Our Mission
The purpose of the Environmental Council is to be knowledgeable of current environmental issues that potentially negatively affect the quality of life for residents of the greater Estero area and to counsel ECCL leadership on actions, options, and recommendations for improvement.
What we’re doing…
The ECCL Environment Council monitors threats to Southwest Florida habitats, wetlands, water quality, wildlife and any issue that affects the quality of the environment affecting Estero. We work with agencies including The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, and others to inform residents of actions they can take to preserve and protect our paradise.
Environment Campaigns…
Water Quality
DR/GR
Lake Okeechobee Releases
Algae Blooms
Red Tide
Flood Prevention
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Wildlife Protection
Florida Panther
Sea Turtle Nesting
Manatee Protection
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Limerock Mining
Protection of DR/GR
Traffic Impact
Blast Damage
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Parks & Public Lands
Preservation
Access
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Take Action
Important Water Quality Legislation in Florida’s House and Senate
Governor DeSantis appointed the Blue Green Algae Task Force in 2019 to “ensure that objective and sound science informs Florida’s environmental decision-making process.” They made their recommendations, and the resulting proposed legislation is currently being...
The DR/GR – What is it and why you should care about it
DR/GR stands for density reduction – groundwater resource. It is a large area of land (over 80,000 acres) just east of Estero that was established jointly in 1990 by the State of Florida and Lee County with the specific purpose of protecting the principal water supply...
Articles
Masks effective against Red Tide
Florida Gulf Coast University's Water School has determined that the same masks the public has worn during the pandemic appear to filter airborne red tide droplets. People susceptible to respiratory illnesses, or who are exposed for long periods of time may find some...
Troubled Waters: A Public Health Hazard We need to act!
Troubled Waters: A Public Health Hazard During the height of the 2018 Blue-Green Algae and Red Tide HAB (harmful algal bloom) crises in Southwest Florida, Calusa Waterkeeper met and interviewed many of the nation’s leading research scientists studying HABs, but also...
Septic System Care
Septic systems that are poorly cared for can leak harmful chemicals into the water basin that lies beneath all of Southwest Florida. In addition to saving you money, proper maintenance of a septic system can protect the environment. This link is a helpful guide.
Over Two Tons of Rubbish Collected Off Hwy 41 in Estero Since October!!
The team of volunteers participating in ECCL’s Adopt a Highway initiative have collected well over two tons of rubbish which has included litter, tires, pieces of metal and other miscellaneous items since they started the program in October last year. This weekend’s...
Important Water Quality Legislation in Florida’s House and Senate
Governor DeSantis appointed the Blue Green Algae Task Force in 2019 to “ensure that objective and sound science informs Florida’s environmental decision-making process.” They made their recommendations, and the resulting proposed legislation is currently being...
What impairs water quality in Southwest Florida?
The Calusa Waterkeeper conducted an assessment to understand the factors contributing to water quality impairment in Florida. The "Water Quality Impairment Status and Trends of Southwest Florida Counties - 2018-2020" assessment is essential for determining pollution...
Nancy O’Malley named ECCL Environmental Council Chair
Nancy O'Malley has taken on the role as the ECCL Environmental Council Chairperson, after Joe Micelli stepped down to spend more time lecturing at FGCU. Nancy, now retired, served as Chief Payment System Integrity Officer for MasterCard. She was responsible for...
Are Our Waters Safe?
The ECCL endorses the following article prepared by John Cassani the Calusa Waterkeeper. A key strategic focus for the ECCL is also water quality, pollution and the sustainability of our water supply. This becomes more and more important as our population in the...
Greater Estero Community Report: Qtr 1 2021
The ECCL wishes you a Very Happy New Year, and we hope that you continue to stay safe and well and benefit from the COVID vaccine "rollout" as soon as possible. We are pleased to provide you with the first of four planned GECR Reports for 2021. Our objective is to...
600 lbs. of Rubbish Collected on Hwy 41 in Estero
Volunteers Beat the Record! The team of volunteers participating in ECCL’s Adopt a Highway initiative this weekend helped to collect 600 lbs. of rubbish from Estero’s stretch of Hwy 41, bringing the total amount of litter collected over the last three months by...
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