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Interpretive Center
The Friends of the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the Preserve for future generations through education and community partnerships. As a partner with Lee County Parks and Recreation Department the funds for the Interpretive Center were raised, and the common goal of the Friends and Lee County of building an Interpretive Center at the Preserve has been achieved.
It was anticipated that the building would have a profound impact on the environment and has been built as a “green” building, Lee County’s first certified green building. It was through donations from the Friends organization that Lee County was able to proceed with the LEED Green Building Certification.
Displays in the main room of the Interpretive Center provide an introduction to the wonders of the Slough. These displays can also answer many of the questions that are a result of a volunteer guided walk or a self guided walk on the boardwalk. Donations received through the Friends were also included in the funding for the displays.
The new building has on site offices for Preserve staff and volunteers. The front desk and Friends Corner, a shop for Slough related items for purchase, are staffed by volunteer naturalists and Friends members.
The Interpretive Center also provides facilities for educational programs and camps for adults and school children through out the year.
The building has a volunteer resource library, the Blake Cadkin Memorial Resource Room. Resources for this room were made possible by the Cadkin Foundation. There is computer internet access as well as resource books, DVDs and CDs for the use of the volunteers in their constant quest for knowledge and answers to help the myriad of visitors to the Slough and the resulting questions!
Friends Corner is a shop that has Slough related items for purchase by the visitors. All proceeds from the shop are used for the Friends mission to preserve, protect and promote the Slough and for use in providing exhibits and programs as needed by staff and volunteers.
Because building construction can have such a profound impact on the environment, the Interpretive Center at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve will be a green building. A certified green building is one that has minimal negative effects on the environment, achieved through the careful selection of materials, construction methods, energy use strategies and maintenance practices.
If you would like to make a contribution to the Interpretive Center, see Donate.
