Program Descriptions

For program offerings by calendar date, please check our Calendar.  Click here

For a Program Schedule for  March 2010, click here.  For April 2010, click here.

Birding the Preserves

Join experienced birders for outings on preserved lands. 2010 outings begin on January 8.  Click here for schedule.

When: Every Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. from January through March
Where: Call 472-2329 for schedule of outings and details of where to meet.
Fee: Free and open to all levels of birders; bring binoculars.

Bobcat Tales

While other wild feline species are in trouble, bobcats seem to be flourishing through most of their North American range.  No one knows how many bobcats there are on Sanibel and Captiva but  this adaptable feline's ability to survive close to humans may be one of the reasons for the bobcat's success.  Rats and mice can make up to 40% of the bobcat's diet. 

When: Call for dates and times. Offered year-round; check Program Schedule PDF at the top of this page for monthly schedule.
Where: SCCF Nature Center Auditorium
Fee: $5 per person.  Reservations are not required.

Kayaking in Pine Island Sound

Naturalist-led kayak outings in cooperation with Captiva Kayak Company. The cultural and natural history of the area is discussed along the way.

When:  Call for times and dates.
Where: Meet at Captiva Kayak Company.
Fee: $45/person. Reservations are required, call Captiva Kayak at 395-2925.

Butterfly House Tours

Learn about the life cycles of Florida’s native butterflies and their connections with native, host plants.  The Butterfly House is open year-round for self-guided tours.

When: Tuesdays at 10 a.m. from January through March
Where: Nature Center Butterfly House.
Fee: $1 donation

Caloosahatchee Oxbow & Riverlore Cruises

This 2.5 hour adventure begins by locking through the W.P. Franklin Lock in Olga and cruises through the meanders of the historic upriver Caloosahatchee.  Follow the river back to a time when a waterfall served as the headwaters of the Caloosahatchee and settlers braved living in the wilderness.  The tour is guided by Rae Ann Wessel, a river researcher, long-time river advocate, historian and SCCF Natural Resource Policy Director.  Cruises are aboard the 47-passenger Manatee Rover pontoon boat.  Click here for description.  Click here for 2009-2010 cruise dates  Click here for map & directions.

When: Friday, Nov. 27, 2009; Sundays Dec. 13, 2009.  In 2010:  Sundays, Jan. 24, Feb. 14 (Valentine's Day), March 14, April 11, May 9 (Mother's Day)
Where: Meet at W.P. Franklin Lock & Dam, reservations required.  Call 472-2329.
Fee:  $40 per person

Dolphin & Wildlife Adventure Cruises

Narrated by Conservation Foundation docents, this Captiva Cruises trip is an excellent way to enjoy dolphins, other wildlife, and learn the eco-history of Pine Island Sound and the islands.

When: Daily at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Boat departs from South Seas Resort.
Fee: $20/adult; $12.50 children 4-12; 3 and under free. Reservations required: 472-5300; check out website at www.captivacruises.com.

Fish House Boat Trip

Explore the hidden reaches of Pine Island Sound, cruising by historic fish houses and Demere Key. Learn about the history of fishing as it relates to Pine Island Sound and some of the research initiatives taking place today.

When: Call for dates and times.
Where: Boat departs from McCarthy’s Marina, Captiva.
Fee: $45 per person. Reservations required: 472-2329.

Frog Tales

Even though tadpoles actually lose their tails to become a frog, you are invoted to learn about the frogs of Sanibel and Captiva by attending a "Frog Tales" program.  Come and listen to frog calls heard during the summer rains and watch a frog eat a cricket.

When: June 11 and 25; July 2.  Call for additional dates and times or check Program Schedule PDF at the top of this page for monthly schedule.
Where: SCCF Nature Center Auditorium
Fee: $5 per person.  Reservations are not required.

Gator Tales

The biology of alligators is an ancient tale of survival.  Florida's history of gators and humans is closely intertwined.  Learn about these fascinating creatures and what we must do to ensure our safety and their survival on the islands.

When: Call for dates and times. Offered year-round; check Program Schedule PDF at the top of this page for monthly schedule.
Where: SCCF Nature Center Auditorium
Fee: $5 per person.  Reservations are not required.

Human Uses of Florida Native Plants

Take a guided tour through a garden filled with 90 species of Florida’s native plants. Learn how Calusa Indians in the past as well as Seminole and Caribbean cultures today still rely on Florida’s heritage of native plants for food, shelter, and medicine. The Ethnobotany garden is open for self-guided tours year-round.

