In 1976, a group of Lee County students studying the role of forested wetlands in Florida’s ecology became alarmed at how fast these environmental treasures were disappearing to private interests. The students, known as “the Monday Group,” envisioned a place where visitors could stroll among 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 live in a place that 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 and the channeling away of its water, the Monday Group launched a daring campaign to save the area 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 effects of outside development, such as pollutants and the draining off of vital water sources. The Lee County Board of County Commissioners and South Florida Water Management District found themselves battling to maintain the integrity of the preserve’s water source.

These efforts culminated in 1991 with the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation opening the preserve’s boardwalk and facilities to visitors. Today, the department remains challenged with balancing the needs of water conservation and wildlife management with the recreational needs of the public. A growing group of volunteer naturalists educate the preserve’s many visitors on the interrelationships of water, wildlife, plants and man – fanning the flames of the torch lit by Lee County students over two decades earlier.

Researched and compiled by Volunteer Naturalist Gayle Schmidt