The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge was created to safeguard and enhance the pristine wildlife habitat of Sanibel Island, to protect endangered and threatened species, and to provide feeding, nesting, and roosting areas for migratory birds. Today, the refuge provides important habitat to over 238 species of birds. The refuge consists of over 6,400 acres of mangrove forest, submerged seagrass beds, cordgrass marshes, and West Indian hardwood hammocks. Approximately 2,800 acres of the refuge are designated by Congress as a Wilderness Area.

The goals of the project are to reduce traffic in the Refuge, lower emissions and lessen impacts to wildlife and the environment.  An additional goal of this project is to improve visitor mobility and accessibility and enhance visitor experience.  Based on public input received at the public meeting in January of this year, the project recommendation has been revised and is now considered a Refuge-Focused Locally Preferred Alternative. 

The project recommendation primarily focuses on supporting the Refuge with trail enhancements, wayfinding, and a “green” circulator (tram) to provide access to the Refuge and other environmental destinations on Sanibel-Captiva Road.  This “green” circulator would be designed to bring visitors to the Refuge from Island resorts and would not be a Sanibel Island public transit system with any connections to the mainland.  It will be designed to protect the environment and improve existing Refuge access and parking.  The “green” circulator will include off-line stops in existing parking facilities, so as not to impact Sanibel street traffic.  It will be designed to  provide  an enriched Refuge visitor experience, while reducing the number of visitor vehicles on City streets with the benefit of improved air quality and reduced disturbances to wildlife and environment.  The project recommendations also include trail surface enhancements, a new shared-use trail, launch improvements to the Commodore Creek Canoe Trail, expanded Refuge parking, additional wildlife crossings and pedestrian crossing safety improvements.

The public is invited to this public information meeting and to comment on the revised project recommendation.  Your participation continues to guide this project and we encourage you to join us again.

For more public involvement opportunities,
visit the Public Involvement page on this site.

 

Lee County Transit (LeeTran) in cooperation with its partners, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and the City of Sanibel, Florida, was awarded a grant through the Federal Transit Administration under the Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program (ATPPL). The program is designed to assist national parks and public lands (including wildlife refuges) in managing their visitation, while meeting the primary goal of providing sanctuary habitats for various wildlife. The goals of the ATPPL program are to:

• Conserve natural, historical, and cultural resources
• Reduce congestion and pollution
• Improve visitor mobility and accessibility
• Enhance the visitor experience

As one of the most visited refuges in the system, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge experiences high traffic volumes. This study is designed to explore appropriate and environmentally sensitive solutions for managing the volume of visitors and their transportation needs in order to achieve an appropriate balance between an enjoyable visitor experience and the potential resultant disturbance of wildlife.