County to better protect these and other migratory imper-iled coastal birds, including not building an expanded parking garage at Clam Pass. This is vital in the context of recent studies showing loss of three billion birds on the continent. Last winter a flock of 4000 Black Skimmers appeared at Clam Pass in Naples, Florida. This huge number—possibly the largest flock of wintering Black Skimmers in many years was up approximately 2000 from the year before. Clam Pass is one of the remaining, relatively natural inlets that still provide suffi-cient food and space for roosting shorebirds during winter months, particularly December through March.

However, Black Skimmers are in steep decline in Florida and little information is known about them, including survival, distribution, and movement. Clam Pass and Marco Island in Collier County seem to be the destination for not only Black Skimmers, but precipitously declining Red Knots, Royal and Sandwich Terns, federally listed Piping Plovers, Wilson’s Plovers, Willets and Sanderlings. Why is AWE’s winter Shorebird Stewardship Program impor-tant? These varied species of shorebirds have chosen a busy Southwest Florida beach area to winter. And threats abound! Adults, children and pets disturb the flocks, stressing the birds and causing weight loss. In turn, the birds enter nesting season or continue their migration underweight. Also, a new pro-posed parking garage at Clam Pass would dramatically increase human activity around these resting flocks at this vital beach.

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A W E S C I E N C E & R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S

Protecting Florida Panthers Protecting Gopher Tortoise

In 1996, AWE worked with Florida Panther National Wild-life Refuge (NWR) to establish the “Audubon Refuge

Keepers” (ARK) group to serve as a citizen support organ-ization for them. AWE was so inspired about panther habitat that they joined with the State of Florida and Florida Wildlife Federation, in a lawsuit against Collier County in 1997 which aimed to improve County land use rules protecting wetlands and habitat for the endangered Florida Panther on some 270,000 acres of the rural east-ern county. The outcome established landowner incentive-based panther and wetland habitat protection pro-grams called Rural Land Stewardship and Rural Fringe Transfer of Development Rights (TDR). This policy initiative has protected over 55,000 acres of habitat from development, plus another 35,000 already owned by the State of prime panther habitat and wetland. AWE worked with three other major conservation groups and the eight big Collier County landowners to form the Flor-ida Panther Protection Program in 2008 and are now advo-cating adding 40,000 acres of farm and ranch protections in the Rural Land Stewardship Program, which will be initially voted on in Fall, 2019. The combined Rural Fringe and Rural Lands Stewardship preserva-tion targets will then become closes to 200,000 acres in coming decades. Our only hope for recovering the Florida panther is to work with the big landowners here in Collier County and all the way up through big ranches in the middle of the state to the Georgia line and beyond. Protecting the panther will also protect wood storks, gopher tortoises, burrowing owls, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and many more imperiled species under the panther’s habitat umbrella.

AWE recently entered into a conservation partnership with the City of Marco to initiate a field survey and manage-

ment plan for Florida’s threatened Gopher Tortoise pop-ulation on the Island. The gopher tortoise was listed as a species of Special Concern in Florida in 1979 and was reclas-

sified as a State-designated Threatened Species in 2007; FWC created its first Gopher Tortoise Management

Plan following this reclassification. The goal of the management plan is to “restore and maintain secure, viable populations of gopher tortoises

throughout Florida so the species no longer warrants listing.”

The primary threat to the gopher tortoise is habitat loss through habitat destruction,

fragmentation, and degradation, particularly from urbaniza-tion and development. Land development for residential-homes generally occurs in the same high, dry habitats that the tortoise prefers. Lack of appropriate land management has also contributed to population declines in areas where natural habitat remains. Additional threats include increased risk of road mortality due to fragmentation, particularly of females searching for suitable nest sites. Upper respiratory tract

disease (URTD) also poses a potential threat to gopher tortoise populations as evidence

suggests URTD may be partially responsible for declines in some populations. Human harvest and habitat degradation from fire suppression has also significantly depleted

gopher tortoise populations. If you see a tortoise crossing a busy road, FWC grants permission to move the gopher tortoise

across the road in the same direction it was headed if it is safe for you to do so. Do not move the tortoise to another location or put the tortoise in a car as this constitutes illegal posses-sion. Most activities associated with residential lawn and landscape maintenance do not require a permit provided they do not collapse gopher tortoise burrows.

