Conservation

Conservation. City of Sanibel Heritage Trail. , A Leader in Conservation , Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist, visited Captiva Island in 1935. A leader in the conservation movement, Darling was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt to head the Bureau of Biological Survey (now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). One of Darling's major accomplishments was the creation of the Federal Duck Stamp Program to generate revenue for the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. Fascinated by the islands, Darling became a seasonal resident of Captiva. His efforts in conservation advocacy led to the establishment of the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge. , , A National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel , The Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge was created on December 1, 1945, during the administration of President Harry S. Truman. At the time, the refuge preserved 2,392 acres of mangrove forest adjacent to Tarpon Bay and Pine Island Sound. The refuge was renamed the National Wildlife Refuge in 1967 in honor of its principal advocate. Today, the 6,400-acre refuge protects one of the country's largest mangrove ecosystems as well as submerged seagrass beds, cordgrass marshes and West Indian hardwood hammocks. , , “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society , Established in 1982, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society raised funds for the Refuge's Visitor and Education Center, which opened in 1999. Its work includes financial support for conservation internships and scholarships, educational trails and exhibits, biological research, and land acquisition. , (captions) , An observation tower during the early years before the Refuge was named for J.N. “Ding” Darling. , , A raccoon enjoys the view of conservation lands from atop the Sanibel National Wildlife Headquarters sign in 1955.