When he starts his new job later this month, Paul Julian will have two high-powered bosses and a lofty goal: Improve Southwest Florida’s water quality.
Lee County s Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Collier s Conservancy of Southwest Florida teamed up to woo Julian away from his job as Everglades Technical Lead for the Florida Department of Environment Protection to join the nonprofit sector.
In his official role as hydrological modeler, the self-described science geek will use expertise he’s gained over the last decade of agency work to help the nonprofits form a unified front.
It’s the first time groups on the state’s west coast have created such a synergy to preserve and protect the region’s water resources. Hopes are high that joining forces this way will further their common goals.
SCCF, Conservancy of Southwest Florida hire water analyst
By SCCF - | Mar 12, 2021
PHOTO PROVIDED
Paul Julian
To further a commitment to regional water quality and Everglades restoration through a unified front, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Conservancy of Southwest Florida have partnered to hire a hydrological modeler.
“We better fulfill our west coast mission by pooling our resources and streamlining our efforts,” SCCF Chief Executive Officer Ryan Orgera said. “Doing so, we were able to hire a highly qualified data analyst who will move us more efficiently towards water quality solutions.”
On March 16, Paul Julian got to work. The goal of the partnership is to address a need for modeling expertise and data analysis in Southwest Florida. Work products will be shared between the non-profits.
SCCF launches new land acquisition campaign
By SCCF - | Mar 10, 2021
SCCF
For more than two decades, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation members have seen yellow ropes go up along property borders to signal that a new land acquisition campaign is launching.
The SCCF’s 2021 acquisition target? A 12-plus acre parcel featuring wetland habitat extending 1,800 feet back from Periwinkle Way to the freshwater river known locally as the Sanibel Slough, officials reported. Look for the bright yellow rope on the south side of Periwinkle between Purdy Drive and Martha’s Lane.
The property, dubbed Periwinkle Wetlands during the fundraising campaign, is home to more than 40 different animal species, countless invertebrates and hundreds of different native plants. Alligators, river otters and bobcats are among the wildlife that has been observed in the interior acreage.
Sea Level Rise Committee presents proposal before CEPD
By TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com - | Mar 9, 2021
The Captiva Erosion Prevention District’s commission recently heard from the Captiva Community Panel’s Sea Level Rise Committee about a funds request to continue with its adaption planning.
At a CEPD workshop on March 4, members of the panel’s SLR Committee presented the district commissioners with an Adaptation Alternatives Proposal prepared by its consultant, Cheryl Hapke of Integral Consulting, along with a request for the CEPD to partially fund or fund the $34,400 cost.
Panel Member and SLR Committee Chair Linda Laird kicked off the presentation by providing background on Hapke and her firm and an overview of their collaborative work done to date.
The final presentation for the season of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation s Evenings at the Homestead has been changed from the topic of fire to the