Home At Barefoot Beach

WELCOME TO YOUR BEACH!

WE HOPE YOU'LL VISIT OFTEN...

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Link to: Collier County Parks & Recreation Website

What is Barefoot Beach Preserve?

Barefoot Beach Preserve consists of 342 acres on a barrier island, separated from the mainland by mangrove swamps and tidal creeks. It is bordered on the west by 8,200 feet of Gulf of Mexico beach and sand dunes, and on the east by mangroves and tidal back bays. It is terminated at Wiggins Pass to the South. One of the last stretches of undeveloped beachfront land in South Florida, it remains as natural and unspoiled as it was hundreds of years ago. Rich vegetation and wildlife abound.

Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve

P. O. Box 564 ~ Bonita Springs, FL 34133

Help Support the Friends: Be A Friend - Buy A Brick

News and Upcoming Events

This year, the Friends of Barefoot Beach have opted to go to an online newsletter, rather than utilizing "snail mail" as we did in the past. If you would like to receive this newsletter in your email, you will need to register your email address with us. Won't you take a moment right now to do so? Then we'll do our best to keep you apprised of all that's happening at Barefoot Beach.

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Nature Notes - A Weekly Update by Sharon Truluck

Summer 2009 Weekly Ranger Led Programs (More Info)

Lecture Series ( 2009-2010 Lecture Series)

March 5th, 2010 - Next Annual Spring Membership Luncheon

Tidbits from Your President, Margaret Winn

With my first year now successfully behind me, I want to say what a privilege it has been to have been your president this past year. I look forward to the opportunity to serve as you President again in the year ahead. When I took office last October, I had some ambitious plans in mind, many of which we have seen accomplished, while others remain viable for the year ahead. I want to add, however, that none of these will be possible without the help and support of each of you reading this letter.

I look forward to working with the FOBBP board, a great team of docents, garden workers, trail workers, and others of you who do what you do behind the scenes, in the next year. Each of you are irreplaceable when it comes to meeting the goals and accomplishments of the Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve. Thanks go out to each of you who in any way participated in our successes this year! You guys are the Best!

In case you missed it, the Friends of Barefoot Beach was named the "Collier County Volunteer Group of the Year." We received a lovely trophy in recognition of this honor.. It is only through the endless hours of our many dedicated workers that we were so honored! Congratulations to each of you who helped make this possible! Also, Jan Bachrach was honored this year with a large plant in recognition of her over 1000 hours of service at the Collier County Annual Recognition Luncheon.

Just as an add-on, the children of Mike Davis Elementary School presented us a small wooden plaque in thanks for sponsoring their bus trips to the Preserve earlier this Spring. For many, this was the first time they had ever visited the beach. At least for me, this was as great an honor as the Collier County award.

The emphasis of the Friends and the County Staff in the coming year will be on the management of the Gopher Tortoise population at Barefoot Beach. Jill Kusba, one of our Directors, has prepared several videos showing the various life phases of the Gopher Tortoises, and they can be viewed by clicking here.

RECENT ADDITIONS AND CHANGES AT BAREFOOT BEACH PRESERVE....

Blue umbrellas have been installed on the picnic tables near the Nature Center. This should make for a more comfortable and enjoyable picnic experience when visiting Barefoot in the weeks and months ahead. We owe a huge thank you to the Club at Barefoot Beach for their generous donation of these umbrellas.

New speed bumps have been recently added to the second parking lot, to bring added awareness to the plight of the gopher tortoises. For sure, you are going to want to slowdown when traversing this area.

The eroded end of the Saylor Nature Trail has now been securely fenced off, to allow for vegetation to be renourished. A new connecting loop for the Saylor Trail was cut through by a full complement of the Parks and Recreation Department, and is now open for foot traffic.

