Community members, business leaders, NGOs, and other water quality stakeholders gathered at the Sanibel Marriott Harbour Resort & Spa on July 11 to hear from Col. Brandon Bowman, incoming commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District. 

Leaders from SCCF, Captains For Clean Water, and the Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce spoke at the informal meet-and-greet event to thank outgoing commander Col. James Booth for all the progress he’s made during his tenure to improve regional water quality and strengthen partnerships across the state.

Among other programs, the Army Corps Jacksonville District is responsible for overseeing key Everglades restoration projects, as well as managing flows from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Estuaries. SCCF and our many partners are continually engaged with the district to provide scientific data and feedback to inform management decisions.

Col. Bowman addressed the crowd to say he looked forward to building on the relationships that Col. Booth has maintained, and to urge the community to keep the line of communication open.

“What I ask of you is to continue communicating with us, letting us know when we’re doing good, and also letting us know when we’re doing bad. We have thick skin,” Col. Bowman said. “It’s really going to take a team effort to continue delivering the program that we are entrusted with delivering.”