Our Work

Our Water, Our Land, Our Wildlife - Saving Southwest Florida matters to all of us...

For a visual reference of the areas in which we work, view our interactive map.

Protecting the quality of life in the region is very important to us. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has an outstanding team of environmental professionals dedicated to conserving the environment. To achieve our mission, we employ a multidisciplinary approach. Members of our environment policy team promote sound environmental policies based on the best technical, legal, and scientific information. Our staff biologists research the issues impacting our environment, while our naturalists interpret the information through a variety of educational programs.

The Conservancy uses the synergy of four teams to protect our water, land, and wildlife:

Science and Research

Scientists at the Conservancy have an active research agenda aimed at enhancing our understanding of ecosystems and associated wildlife in southwest Florida. The work of the Environmental Science team includes ecological research, and monitoring programs, restoration initiatives, collaboration with universities and state and federal agencies and community outreach. Water Quality monitoring, Western Everglades restoration and Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection are just some of the focus areas of the science team.

Policy and Advocacy

Ensuring that our region’s leaders have the tools to make informed decisions is a critical role of the Conservancy. The Environmental Policy team ensures the proper stewardship of Southwest Florida’s natural resources by actively taking on broad regional issues to make a difference, as well as collaborating with partners such as business, academic and government leaders. Smart growth, water issues and habitat protection are a few of the areas of focus for the policy team.

Wildlife Rehabilitation

The Wildlife Rehabilitation team is continually working to protect and rehabilitate native wild animals and when possible, reintroduce them to their natural habitat. The von Arx wildlife Hospital is on-site at the Conservancy Nature Center.

Environmental Education

The Conservancy has a number of strategic approaches to reach our communities. The Environmental Education team provides environmental education programs for students and adults, award-winning summer camps and manages the Dalton Discovery Center, which provides numerous interactive learning tools and hosts thousands of visitors each year.