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Natural Awakenings Naples and Fort Myers

Cypress Cove Conservancy: Saving and Preserving Southwest Florida’s Remaining Wild Lands

Feb 29, 2016 02:44PM ● By J. F. Walker

Giving local residents opportunities to reconnect with nature and celebrate Mother Earth in a creative, educational and fun environment has been the heart and soul of the Earth Day Festival (now known as the Cypress Cove Conservancy Planet Earth Art and Music Festival) since it began in 2001. “Throughout this year’s festival activities at Koreshan State Historic Site on April 2, we’re giving festival-goers all that they’ve enjoyed in the past with an important addition—innumerable chances to hear an important message regarding the urgent need to help financially support Cypress Cove Conservancy (CCC) in taking action to protect and preserve our fragile southwest Florida wildlife and wild lands. It’s obvious that due to dwindling agricultural acreage and high-density development in our urban corridors, our wildlife and wild lands are quickly disappearing,” says Bobbie Lee Davenport, president and founder of CCC, which is cohosting the festival with the Responsible Growth Management Coalition (RGMC).  

Davenport is recognized in Florida for her environmental activism and service to organizations such as Sierra Club Calusa Group, RGMC, Environmental Confederation of South West Florida Save Our Creeks and the Agency for Bay Management. Emboldened by the destruction of ecosystems and disappearing species, Davenport established CCC, which recently received nonprofit status. It also gave her the inspiration she needed to recruit influential individuals for CCC’s board of directors and advisory board. “We needed individuals who are passionate, experienced and known for their work in the preservation, restoration and/or improvement of the land ethic, environmental ethics, biodiversity and ecology of our area’s unique natural environment. I also wanted potential donors to read through our advisory board members’ qualifications and get a sense that we are a committed and unswerving group of people who are serious about raising funds to purchase and preserve large tracks of land that are habitat for listed and endangered species as such as Florida panther, as well as wetlands and marshes that are home to countless native species critically important for biodiversity,” says Davenport.

CCC is carrying on the lifelong efforts of Ellen Peterson [1923-2011], well-known environmentalist and founder of Happehatchee Center, in Estero. “Ellen would be very proud of CCC’s first efforts to fundraise for the purpose of purchasing a 200-acre tract of land that will help form a wildlife corridor in southeastern Collier County. The tract’s dwelling can serve as a nature center for educational programs that inform children and adults. Beautiful nature trails will also give the general public much to enjoy. We are presently in talks with the Trust for Public Lands and recently met with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, as well as Conservation Collier, to talk about a joint ventures and working together. As a grassroots organization, it’s more effective to work towards a mutual goal with other environmental groups and individuals,” advises Davenport.

“Our message to the general public is simple—Together we can make a difference. If every caring individual stepped up to donate little as $25 to $100 per year, CCC would be able to raise millions of dollars and make our collective vision of preservation and conservation a reality,” enthuses Davenport.

For more information on Planet Earth Festival at Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd., Estero, and Cypress Cove Conservancy, contact Bobbie Lee Davenport at 239-777-0186 or visit CypressCoveConservancy.com.