Refuge unveils Sprankle trail sign at new conservation tract
Jim Sprankle has made his mark on Sanibel and beyond in ways uncountable, the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge reported. His generosity in creating stunning wildlife sculptures has benefited organizations from F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, to SanCap Cares and Alliance for the Arts.
He has indicated that the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, however, is the cause closest to his heart. He has donated sculptures over the years valued at more than $2 million to support it.
“Jim’s contributions to ‘Ding’ Darling are immeasurable,” Birgie Miller, executive director of the DDWS — the refuge’s nonprofit arm — said. “He served as board president for many years, has volunteered since 1997 and has donated a number of sculptures and his famous Sprankle Feather Club pins for charity auction. In addition, a showcase full of his hand-carved duck decoys, each one of which sold for sponsorship dollars, and a whole flock of his bird sculptures decorate and educate at our ‘Ding’ Darling Visitor & Education Center.”
Longtime islanders and friends of Sprankle, Donna and John Schubert decided it was time the refuge and island showed proper gratitude for all that Sprankle has done to support island charities. They have made it possible to name a forthcoming trail at the refuge’s new Lee Anne Tauck Conservation Tract in his honor as the Jim Sprankle Nature Trail.
On March 25, the Schuberts, along refuge and DDWS staff and board members, surprised Sprankle with the unveiling of a sign that dedicates the future trail in his honor. It is located at the 68-acre tract that the DDWS, refuge and Lee County Conservation 20/20 worked together to acquire in 2017. The DDWS raised $3 million in private funding to complete the $6.5 million Lee County contributed. The refuge will maintain and restore the wetlands and uplands habitat, home to a myriad at-risk species.
The habitats serve as an important wildlife corridor between the refuge and other established conservation lands and as a tool for improving local water quality. From the beginning of its acquisition campaign, the refuge envisioned restoring the property — which had been city-approved for a development of 29 homes — as wetland habitat for various species of wading birds and other wildlife.
“This was the second such partnership with Lee County 20/20,” past DDWS President John McCabe, who led the capital campaigns to purchase it and an earlier 6.56-acre parcel at Woodring Point in 2013, said. “Jim, with his incredible community engagement, was instrumental in helping us raise funds for both acquisitions to be preserved in perpetuity.”
“Now that we have accomplished our preservation goal at the Wulfert Bayous, renamed for major donor Lee Anne Tauck, the refuge will enter into its restoration phase,” DDWS President Sarah Ashton said. “Our friends group paid for consultants, scientists and a professional federal grant writer to assist the refuge in submitting and ultimately securing a $5.3 million grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation in 2019 to begin work on restoring the 16 acres of mangrove wetlands for a bird rookery.”
The grant came from the NFWF Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund aimed at restoring bird populations affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010. The rookery will protect impacted species, like roseate spoonbills, white ibises, brown pelicans, wood storks, and a number of egrets and herons.
To support the planning for the first phase of restoration, the DDWS is sharing with the refuge the cost of hiring a staff biology technician to assist with surveys and other studies in the wetlands as the refuge puts the project out to bid to engineering firms.
Refuge staff believe the wetlands restoration will take several years, after which it will begin work on the tract’s uplands habitat — home to gopher tortoises, bobcats and other species. Part of the phase-two restoration will include the design and development of a limited, public access trail: the Sprankle trail.
“We don’t yet know what that trail will look like, but we do know it’s a fitting tribute to Jim Sprankle, who has done so much for conservation on Sanibel,” Miller said. “A big thanks to the Schuberts, who rightly saw that Jim deserves a permanent visible reminder of his contributions and want to encourage others also to support conservation and habitat protection for future generations. The Sprankle Trail will forever recognize a man who deeply loves the refuge.”
“Without philanthropic support, protection of this property would have never happened, and we would be looking at 29 homes and increased habitat degradation,” Ashton said. “Island residents, visitors, community leaders and elected county officials understand the importance of protecting what land is left on Sanibel, Captiva and around the world, and this is a perfect example of working together, leveraging support, and protecting vital and important habitat for our wildlife and our water quality.”
For more information on supporting the refuge and conservation through the DDWS, contact Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 232.