We've were indeed blessed to have the volunteer support of a number of students from FGCU during the 2008-09 season. Svadana Vasic and Laura Andres are pictured here with Rosemary Putnam, following a long day of hard work, as they disassembled and redid the shell case for the Nature Center. A big thanks goes out to them and all the others who have so diligently worked throughout the season.

We now have a case for the DVD and VCR that can be locked, and will be installed in a location that allows for viewing, and this will enable us to leave the equipment there for use throughout the summer, when needs arise for which it can be used.

We will definitely continue to need of new folks to volunteer next season, so if you meet or talk to anyone through the summer months you feel might be a candidate, be sure and let us know!. Perhaps you may want to get involved yourself, if you are not already on the schedule. We typically have all our docents take part in the golf cart ride on the Saylor Trail with ranger Cindy Kavan. This can be a great learning experience. Ranger Jim Truluck's talk on the Boardwalk is not to be missed. And you can always visit with Ranger Mauricio, asking him whatever questions you might have. We have a great rapport with the Rangers at North Collier, and they will gladly bring us any programs or resources we might need,

You're going to want to visit the Learning Center, and note the progress on our Brick Walk, which, incidentally, has turned out to be a great fundraiser for the Friends, and will allow us to accomplish some of the things this year, that otherwise might not be possible. It's not too late for you to get involved by purchasing a brick. What a great gift or way to commemorate something or someone you care about. Several of our guys have volunteered to rebuild the display cases and spruce up the displays in the Learning Center through the summer months. It seems there's always something to be done at our Preserve.

We hope you will enjoy the summer, and then let's gear up for a new season! I so look forward to seeing each of you in the months ahead!

Margaret Winn, President

Getting to the Preserve?

2009-10 Lecture Series Schedule

December 12	Plants of Barefoot Beach	Mauricio Araquistain, Ranger
December 19	Nature in the News	Kate Eckman, NBC2
December 26	Gimbel the Gopher Tortoise (special "kid's" topic)	Kay Thorpe Bannon
January 2	Wildlife Rehab Center	Joanna Fitzgerald Vaught
jJanuary 9	Naples Zoo	David Tetzloff
January 16	Florida's Animals	David Piper
January 23	Inland Habitat	Larry Richardson and John Fitch
January 30	Coastal Habitat	John Fitch and Larry Richardson
February 6	Panthers	David Shindle
February 13	Shells of Barefoot	Jan Bachrach
February 20	Bird Migrations	Jerry Jackson
February 27	Master Naturalist Program	Martin Main
March 6	Everglades Wildlife	Ian Bartoszek
March 13	Seahorses	Gary Pettit
March 20	Terrapins	Phil Allman
March 27	Reptiles of Florida	Mary Toro
April 3	Frogs of Southwest Florida	Melinda Schuman
April 10	Hurricanes	Edwin Everham

Barefoot Beach Preserve is located along the Gulf of Mexico in the Northwest corner of Collier County. From either I-75 or Tamiami Trail (US 41), take Bonita Beach Road, west. Just before reaching the Gulf, turn left (South) onto Barefoot Beach Blvd. Pass through the gate (a stop is not required, except for commercial vehicles) and continue South through the residential area to the Preserve's North entrance gate. All vehicles except Collier residents displaying a permit are required to pay a small parking fee.

Each Saturday morning during season, at 10 AM, the Friends of Barefoot Beach are pleased to present lecturers on a variety of topics. All lectures are held in the Friends Learning Center and attendance at the lectures is free of charge and open to the public. Plan to come early, as seating is limited, and often means that latecomers will be left with standing room only. Check Out our schedule of lectures for the 2009-2010 season.

Who Are "The Friends?"

What Is Our Purpose?

Our organization is appropriately named, as it had its origin among friends and neighbors, Leon and Naida Eisenbud and Bobbie Hickman, Walking in the beach in the spring of 1990, they noted some Osprey's valiant efforts to build nests close by, and decided to help. A team effort that soon included the utility company, and a local builder, resulted in a platform nest atop a pole that was quickly occupied by an Osprey family. They decided they could do more, the Friends was born, and has been a growing team ever since; joined by any and all who are concerned with preservation of our precious marine and wetland environment.