Winter Shorebird Stewardship Program

Article Photos: Jean Hall12

A W E S C I E N C E & R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S

Eagle ($25,000+)

Collier Enterprises Mr. & Mrs. Jim Hengst

Reddish Egret ($10,000+)

Barron Collier Jr. Foundation, Inc. The Martin Foundation Newman's Own Foundation Mr. Jay Tompkins Mrs. William Whaley

Osprey ($5,000 – $9,999)

Arthrex, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Brad Epple Mr. John Molloy & Ms. Catherine Curtiss Second Chance Foundation

Woodstork ($1,000 – $4,999)

Mr. & Mrs. Lew Allyn Mr. Robert Andrews Arpin Trust Mr. & Mrs. Paul Arsenault Ms. Maria Bachich Ms. Isabelle Bartoux Mr. Stan Boynton Mr. & Mrs. Mike Butler Coastal Breeze News Ms. Katie Doyle Florida Power & Light Co. Mr. & Mrs. Peter Fortune Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Glass Ms. Corrie Grado Gulf Coast International Properties LLC Ms. Jean Hall Hawley Family Foundation Holbrook Travel Inc. Mr. Mitch Hutchcraft Mr. & Mrs. Alan Keller Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Kent Lucky's Market Mr. & Mrs. Carson McEachern Ms. Joanna Metzger Mr. Brian Miller

Mr. William Morton Mr. & Mrs. Dick Notebaert Mr. & Mrs. John Passidomo Mr. & Mrs. Rosenzweig Ms.Patsy Schroeder Mr. & Mrs. Joe Semrod Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Smith Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Spahr Mr. & Mrs. Fred Stratton Kermit & Jenny Sutton Foundation Riverglades Family Offices Ms. Milda Vaivada Ms. Karen Van Arsdale Ms. Nancy Ward-Patterson Mr. & Mrs. Chris Wells Mr. Elmer Wheeler & Ms. Deborah Russell Ms. Sallie Williams

Directors Circle Founding Members

($1,000) Mr. & Mrs. Paul Arsenault Ms. Isabelle Bartoux Mr. Byron Grimes Mr. & Mrs. Tim Haarmann Mr. Doug Haughey Mr. Jim Henderson Mr. Ken Humiston Mr. & Mrs. Alan Keller Mr. & Mrs. Robert Leher Mr. & Mrs. Carson McEachern Mr. Brian Miller Ms. Jackie Obenforf Drs. Chuck & Elizabeth Orsay Mr. & Mrs. Russell Priddy Ms. Joann Smallwood Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Spahr Ms. Milda Vaivada Mr. & Mrs. Chris Wells Ms. Sallie Williams

Roseate Spoonbill ($500 – $999)

Mr. Mike Barnes & Ms. Joan Pollitt Ms. Isabelle Bartoux Mr. & Mrs. Gary Bergman Dr. Doug Boynton Ms. Shannon Clark

Community Foundation of Collier County Mr. Mark Conway Ms. Diane Cooley Mr. Jay DeAngelis Ms. Linda Diaz Mr. C Ehn Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Farrington Mr. John Fox Ms. Lisa Gorman Mr. & Mrs. Byron Grimes Mr. Andy Hill Humiston & Moore Engineering Mr. & Mrs. Scott Keller Mr. OJ Kelsey Ms. Mitzi King Ms. Caroline Martino Mr. & Mrs. Mike Miske Drs. Chuck & Liz Orsay Ms. Ricky Pires Mr. & Mrs. Ted Rodman Mr. Robert Schultheis Ms. Karen Sendik Ms. Karol Tenace Mr. & Mrs. Gerry Tiffan Ms. Heidi Waters Ms. Terry Wilson

Least Tern ($250 - $499)

Adorjan Foundation Ms. Polly Chandler Ms. Tanya Cutrone Ms. Paula Davidson Ms. Julie Domenick Ms. Patricia Forkan Ms. Barbara Garrison Mr. & Mrs. John Johnson Mr. Tom Jones Ms. Kristine Karl Ms. Karen Millikin Ms. Deborah Mynhier Mr. & Mrs. Frank Ross Herbert B. & Margaret E. Scheu Fund Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Sigel Mr. & Mrs. Paul Slater Ms. Martha Smart Mr. & Mrs. Clay Wescott Mr. Neville Williams

Black Skimmer ($100 – $249)

