Gateway Women’s Club

SKYE MACDONALD, SCCF

GATEWAY WOMEN’S CLUB LEARNS ABOUT SANIBEL-CAPTIVA COASTAL WATCH FOUNDATION’S ADOPT-A-MANGROVE PROGRAM

STEPHANIE MENA

Skye MacDonald, Community Conservation Coordinator at the Sanibel Captiva Coastal Watch Foundation, spoke at a recent Gateway Women’s Club meeting. As part of Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s (SCCF) Adopt-A-Mangrove Program, attendees were invited to take home their own propagule, a baby mangrove, and care for them for a few months while they grow a bit more.

Syke’s formative years were spent on North Captiva, where she developed an early appreciation for coastal habitats. She was homeschooled through middle school on Captiva until her family moved full time to a farm in West Virginia.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies (minor in Biology) from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, Skye studied wetland ecology. During her senior year, Skye studied abroad in Panama, researching the impacts of marine protected areas on reef fish populations and local fishing practices.

After graduating, Skye filled the role of educator for Ding Darling’s program WoW (Wildlife on Wheels). She also taught middle school classes about marine mammals and the importance of environmental stewardship.

Today, Skye tends the Coastal Watch Mangrove Nursery, manages volunteer events, and helps conduct research with the Marine Lab on seagrass, mangrove, and oyster research.

Founded in 1967, SCCF’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. Their vision is a Southwest Florida where wildlife and natural habitats flourish in harmony with people and they are protected by science-based policies. In addition to mangrove restoration, they work to protect and restore oyster populations, monitor shorebirds and sea turtles, gather data and report on water quality, sea grass and estuary health, and protect land under their stewardship. They are a 501(c)(3) organization. Charity Navigator assigns them 100% and a 4-star rating.

By “adopting” mangroves and nurturing them in your own homes, you can contribute to the restoration of our local ecosystems. The mangroves you care for will eventually be returned to SCCF and planted at one of their shoreline restoration sites later this year.

If you’re eager to become a proud “Mangrove Mama” or a dedicated “Propagule Papa,” mark your calendars for upcoming Adopt-A-Mangrove events! SCCF will provide you with mangrove seedlings, soil, and a pot to get you started.

It’s undeniable that mangroves played a crucial role in protecting Sanibel during Hurricane Ian, and unfortunately, several mangroves throughout the area were lost and need to be restored. The Adopt-A-Mangrove program is just the beginning of the process to restore our shorelines.

Join us in preserving the beauty of Sanibel’s coastlines – one mangrove at a time. For more information and where to find the next program go to: adopt-a-mangrove program SCCF Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.