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Annual 60-Day ORV Closure for Wheeled Vehicles
Beginning at 12:01 am Monday, June 3, the annual 60-day recreational ORV closure for all units of the Preserve that allow for wheeled ORV access will begin. The closure will be lifted on Friday, August 2. More »
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Campground Closures
Beginning Monday, May 13 through Friday, August 16 camping will be available at the Midway Campground and the “loop” in the Bear Island Campground within Big Cypress National Preserve. All other established campgrounds will be closed. More »
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Interstate 75 Mile Marker 63 Closure
Beginning summer of 2013 the rest area and backcountry access at mile marker 63 will be closed due to construction. More »
LCEC and Big Cypress National Preserve partner together to install osprey platforms
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Osprey are often seen perched on "snags" (dead trees) along Florida's roadways.
Jan Shirey, NPS Volunteer
Contact: Bob DeGross, 239-695-1107 On Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. a Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) lineman and Big Cypress National Preserve staff will be installing two osprey nest platforms at the Big Cypress National Preserve Headquarters located at 33100 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee, FL. This will be a joint effort between the two organizations to provide safe habitats away from power lines for the osprey through the LCEC Osprey Protection Program. Working with customers, the International Osprey Foundation and other partners, platforms are placed in locations where birds can safely nest without the threat of a power interruption or contact with electrical lines. During the project an LCEC Lineman will install two osprey platforms built by the Big Cypress National Preserve staff onto LCEC donated poles. The platforms will be placed in two different locations near the Big Cypress National Preserve Headquarters. For more information on the Osprey Protection Program or to request specs on how to build an osprey platform, LCEC customers can call (239) 656-2202. After the platform is built, LCEC will provide the pole and manpower to safely install the platform. Ospreys typically construct stick nests in live trees or snags between December and May each year in Florida. In the absence of naturally occurring nesting structures, they often build nests on man made objects (i.e. utility poles), often becoming injured. Artificial nest platforms are installed to aid the Osprey in avoiding injury and assist in their reproductive success. Special thanks to Home Depot of Naples for generously donating materials for platform construction. For More Information Contact Bob DeGross, Chief of Public Affairs, Big Cypress National Preserve, 239-695-1107 Karen Ryan, Public Relations Manager, LCEC, 239-656-2204 Laura Zocki, Public Relations Specialist, LCEC, 239-656-2202 |
Did You Know?
Feeding alligators creates nuisance alligators. Every year alligators that have been fed by visitors begin to lose their fear of humans. If these animals become aggresive they are killed to ensure visitor safety. To avoid this tragic end for these unique animals DO NOT FEED THEM.