photo mosaic of Naples, Florida pier, Bayfront, Bayside, dolphin jumping, magenta orchid, water birds silhouetted against the sunset
Open for nearly 80 years, Everglades National Park can be challenging

Open for nearly 80 years, Everglades National Park can be challenging

Chad Gillis | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

The Everglades is a massive wetland system of millions of acres at the southern tip of Florida.

And Everglades National Park has about 1.5 million acres of it. So, how do you find your special place in the mainland’s southern-most national park?

You can sleep under the stars, rise early to catch the incoming tide and make landfall on shell-laden sandy deserted beaches.

Silvery mullet will burst from the glassy waters and splash down just feet from the stern of your kayak. A dolphin might surface a football field away and send misty air bursting from its blowhole.

Turquoise skies. Tropical weather sends a gentle breeze rolling over your shoulders.

Welcome to Everglades National Park, one of the nation’s great ecological treasures.

This is where brown pelicans crash onto the surface of the water like Kamikaze pilots, shoving their heads beneath in hopes of securing a meal.

Kingfishers, ibises, wood storks, various herons, roseate spoonbills, alligators, American crocodiles, otters, biting insects of all types and even black bears roam these woods and waters. The Everglades is a massive, wild place.

These remote waters and wetlands wrap around the southern tip of the state, encasing extreme southern Florida in a subtropical wilderness of swampy and sandy beaches.

What exactly is the Everglades? Enjoy the photos and read more on naplesnews.com.

Beachgoers beware: That pretty shell could land you in jail

Beachgoers beware: That pretty shell could land you in jail

Amy Bennett Williams | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Uh-oh. You’re strolling the beach, looking down and there it is: a gorgeous shell. You stoop low, pluck it up, then see that horse conch (or lightning whelk or giant cockle – whatever) has a living critter still inside,

It may be tempting to pop it in your bag, before going the ol’ boil-and-bleach route, but is it worth jail time?

Collecting a still-occupied shell can carry environmental consequences and, in Lee County, legal penalties. Many visitors remain unaware that removing most live shells is prohibited and can result in fines or jail time.

Instead of pocketing the mollusk, the best case scenario is snapping a quick photo (a shell-fie?) then gently replacing the shell below the waterline, so it can live to delight another day.

Bonus: If you’re in Lee County, you’ve also dodged a potential $500 fine and 60-day jail term for breaking the county’s live shell rules.

In Southwest Florida, shells are foundational – sometimes literally – read the full article on naplesnews.com to find out more.

 

Ave Maria could add thousands of homes, sparking resident concerns

Ave Maria could add thousands of homes, sparking resident concerns

 Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

The town of Ave Maria could grow by more than 2,000 acres.

On May 7, the Collier County Planning Commission voted nearly unanimously to recommend in favor of the expansion.

A final decision will be made by county commissioners. A hearing is scheduled for June 9.

Ave Maria Development LLLP (Limited Liability Limited Partnership) has applied to add 2,042 acres to the town. To do so, it needs approval to expand the boundaries of the already designated stewardship receiving area (SRA) for development from 5,928 acres to 7,970 acres.

The expansion would allow for more residential and commercial development.

Barron Collier Cos. is the force behind the town, in partnership with Tom Monaghan, the creator of Domino’s Pizza and founder of Ave Maria University.

Ave Maria: A first for Collier County development
Ave Maria was the first SRA and town to develop under the county’s Rural Lands Stewardship Area, or RLSA, program.

The voluntary program allows developers to build more intense towns and villages on property with lower conservation value, in exchange for preserving more environmentally sensitive land, through a credit system. The program is designed to prevent urban sprawl, addressing state concerns about the protection of wildlife and wetlands out east, dating back to the 1990s.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

Are you seeking a home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Collier commissioners unanimously approve new village in rural area

Collier commissioners unanimously approve new village in rural area

Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

Collier commissioners approved a longtime citrus grower’s plans to build a new village in rural Collier County.

On April 28, commissioners voted unanimously in favor of allowing Fort Myers-based Alico Inc. to create a stewardship receiving area on land where the company has grown and harvested oranges for decades.

The designation as a receiving area will allow Alico to develop a more than 1,400-acre village, known as Corkscrew Grove East, off Corkscrew Road, near State Road 82.

The planning commission recommended approval to county commissioners.

The village could have up to 4,502 residences and nearly 240,000 square feet of commercial uses, including retail shops, restaurants and medical offices, along with at least 45,020 square feet of civic spaces, which could be used for schools, churches and emergency services.

The village will include affordable housing.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

 

Collier planners back new village in rural area near Lee County line

Collier planners back new village in rural area near Lee County line

Laura Layden | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

A longtime citrus grower’s plans to build a new village in rural Collier County have cleared another regulatory hurdle.

On March 19, the Collier County Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of allowing Fort Myers-based Alico Inc. to create a stewardship receiving area on land where the company has grown and harvested oranges for decades.

The designation as a receiving area would allow Alico to develop a more than 1,400-acre village, known as Corkscrew Grove East.

The planning commission, sitting as the local planning agency and the Environmental Advisory Council, voted 4-0 to recommend approval to county commissioners, who will make the final decision.

The proposed village would have up to 4,502 residences and nearly 240,000 square feet of commercial uses, including retail shops, restaurants and medical offices, along with at least 45,020 square feet of civic spaces, which could be used for schools, churches and emergency services.

The village would include affordable housing.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

Are you seeking a home in the Bonita Springs – Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Sea cows are plying the Gulf again as coastal temperatures rise

Sea cows are plying the Gulf again as coastal temperatures rise

Chad Gillis | Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News

It’s that time of year ― the Florida manatee migration is underway.

Each spring thousands of manatees move from warm-water spring and winter havens to coastal bays, rivers and the Gulf beaches.

Wildlife experts are advising boaters and the public to be aware of the moving sea cows and some boating zone changes that will be in place April 1.

“During this time of year, manatees are more likely to be present in rivers, canals and nearshore waters,” a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission press release reads. “Manatees overwinter in Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites, and will gradually disperse from these winter habitats as water temperatures rise each spring.”

Lee County typically produces more boat kills than nearly any county in Florida, but Collier County waters account for far fewer deadly encounters.

The Endangered Species Coalition and Save the Manatee Club sent out a press release in favor of manatee protection zones.

“Manatees were one of the first animals protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1973, and their recovery is deeply connected to the Act,” said Susan Holmes, executive director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “When they were first listed, there were fewer than 1,000 manatees in the United States. Today, there are over 8,000 of these gentle giants.”

Read more about the manatees on naplesnews.com.