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Cape Coral officials, Friends of Wildlife celebrate FWC grant to buy habitat lots; city to execute purchase without using city funds
Summary
City officials and volunteer conservation groups announced Feb. 19 that the city will execute a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Habitat Protection Grant to buy the first five lots for wildlife habitat, with no city funds involved.
Speakers at the Feb. 19 Cape Coral City Council meeting announced that the city will acquire the first five lots under a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Habitat Protection Grant to preserve wildlife habitat, and that no city funds will be used for the purchases.
Judy Mitchell, president of the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, told the council the group helped secure and coordinate the grant and related agreements among the city, FWC, the FWC Foundation and the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast. “Today, you have the opportunity to prove the first 5 lots by the Habitat Protection Grama. No city funds are being used to purchase these lots,” Mitchell said, noting the work took several years and included grant-writing and partnership-building.
Joanne Gruber, treasurer of the Cape Coral Wildlife Trust and a member of Friends of Wildlife, said the grant purchases will complement properties the trust already owns. She and other speakers invited council members to the Burrowing Owl Festival and related events at Rotary Park this weekend. Mitchell and Gruber emphasized that the work was a collaboration involving city staff, the city manager and volunteer advocates; Mitchell specifically thanked City Manager Mike Elshirs, a grant writer (Matt Granbell), the real estate staff, and Mayor Gunter.
City Manager Mike Elshirs later recognized citizen advocate Carl Vaux for his role in approaching FWC and helping bring grant funds back to the community. “Tonight, as another speaker said, is a great night for our community… we found a way to get it back,” the city manager said, and confirmed the city accepted the grant and is executing the purchase and related agreements.
Speakers also highlighted local outreach: the Friends of Wildlife said the Burrowing Owl Festival and environmental expedition will be held this Saturday at Rotary Park with opening ceremonies at about 10:50 a.m., and council members were thanked for RSVPs to attend. Speakers said the grant helps preserve burrowing tortoise and burrowing owl habitat and benefits eco-tourism and local conservation efforts.
No formal council vote on the purchase was recorded during public comment; staff confirmed the city had accepted the grant and was moving forward with execution of the agreement.