Today the Friends of Barefoot Beach is a non profit organization of over 400 families, each of whom pays annual dues, and who are concerned about the preservation of the precious marine and wetland environment. Recently, a Foundation was established to help insure the financial base for many years into the new millennium.

	To preserve, protect and enhance natural features of the Preserve.
	To foster research and education endeavors at the Preserve.
	To secure volunteers to assist the County at Barefoot Beach Preserve.
	To distribute literature relating to the Preserve.

What Can You Do? We'd love for you to be a FRIEND!

Join "The Friends of Barefoot Beach Preserve!" or "Be A Friend - Buy A Brick." Your charitable gifts and dues can help to preserve this natural seashore ~ a home to creatures of the land, sea and air. There are also a great many opportunities to volunteer. Whether you'd like to volunteer or become a member, won't you print out a copy of our application form, and send it in today? (Download Membership Application)

What are we doing?

	Saylor Nature Trail ~ A mile long trail winding through the trees to Wiggins Pass provides the chance to view over 30 species of native vegetation all tagged and identified by the Friends. Friends members regularly groom the trail, clearing out exotic plants and replacing them with natural species. They've also erected directional signs, provided benches to sit, relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the trail as well as the Gulf, and identified vegetation and provided a descriptive booklet, with detailed trail maps. manual.
	Education ~ The Saturday morning lecture series features guest speakers who are experts on subjects ranging from shells to dolphins, eagles to tortoises, and early Florida Indian culture. For years, these popular lectures have played to overflow crowds. Other educational offerings include nature walks, canoe trips, guided cart tours for the physically challenged and elderly along the Saylor trail, all of which help to provide recreation and education on diversified subjects, primarily related to environmental topics for the benefit of thousands of local residents and visitors of all ages.
	Learning Center ~ Located in the heart of the Preserve, this structure is full of displays and literature, including an extensive shell collection. Built and maintained through private contributions, this structure has been built, staffed, and maintained by the Friends of Barefoot Beach, without the use of County, State, or Federal tax dollars.
	Displays ~ Individual members have developed posters and displays which are exhibited on wall-mounted cases and in free standing cabinets all year round. Unique shell collections are on permanent display. Plant specimens from the trail and marine species from the beach are displayed.
	Library ~ Maintained for the use of visitors who wish to identify specimens and explore books of interest for adults and children on elements of this natural habitat.
	Tortoise Sanctuary ~ We are continuing an ongoing study of population, distribution and habitat of the gopher tortoise, a threatened species which is protected from the inroads of civilization in the Preserve.
	Osprey Platforms ~ Three poles and platforms for Ospreys have been constructed and installed. In addition, ospreys have established a nest on the trail in a dead tree. Ospreys have taken possession and reared families in all the nests. You can see and hear them, as the call to one another, fish for food, and feed and raise their fledglings.
	Aquatic Butterfly Garden ~ Dedicated to founders, Naida and Leon Eisenbud, with ponds and waterfall, a beautiful butterfly garden that was constructed, planted, and is maintained with mostly native plant materials that attract butterflies of many species. Each spring, following a lecture on butterflies, additional specimens are released in a spectacular display. Thanks to a few dedicated volunteers, the garden is flourishing. More helping hands, however, are always welcome.
	Xeriscape Cactus Garden ~ Just to the South of the Nature Center, in vivid contrast to the Butterfly Garden, the friends also maintain a xeriscape (dry or cactus) garden,
	A Purple Martin Colony Apartment ~ Has been installed, however, we are still awaiting permanent "residents." Currently, these useful birds are only visitors to our bird houses, probably because of the close proximity of the ospreys.
	Cleanup ~ Friends regularly assist the County with Beach Cleanup.