CREW Conservation Area

This land provides critical Florida Panther habitat and is located within a high-priority wildlife corridor.

The Story

The protection was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the property’s owners, Dr. and Mrs. Ambrose D. Paré. In addition to donating the 10-acre easement, the Parés contributed to Big Waters' stewardship endowment fund which provides dedicated resources for the ongoing stewardship of the land. A few months later, inspired by their neighbors, Gerald and Irene Lichetefeld Neff, generously donated another 10 acres just 1,000 feet south of the 10-acre Paré property.

Why it Matters

This land is primary habitat for the critically endangered Florida panther of which only 120 to 230 adults remain in the wild. The protection bolsters the existing Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) preservation area and extends a high-priority wildlife corridor. CREW is managed by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and spans more than 60,000 acres across Lee and Collier Counties, providing natural flood protection, purifying our water, and recharging the aquifer. CREW also offers shelter to an abundance of native plants and wildlife, including several animals listed as species of greatest conservation need such as the Florida black bear, Florida panther, wood stork, and Big Cypress fox squirrel. The land is also near the Imperial River, which flows into the southern part of Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, a major conservation target in Southwest Florida.

Just the Facts

20

acres

Date Acquired

2022

Comprised of two separate 10 acre properties
Located near the Lee County line at the southwest corner of the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) preservation area which is managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)
Within a high-priority wildlife corridor