J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge - Florida
Posted by: 
wayahwoman
N 26° 26.734 W 082° 06.754
17R E 389076 N 2925508
This project was funded with grants from the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and the Department of Education in coordination with the Lee County Public Schools. It is a series of multicaches which guide your progress through the Wildlife Refuge.
Waymark Code: WM8F0T
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 03/23/2010
Views: 36
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 230 species of birds.
An editorial cartoonist with an eye toward conservation, Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling was instrumental in the effort to block the sale of a parcel of environmentally valuable land to developers on Sanibel Island. At Darling’s urging, President Harry S. Truman signed an Executive Order creating the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge in 1945.
The refuge was renamed in 1967 in honor of the pioneer conservationist. 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 refuge is one of Florida’s great shallow-water fisheries containing a rich variety of environments. An intricate maze of creeks, bayous, impoundments, grass flats, oyster bars, and mangrove thickets provides niches for virtually every species of salt and brackish-water fish found in South Florida’s inshore waters.
Whether you are hooked on cast netting mullet, jumping monster tarpon, or dunking a shrimp for a sheepshead, "Ding" has something for you. Fishing at "Ding" Darling can produce some of the best catches; especially if somebody is willing to kayak or canoe. One reason that the fishing is so wonderful at "Ding" Darling is that large portions of the refuge are off limits to motorized craft. There are strict usage regulations to preserve the area’s fragile ecology. The grasses and mangroves are rich nurseries for invertebrates and juvenile fish, providing the basis for a healthy marine ecosystem.
To begin your tour check in at the information desk at the "Ding" Darling Education Center to receive 5 multicache waypoints.
After you find at least 4 of the 5 Multi Caches that are located within the Refuge and answer the questions, return to the “Ding” Darling Education Center to receive a special token of your visit! Please remember that no collecting or leaving of anything is allowed at a Natural Wildlife Refuge.
NWR or Protected Planet Website: [Web Link]
Point of Interest (POI): Visitor Information
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Visit Instructions:
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