SIX MILE CYPRESS SLOUGH PRESERVE |
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| Address | Contact Information | Other Information | |
| 7791 Penzance Crossing Fort Myers, FL 33966 |
Mary Rude (239) 533-7555 rudeme@leegov.com |
Programs |
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| Directions | Staff | Events | |
| Google Map/Directions | Staff allocated to facility's budget | Events Calendar | |
| Hours | |||
Boardwalk Hours: Dawn - Dusk
Interpretive Center Hours: Tues-Sun, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Summer Camps and Scholarships Offered at the Six Mile Summer Naturalists Camp Ages: 10-12 Limit: 15 Cost: $57.00 ($51 if you register online) Dates: July 19th –23rd OR July 26th – 30th (The same information is covered each week) Times: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Description: Explore nature and learn techniques for spotting animals in the wild, identifying animal signs and tracks, and using all of your senses. Hands-on learning occurs in every session & will include using binoculars & artifacts. The week will culminate in a walk off-boardwalk tour as we experience the natural beauty of a Cypress Slough. What to wear: closed-toed shoes, light clothing and sunscreen. What to bring: water, healthy snacks and lunch, bandanna, sunscreen and bug repellent.
Wilderness Explorers Camp Ages 12-16 Limit: 20 Cost: $57.00 ($51 if you register online) Dates: August 9th–16th OR August 16th – 20th (The same information is covered each week) Times: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Description: This nature camp will provide campers with the opportunity to challenge themselves in the areas of wilderness survival, tracking, animal study, awareness games and nature skills. Examples of skills include: natural cordage, tracking, native crafts, as well as animal study, behavior and identification. What to wear: closed-toed shoes, light clothing and sunscreen. What to bring: water, healthy snacks and lunch, bandanna, sunscreen and bug repellent.
Check out the EXHIBITS in our Interpretive Center!  Interpretive Center View our Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Photo Gallery here.
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| Information | |||
The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is over 2,500 acres of a wetland ecosystem. A myriad of animals like otters, alligators, turtles, wading birds, and more live at the Slough (pronounced "slew") year round. Others, like migrating birds and butterflies use the Slough as a feeding area or a winter home.
Check out: "What is the Slough?" for Photo Gallery, Seasonal information, Tips for Finding Wildlife, Visitor Comments, the Ecosystem, Just for Kids, and more! The 1.2 mile elevated boardwalk is fully accessible. There are 5 observation decks for wildlife viewing and seating enclaves throughout the trail for quiet reflection. There is a self-guiding trail brochure the "Explorer's Companion", or visitors can take a guided walk with an experienced volunteer. The guided walk schedule is as follows: May-October: Wed only @ 9:30 a.m. April, November and December: Daily @ 9:30 a.m. January-March: Daily @ 9:30 a.m. AND 1:30 p.m. The facilities include picnic areas and restroom facilities and are open 7 days a week. Group tours and programs are available by reservation only. |
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| History | |||
In 1976 a group of Lee County students studying the role of forested wetland in Florida's ecology became alarmed at how fast these environmental treasures were disappearing to private interests. The students, known simply as "the Monday Group", envisioned a place where visitors could stroll amongst majestic cypress trees and catch the whisper of Florida's primordial past. They sought an oasis where guests could observe the vast array of plants and animals that can live in a place which is sometimes land, sometimes water, sometimes both. In such pristine surroundings they hoped that people could begin to learn how wetlands provide priceless, but often hidden benefits such as water purification and storage, natural flood control and wildlife habitat.
Knowing that Six-Mile Cypress Slough was under imminent threat from logging in the channeling away of its water, the Monday Group launched a daring campaign to save it for future generations. Lee County voters responded overwhelmingly by increasing their own taxes to purchase and convert the Slough into a preserve. But worthy causes are not always easily won. Much effort was needed throughout the 1980s to protect the Six-Mile Cypress watershed from the results of outside development (pollutants, draining off of vital water sources). The Lee County Board of Commissioners and South Florida Water Management District found themselves more than once battling to maintain the integrity of the Preserve's water source. These efforts culminated in 1991 with Lee County Parks and Recreation opening the Preserve's boardwalk and facilities to visitors. Today, Parks and Recreation remain challenged with balancing the needs of water conservation and wildlife management with the recreational needs of the public. As part of that, a growing cadre of volunteer naturalists educate the Preserve's many visitors as to the interrelationships of water, wildlife, plants, and man- fanning the flames of that torch set by Lee County students some two decades earlier. We invite you to come and experience the uniqueness that is Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. Take a step back into the Florida that used to be and glimpse a future replete with possibilities. |
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