Ms. Marlane Amelio Ms. Jan Bachrach Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Beall Ms. Cathy Berry Mr. Patrick Blanc Mr. Richard Brewer Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Bunch Ms. Jean Burke Ms. Rose Burke Mr. & Mrs. William Burke Mr. & Mrs. Ray Christman Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Clegg Ms. Becki Conway Mr. & Mrs. Brad Cornell Ms. Dorothy Cornell Ms. Cathy Downs Ms. Jill Engelke Mr. Herbert Evert Ms. Amy Fredricks Mr. Charles Gaillard Ms. Ysabel Garland Mr. & Mrs. David Genuardi Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Gerlach Mr. George Gould Mr. Vincent Greene Ms. Carol Hale Mr. Michael Hill Mr. & Mrs. John Hoelscher Ms. Susan Jones Ms. Linda Kozick Ms. Maria Lamb Ms. Rosanna Lane Ms. Patty Levi Ms. Gay Lugert Ms. Jacqueline Macias Ms. Bertha B. McDaniel Ms. Cathy McKay Ms. Monica McVicker Ms. Linda Meade Ms. Jackie Mills Ms. Pamela Mortland Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Nathanson Mr. & Mrs. Steve Nellis Mr. & Mrs. Bill Nicolls Mr. Mike Mills & Ms. Marlo McQuaker Mr. & Mrs.Thomas Patterson Mr. Norman Park

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Penniman Ms. Gail Peyton Ms. Lindsey Puder Mr. & Mrs. George Purvis Ms. Diane Regan Ms. Christina Reifsteck Mr. Bruce Ritz Mr. Thomas Rollins Mr. Richard Rosenberg Ms. Sharon Sanders Ms. Michelle Sauls Mr. John Scanlon & Mr. John Washburn Mr. Michael Seef & Ms. Bonnie Michaels Mr. & Mrs. Joe Semrod Mr. & Mrs. Tony Shull Mr. Andrew Sillin Ms. Marilyn Springfield Ms. Katherine Stein Ms. Janice Stowell Mr. Gary Thomas Ms. Nancy Trimboli Mr. James White Ms. Mary Beth Whittaker Mr. Van Zandt Williams Ms. Deborah Woods

Sanderling (Up to $99 )

Ms. Nancy Ahern Mr. Robert Anderson Ms.Mary Aronin Ms.Kathleen Auger Mr.Chuck Bainbridge Mr. Murray Barnhart Ms.Annie Baskin Ms.Valerie Becker Ms.Carol Berglund Ms. Jill Bergman Mr. Lawrence Berman Ms. Patricia Blanchard Ms. Florence Blewett Mr. Paul Boymel Ms. Karen Surma Brannon Ms. Cynthia Breau Ms. Sharon Bright Ms. Linda Brown Mr. Duncan Cameron Ms. Margaret Campbell Ms. Lorraine Carlson Mr. Ben Carp

Ms. Jean Comstock Mr. William Comstock Ms. Helene Connolly Mr. Edward Conrad Ms. Dana Coote Mr. Robert Costello Ms. D'Ann Crawford Ms. Louise Cromwell Mr. John Chronowski Mr. & Mrs. Dan Cser Ms. Linda Cullen Mr. & Mrs. Dave Cummens Ms. Karen Curran Ms. Grace Dailey Ms. Susan Daisey Rybos Mr. Tom Kunkel & Ms. Diane Dahl Ms. Peggy Dahlquist Ms. Susan Dantus Daughters of the American Revolution Ms. Claire Dedow Ms. Allie Delventhal Ms. Diana Delbruno Ms. Kathleen Dennison Ms. Jane Dessecker Ms. Linda Diaz Mr. Charles Dilley Mr. Richard Doherty Ms. Katherine Doerr Ms. Anne Dorrit Ms. Marie Dudoy Mr. Chuck Dryer Mr. Robert Eastman Ms. Ro Enners Ms. Barbara Faha Ms. Susan Ferretti Ms. Jennifer Figurelli Mr. & Mrs. David Fitton Ms. Rose Flaherty Ms. Sandra Fleming Ms. Marianne Foley Mr. Lester Ford & Ms. Barbara Fournier Ms. Joyce Frame Ms. Austine Frawley Ms. Peggy Frazier Ms. Jackie & Laura Thompson-Fresenius Ms. Michelle Gabriel Mr. & Mrs. John Garland Ms. Angela Garuti

