Gretchen C. Valade Preserve honors longstanding donor
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation recently announced the acquisition of 2.2 acres of environmentally sensitive land off of Pine Avenue on Sanibel that was donated by the Valade family.
The Gretchen C. Valade Preserve honors one of the SCCF’s most innovative and longstanding donors, officials reported. A seasonal resident since 1980, Valade was the primary underwriter for the first five years of the Marine Lab’s operating plan and she also took a leadership role in inspiring others to give through challenge grants that matched public-sector funding.
“Preserving this wildlife habitat is the perfect way for our family to honor our mother’s longstanding support of SCCF’s conservation efforts on and around Sanibel and Captiva,” Mark Valade, her son, said.
The property contains uplands that are covered in shrubs and hardwoods, including the exotic Australian pine. The SCCF reported that there are a few active gopher tortoise burrows, but most have been choked out by the shade due to overgrowth of canopy trees. A lot of the ground is covered in Australian pine needles that have eliminated native groundcover plants.
“(The donation has) made it possible for us to acquire key parcels we had identified that are in need of re-wilding to restore native habitat for wildlife,” Chief Executive Officer Ryan Orgera said. “We are thrilled to have Gretchen’s name on one of our preserves to honor her legacy of giving.”
The thin section of the parcel along Sanibel-Captiva Road is a mixture of native and non-native hammock trees. The exotic Phoenix palm and more Australian pines will be removed or treated, so native vegetation can become the dominant species on the strip of land, the SCCF reported.
Restoration through exotics removal and strategic replanting of native flora of the larger section will allow sunlight to penetrate to the ground to allow tortoise forage plants, such as grasses, to thrive in the uplands. Tortoises will find the land much more suitable for burrowing after the restoration.
To donate to the SCCF Land Acquisition and Improvement Fund, contact SCCF Development Director Cheryl Giattini at cgiattini@sccf.org or 239-822-6121.