Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) is a conservation area in Florida covering more than 60,000 acres in

Lee County, Florida Lee County is located in Southwest Florida on the Gulf Coast. As of the 2020 census, the population was 760,822. The county seat is Fort Myers (with a population of 86,395 as of the 2020 census), and the largest city is Cape Coral with an esti ...

and

Collier County, Florida Collier County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 375,752; an increase of 16.9% since the 2010 United States Census. Its county seat is East Naples, where the county offices were moved from E ...

. It provides habitat for species including the Florida panther,

snail kite The snail kite (''Rostrhamus sociabilis'') is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite, is now again placed in ''Helicolestes'', making ...

, bobcat, and

wood stork The wood stork (''Mycteria americana'') is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found ...

. Public trails are part of the preserve. CREW connects to various protected land areas. The property was purchased for conservation in 1990. The preserve includes a 2.5 mile boardwalk through old growth forest. White orchids and ancient cypress trees grow in the area. The

Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such orga ...

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a National Audubon Society sanctuary located in southwest Florida, north of Naples, Florida and east of Bonita Springs, in the United States. The sanctuary was established to protect one of the largest remaining stands ...

is central to the preserve. Invasive species, natural wildfires, and development are threats to the area. Andrew West has captured photographs of wildlife with trail cameras in the preserve including Florida panther, bobcat, wild hog, deer, and raccoon.https://www.news-press.com/picture-gallery/news/2022/06/26/patience-tinkering-pay-off-photographer-andrew-west-and-his-camera-trap/7741218001/

References

Protected areas of Collier County, Florida Protected areas of Lee County, Florida Nature reserves in Florida {{Protected-area-stub

See also

References