Ms. Tricia Gibbons Ms. Maria Goldberg Ms. Gallya Gordon Ms. Sylvia Gough Ms. Arlene Greenberg Ms. Heather Greenwald Ms. Terri Greenwald Ms. Lucinda Hackney Ms. Barbara Haring Ms. Merrily Hart Ms. Denise Hennessey Ms. Kendra Hermans Ms. Betty Hernandez Mr. Orlando Hidalgo Mr. Bill Hillemeyer Ms. Chris Hirsch Ms. Clare Holden Ms. Ilse Holler Mr. G David Hopper Ms. Monna Hormel Ms. Joanne Huskey Mr. Hans Johnson Ms. Susan Johnson Dr. Ana Jonas Ms. Tammy Jones Mr. Gregg Jorgenson Mr. Robert Kelly Ms. Dale Keenan Ms. Kathleen Knox Ms. Cathy Koch Ms. Debra Kosmas Ms. Melanie Kover Ms. Nancy Kramer Mr. William Kruschel Ms. Rosanna Lane Ms. Jennifer Lazewski Mr. Ronald Leavitt Mr. M C Leske Ms. Janet Levine Ms. Joy Lewis Mr. Dale Lindermeier Mr. & Mrs. Bob Link Mr. Joseph Lipps Ms. Holly Logalbo Mr. & Mrs. Stan Lukowski Mr. & Mrs. Bob Lynch Ms. Gladys MacDonough Ms. Kathryn Mack Ms. Dorothy Madonna Ms. Dorothy Magen Mr. PJ Marinelli Mr. & Mrs. Ted Mascott Ms. Linda Marr

Mr. Alan Marsh Ms. Lisa Masters Ms. Linda Martin Mr. R Maurer Ms. Jane Mayer Ms. Ruth McCann Ms. Sandra McCay Ms. Madelyn McCullough Mr. William McCune Mr. & Mrs. Ed McGrath Mr. & Mrs. John McGraw Ms. Emma McIntyre Ms. Carol Merle Ms. Peg Merryman Ms. Marilyn Michales Ms. Rebecca Miller Mr. & Mrs. Ron Miner Mr. Robert Mohl Ms. Nancy Mores Ms. Judith Morgan Mr. Duncan Muir Ms. Klara Nagy Ms. Rosanne Nave Ms. Judy Nee Mr. Peter Nebolsine Mr. Dan Olson Mr. & Mrs. David Orr Ms. Roseanne Pawelec Ms. Jacquelyn Pierce Ms. Monica Pierce Ms. Betty Poirot Ms. Kelly Ponder Ms. Cindy Powers Ms. Marjorie Proske Mr. Luigi Querusio Ms. Darlene Raza Ms. Caroline Reich Ms. Nancy Reyelt Mr. Wesley Robinson Ms. Barbara Roche Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rojas Mr. Ira Rubenstein Ms. Gini Russell Ms. Vickie Rydz Mr. Fred Sasser Mr. Alan Schiffman Ms. Valerie Schmitt Mr. Richard Schrader Mr. Marvis Schultz Mr. Herbert Schuchman Ms. Tonia Selmeski Ms. Dianne Shanley Mr. Michael Shapiro

Mr. James Shaw Ms. Susan Schumann- Skehan Mr. Jeffrey Sherman Ms. Tessa Tilden-Smith Mr. Martin Sonkin Ms. Judy Spann Ms. Jane Spencer Ms. Beth Steward Mr. Robert Strutzel Ms. Patsy Svare Mr. & Mrs. Richard Sweere Ms. Lin Taylor Ms. Margaret Taylor Mr. & Mrs. Rich Taylor Ms. Frankie Tester Mr. & Mrs. Tom Tetreault Mr. Pete Thayer Mr. William Thomson Mr. Charles Town Ms. Becky Troop Mr. James Trunck Ms. Shirley Unatin Mr. Rodolphe Vallee Ms. Nancy Vandemeer Ms. Karen Victor Ms. Beverly Vining Ms. Judi Wade Mr. & Mrs. John Wehrle Ms. Judy Welch Mr. & Mrs. Derek White Ms. Judy Steiner-Williams Ms. Judith Wilson Ms. Virginia Winslett Ms. Carol Wolcott Ms. Mimi Wolok Ms. Curtis Wood

Audubon W E S T E R N E V E R G L A D E S

FY-2018/2019

A special thanks

to all our

supporters

and friends

who made this

commitment

to care.

Audubon W E S T E R N E V E R G L A D E S

Photo: Jean Hall

P.O. Box 1738 Naples, FL. 34106

Magnificent Reddish Egret. AWE’s signature bird.