Pop-Up Event at CREW this Saturday 5/9/2020

We miss seeing our CREW friends! 

Join us, the CREW Land & Water Trust staff at CREW Flint Pen Strand trails this Saturday, May 9th from 8-10 a.m. We can’t wait to see you so drive by to say HI or plan to take a hike and enjoy the trails. 

Brenda Brooks, our Executive Director will be in the Main parking lot (the big lot). You can catch up with Allison Vincent, our Communications Director out on the trails. If you’re into more bird watching and less hiking, be sure to head over to the Lakes Parking lot to say HI to our Education Coordinator, Jayne Johnston. Binoculars and guides will be available for you!

We will practice safe social distancing with face-cover, keeping at least 6 feet of separation at all times, and avoiding the trail “gauntlet” while hiking (see infographic above)

If you haven’t been to the newest CREW trail system here’s the address for CREW Flint Pen Strand – 15970 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 (left on dirt road)

See you on the CREW trails this Saturday!

SAVE THE DATE: CREW Concert & Silent Eco Auction

Buy Concert Tickets now!

CREW Land & Water Trust will host the 2020 CREW Concert Under the Stars on Saturday, February 29 from 5-9 p.m. at Riverside Park, located at 10450 Reynolds St. in Bonita Springs.

This year’s concert will raise money for our environmental education programs led at the CREW trails. These programs include field trips for all ages from area schools, classes from Florida Gulf Coast University and Nature’s Peace, a program that provides guided walks for people with Alzheimer’s disease and also visually impaired guests. Funds raised at this year’s concert will also go towards developing programs at Flint Pen Strand, the fourth CREW trail system that opened late last year.

The Silent Eco-Auction is a highlight of the fundraiser, offering attendees the opportunity to bid on a variety of nature-based items and experiences. “With over three-dozen eco-items to choose from, there is something for everyone,” noted Barbara Centola, Committee Chair for the CREW Trust Silent Eco-Auction. “People look forward to bidding so much we have to hold onto the bid sheets until the official start time.”

This year we have many new items in addition to old favorites. For the sportsperson, we have two fishing kayaks and a handcrafted fishing rod. For the art enthusiast, we have nature photography by News Press photographer Andrew West and an original oil painting by Ehren Fritz Gerhard titled “Summertime Swamp Walk”. If you’re looking for an experience, bid on the wildflower walk led by Brenda Thomas or the Eco Cruise with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

High Voltage Band returns for this year’s concert, playing everything from Motown’s greatest hits to today’s Top 40 songs. High Voltage Band has played for the NFL Players Association, Panasonic, The Boston Red Sox, Toyota, The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Foundation, Hope for Haiti and more.

The Rotary Club of Bonita Springs will sell wine and beer including craft beer from Momentum Brewhouse. Owner Brian Hahn is working to craft a unique brew in honor of CREW that will be served at the concert. Food vendors Haney’s, Cherie’s Sweet Treats and The Lunch Box will also be on-site.

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit and enjoy the concert; dogs and outside food and drink will not be permitted.

Sponsorship opportunities are available and include access to the VIP café. General admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate; children 12 and under are free.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit crewtrust.org.

For more information about the concert, silent eco-auction or to schedule interviews, please contact Allison Vincent at allison@crewtrust.org.

About CREW Land & Water Trust

The CREW Land & Water Trust is a private, nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW), a 60,000 acre watershed located in Southwest Florida and critical to maintaining the local water supply. The watershed stores and filters water which enhances our local water supply, reduces the risk of flooding in surrounding areas and provides essential wildlife habitat for many species of plants and animals. The CREW Land & Water Trust was founded in 1989 and helps to purchase land, assist with land management and provides quality environmental education programs for all ages. For more information, visit crewtrust.org.

ACT NOW- Upcoming CREW Events

Pine lily

CREW kicks off this season with three great Saturday events:

Fungi/Mushroom Hunt with Ben “Mykes logos” Dion- September 26th 

Ben Dion leads mushroom walkThis walk will feature an in-depth introduction into the world of fungi, a discussion about fungi and their roles at CREW, and hands-on mushroom hunting and field identification. It takes place at the CREW Marsh Trails off Corkscrew Road. Benjamin Dion is the founder of the Southwest Florida Mycological Society. Known as “Mykes logos” in the mushroom world, Dion is a local expert on the identification, use, and ecological role of various fungi in the Southwest Florida area.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fungimushroom-hunt-with-ben-mykes-logos-dion-

registration-17801231964

Fall Wildflower Walk with Brenda Thomas- October 3rd 

Join FGCU instructor and wildflower expert Brenda Thomas for this fabulous walk to identify fall-blooming flowers and grasses along the CREW Marsh Trails. The fall flowers are always spectacular after the wet growing season of summer. This is your chance to learn from someone whose passion for plants is unsurpassed!Pine lily

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-wildflower-walk-with-brenda-thomas-registration-18247392442

 

 

 

Florida’s Fabulous Spiders: A CREW Strolling Science Seminar- October 10th 

 This is CREW’s first Strolling Science Seminar- We are starting off the season with one of the top Spider Specialist, Dr. G.B. Edwards.

Do you know how many types of spiders are in the Florida and in world?  Do you know what the role of spiders are in nature?  Can you identify the few types of spiders that are medically important?  Do you know how to safely catch and release spiders in the home?  If the answer to any of these questions is NO, then this  program is for you.

We will go on a hike, looking for different kinds of spiders in their natural habitat.  In the fall, we should find many large orbweavers, but many other types of spiders as well.  Participants are encouraged to take photos, and in some cases, feed the spiders to observe their prey-capture behavior.  We will discuss do’s and don’ts of handling spiders!  Get all your questions about spiders answered!