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Calusa Land Trust Chief Steward Robert Ballard addresses the crowd. PHOTO BY JOHN KENDALL
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Children playing one of the games at the CLT anniversary picnic. PHOTO BY JOHN KENDALL
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What began with a handful of dedicated individuals trying to preserve small Calusa Island in 1976 has matured into an island-wide land conservancy now protecting over 2,400 acres of Pine Island. The Calusa Land Trust celebrated its 50th anniversary on March 7 with an exuberant crowd of several hundred supporters at Fritts Park enjoying the beautiful weather, a pulled pork/BBQ chicken feast all to the entertainment of Isaac Holeva as emcee and the Brother Love band.
There were kids’ games, 50/50 drawings, CLT merchandise and the sharing of a spirit of comradeship unique to the Pine Island experience.
Of particular note were summaries by Chief Steward Robert Ballard and President Cheryl King on recent conservation efforts and the restoration of the new Chipley Sandpatch Preserve located across the street from the Bokeelia Post Office. Drive by and marvel how the land trust had acquired a tangled invasive plant dumping ground and is now returning it to its glory of its homestead in 1915.
For more up-to-date information, visit calusalandtrust.org.