Cape Coral has secured a significant $900,000 grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) to permanently protect 1.34 acres of vital burrowing owl habitat. This grant will conserve five city-owned lots located between Tropicana Boulevard and Pine Island Road in northwest Cape Coral.
As part of the agreement, the city provided conservation easements for each lot to Big Waters Land Trust, a nonprofit organization responsible for maintaining these easements, ensuring the land remains protected indefinitely. While Big Waters Land Trust holds the easements, the City of Cape Coral will continue to own and manage these properties in collaboration with Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.
Burrowing owls, classified as threatened due to habitat loss, thrive on these properties. Cape Coral boasts Florida’s largest population of these small, ground-dwelling owls, estimated at approximately 1,000 nesting pairs. Protecting these lots is crucial to conserving the species, which relies heavily on open, treeless spaces for survival.
Funding for this landmark initiative stems from mitigation fees collected to offset the impacts of development on burrowing owl habitats. This grant marks the first time the FWC has provided this specific type of funding aimed at protecting the burrowing owl.
Big Waters Land Trust, headquartered in Osprey, Florida, has a strong track record, having protected over 20,000 acres across multiple counties including Lee, Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Collier, Hillsborough, Hardee, DeSoto, and Glades since its establishment in 2003.
