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Nearby Parks:
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Lovers Key State Park
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Estero Bay Preserve State Park
Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
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| National Park Contact Information: |
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Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge
1 Wildlife Drive
Sanibel, Florida 33957
Email: dingdarling@fws.gov
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| National Park Overview: |
| Matlacha Pass NWR, administered as a satellite refuge of J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR, is located within the Matlacha Pass Charlotte Harbor estuary, Lee County, Florida, approximately 8 miles northwest of Fort Myers. On September 26, 1908, three small islands were established as a ". . . preserve and breeding ground for native birds" by President Theodore Roosevelt through Executive Order 943.
Since then, the refuge has grown to 23 islands encompassing about 512 acres. The most recent addition of lands to the refuge was on April 10, 1991, when Public Land Order 6843 withdrew approximately 312 acres of public lands from surface entry and mining for 40 years for use by the USFWS. Designated by the State of Florida as an Aquatic Preserve, the refuge islands are part of a highly productive estuary which supports a diverse array of wildlife. The islands contain two basic vegetative zones, upland sand ridges and mangroves.
Fisherman Key, one of the largest islands of the refuge, once had fish camps and permanent residents on it. Several islands of the Matlacha Pass Refuge are used as roosting and nesting sites for a variety of wading and water birds. The beaches and shores provide loafing, feeding, and nesting areas for migratory ducks, shorebirds, gulls, and terns.
Ospreys, which are listed as a priority species in the Regional Resource Plan, can be observed nesting and feeding in Matlacha Pass area. Several endangered and threatened species benefit from the habitats described including: bald eagles, wood storks, sea turtles, and manatees. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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Canoe or Kayak access only.
Paddle the Great Calusa Blueway. Matlacha to Saint James City. www.GreatCalusaBlueway..com
Written by TigerPaw
5-Apr-2009
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| Related Links: |
| U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Southeast Region | Matlacha Pass NWR - The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working with others, is to conserve, protect, and ... Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge Louis Hinds Refuge Manager J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR ... | | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Southeast Region | Refuges - The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, working with others, is to conserve, protect, and ... Bay National Wildlife Refuge Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge Pine Island National ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - ... 7/93) Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge -- FL Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge -- FL Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge -- FL Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge -- FL Lake Woodruff ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Bird Checklists of the United States Master Table of Contents United States and Canada U.S. Canada Great Plains States Colorado -- Iowa -- Kansas -- Minnesota ... | | Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge - Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge Overview | | Online Checklists - ... Sanibel Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge Lake Woodruff National Wildlife ... | | Houseboating in southwestern Florida/Lee Island Coast - Tips for a houseboating vacation around southwestern Florida/Lee County. Ask your Florida nature and ... boat. The same is true of Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge in San Carlos Bay (at the ... | | NCBuy Travel Center - Discover America: Florida - Discover America and the great state of Florida. Learn more about the people, history, resources, and key travel destinations. | | Our Preserves - ... of St James City. The northern 40 acres has long been a part of the Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which is administered by the ?Ding? Darling NWR. The southern 8 acres, however ... |
| Directions: |
| Access to the waters surrounding the islands that make up Matlacha Pass NWR is by boat only. The islands are not accessible to visitors. Boaters should consult navigational charts and tide schedules before attempting to visit any waters surrounding the refuge. Numerous oyster bars and shallow back bay/estuary waters are difficult to navigate and fragile seagrass beds must not be damaged. The refuge can be located by boat via the intracoastal waterway south of Charlotte Harbor between the eastern boundary of Pine Island and western boundary of Cape Coral. For more information, contact the J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR, 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel, Florida 33957 or call (239) 472-1100. |
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