Cape Coral City Council Poised to Approve $900,000 Burrowing Owl Grant

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) has good news! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Owl Habitat Protection Grant to the City of Cape Coral is on the consent agenda for approval at the City Council meeting Wednesday July 17.  The grant is the first of its kind and will provide up to $900,000 for purchase of land in Cape Coral for burrowing owl habitat.  Please join CCFW at the council meeting to witness and celebrate this momentous accomplishment for the wildlife of Cape Coral!

CCFW volunteers have been hard at work advocating for the grant for three long years, and we are finally approaching the finish line!  The funds derive from mitigation fees paid to FWC when residents and builders obtain incidental take permits to remove owl burrows from their land.  These mitigation fees are intended to compensate for the ensuing loss of burrowing owl habitat.  Therefore, it is very gratifying that the funds will be used to purchase land in right here in Cape Coral, where the majority of permits for burrow destruction are issued.  Individual lots with existing owl burrows will be purchased and owned by the city using the grant funding.  CCFW will provide maintenance, monitoring and reporting of each site.  

This grant presents a wonderful opportunity to preserve habitat for the wildlife in our city, and augments the more than 70 lots acquired by CCFW’s sister organization Cape Coral Wildlife Trust (CCWT).  Please join us at the City Council meeting to celebrate approval of the grant and express to the council our thanks and our support of the owls and wildlife conservation in Cape Coral.  The meeting is at City Council Chambers at 4:30 Wednesday, July 17.    

Directly after the vote, CCFW and CCWT invite the public to join a celebration at Maria’s Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant at 1224 SE 46th Lane in Cape Coral.  Once the council approves the grant, we will gather to cheer the victory for the wildlife.  We’ll also commemorate the acquisition of over 70 lots in Cape Coral by CCWT for burrowing owls, gopher tortoises and other wildlife, obtained through the hard work of our volunteers, generous donors and the public.  Even if you don’t attend the council meeting, we encourage everyone to join us at Maria’s Pizzeria from 5:30 – 8 PM, Wednesday July 17.  Maria’s Pizzeria will donate a portion of everything you purchase to CCFW.  

Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is an all-volunteer organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance the habitats of protected wildlife species and to educate the community about Cape Coral’s wildlife resources.  If you are interested in donating to support Cape Coral’s wildlife, joining or volunteering, please visit our website ccfriendsofwildlife.org or call 239 980-2593.