When: Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. from January through March
Where: Ethnobotany garden.
Fee: Free to members and children, $5 for non-members.

Trail Walks: Explore Sanibel's Interior Wetlands

Docent-led walk through the interior wetlands and mid-island ridges of SCCF’s Center Tract with discussion of wildlife, native habitats, natural and cultural history, and preservation efforts. The trails and observation tower are open year-round for self-guided tours.

When: Trail Walks offered seasonally; in 2010, no guided Trail Walks offered after April 16.
Where: Meet at SCCF’s Nature Center.
Fee: Free to members; $3 entrance fee for adult non-members.

Resident Environmental Overview (REO)

This program introduces island residents and property-owners to the conservation community. Each four-hour session includes a tour of SCCF’s Nature Center, then travel to Captiva for a short boat excursion into Pine Island Sound.

When: Call for times and dates.
Where: SCCF’s Conference Room, Captiva, and Pine Island Sound.
Fee: Free but limited to residents only; call 472-2329 for reservations.*

Seagrass Wading Trips

This program explores the wonders living below the surface of an estuary. Participants will see critters up close, learn about the ecology of seagrass habitats, and find out what is being done to understand and protect these valuable nurseries of the sea.

When:  To be announced.  Offered January through March. 
Where: Location varies.
Fee: Free; bring old clothes/bathing suit, water shoes, hat, sunglasses, and towel; call 472-2329. Reservations required.

Stars Over Sanibel

Indulge your natural curiosity about the mysteries of the universe as we discuss constellations, our solar system, and distant stars within the Milky Way galaxy.

When: Wednesday evenings February through mid-March. Call 472-2329 for dates and times.
Where: Meet on the porch at the Nature Center, proceed to trails.
Fee: $5/adult; $2/child. Reservations required.

Take Me to the River

A program designed for children ages 5-12 to provide them an opportunity to learn about the important and fascinating aspects of wetlands by exploring and investigating Sanibel’s interior wetlands.

When: Dates and times to be announced.
Where: Center Tract trails and Sanibel River.
Fee: $5/adult, kids free; children must be accompanied by an adult; call 472-2329 for reservations. Reservations required.

Touch Tank

One of the favorite places for visitors and grandkids at the Nature Center is the touch tank, which now includes aquariums that are home to a variety of crabs plus some turtles.  The hermit crabs and spider crabs in the touch tank keep things lively, especially at feeding time.  The tulip and lightning whelk shells are always hungry for fighting conchs or king's crowns; the sea urchins move faster than you'd think possible when new algae or seagrass is added for their dining pleasure. The touch tank is including in Nature Center admission.

Tour de Preserves 

Bike tour to preserves owned and managed by the Foundation. Learn about the preservation of interior freshwater wetlands and the Sanibel River corridor, which provide both upland and wetland habitat for a diversity of wildlife.

When: Dates and times to be announced.
Where: Meet in the parking lot of SCCF’s Nature Center and bike to preserves.
Fee: Varies; call 472-2329 for details.

Turtle Tracks

A short video of a loggerhead sea turtle digging a nest and laying her eggs will initiate a discussion of the life cycle of the sea turtles that nest on our beaches. The discussion continues around our marine touch tank exhibit as participants learn about the animals that make up the diet of the loggerhead sea turtle. The program then proceeds to the beach to examine sea turtle nest habitat, shoreline dynamics, and aspects of other fascinating marine life.

When: Every Thursday at 9 a.m.  Offered year-round.
Where: Programs begin inside SCCF’s Nature Center at the sea turtle exhibit and marine touch tank, after which the participants go to Gulfside City Park for a beach walk.
Fee: Free to members and children; $5 for non-members; $2 beach parking fee may apply.

Weeds 'n Seeds

We are a group of amateur botanists who enjoy finding and identifying native plants on Sanibel.  Every January and February, we meet on Monday mornings on the SCCF porch at 8:45 p.m.  Our walks, visiting different locations on Sanibel, last for two hours and are guided by a leader with a plant list.  The walks are free but donations to SCCF are welcome.  Also, depending on the location visited, you may need parking money.  Please bring a hat, water, sunblock and comfortable, enclosed shoes with socks.  For further information please call Candice Ethridge at 395-9498, Betty Eertmoed at 395-9240 or Elaine Jacobson at 395-1878.  2010 outings begin on January 4.

When: Mondays in January and February at 8:45 a.m.
Where: Meet at SCCF’s Nature Center and drive to various locations on the island.
Fee: Free but donations to SCCF are welcome.