Guest Commentary | Protecting our home: Wildlife conservation in Southwest Florida
Many people see Florida as a vacation destination. For my family and the more than 23 million people who call it home, it’s so much more. Florida is a diverse landscape of beaches and islands, the Everglades, freshwater lakes and exotic wildlife that are awe-inspiring. To continue enjoying its natural beauty, we must protect it. As a Floridian, I’m proud to work with local organizations to help protect our community and all the humans and creatures that call it home.
My husband, Geoff, and I have shaped our lives around giving back and supporting local initiatives. Over the past 29 years, Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands has proudly supported hundreds of local programs through volunteer work, board service and philanthropy. We believe that meaningful change starts at the local level.
One of our greatest passions is wildlife conservation. Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is a nationally respected teaching hospital and visitor education center dedicated to saving wildlife through state-of-the-art veterinary care, research, education and conservation medicine. Each year, CROW cares for more than 6,000 wildlife patients, including more than 200 different species of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. Supporting this work helps protect the wildlife that makes our region unique.
We are honored to be longtime supporters of CROW. For over two decades, we have championed the Taste of the Islands event, where we serve as a presenting sponsor and provide volunteers to help with event operations. The event brings together beloved local island restaurants in a friendly competition, with each showcasing signature menu items for the community to vote on, all while raising funds for a meaningful cause.
Since 2019, our bank has also served as the title sponsor of the annual “Wild About CROW” event, which brings together more than 200 like-minded animal lovers and advocates who share a commitment to protecting wildlife. This year’s event raised $300,000 for a complete rebuild of CROW’s North American river otter rehabilitation enclosure, which was the only remaining enclosure needing restoration after damages from Hurricane Ian.
In addition to sponsoring CROW’s Annual Report, we are especially proud to sponsor CROW’s Speaker Series program on invasive Burmese pythons. South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Lead Invasive Species Scientist and Python Program Manager Michael Kirkland shared critical insights into the devastating impact Burmese pythons have on the Florida Everglades. Bringing expert voices like his to our community is invaluable, as it’s rare to hear directly from the team who is setting the global standard for large-scale invasive snake eradication. As longtime sponsors and participants in the annual Florida Python Challenge in the Everglades, this issue is important and personal to us.
Organizations like CROW demonstrate how education and collaboration can make a real difference. Through expanding programming and public engagement, CROW empowers community members to learn, engage and take action. Tourists also play a vital role in our region’s success. With the support of local organizations, visitors will leave our area not only with further knowledge of our environment, but also a deeper appreciation of Florida’s unique ecosystem and the role we each play in protecting it.
As CROW continues to grow, we are proud to stand alongside them in advancing wildlife education throughout Southwest Florida. At a time when environmental challenges feel increasingly urgent, we’re proud to work together to help create lasting change. Whether through volunteering, advocacy or financial support, everyone can make a difference in their community. When we invest in our environment, we invest in the future of our community.
— Robbie Roepstorff is the president of Edison National Bank/Bank of the Islands.