On Aug. 19, participants in the second annual Preserving Paradise course gathered for their second day of programming.

Preserving Paradise is a collaborative initiative between SCCF, Captains for Clean Water, the Everglades Foundation, and the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce to bring together members of Southwest Florida’s business community to expand their knowledge on water quality and Everglades restoration. The first meeting was held Aug. 5, and there will be four more sessions through October.

Day two of the course focused on Everglades restoration and economic sustainability, with presentations from the Everglades Foundation Chief Economist Paul Hindsley, Ph.D., Captains for Clean Water Co-Founders Daniel Andrews and Chris Whitman, and SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis.

“The goal of the day was for participants to leave with a stronger understanding of the inextricable link between water quality, the economies of Southwest Florida, and our quality of life,” said SCCF Policy Associate Allie Pecenka. “Additionally, we all left with a better sense that we’re all in this fight together, and that the more people there are bringing light to these issues, the better chance we have at solving them.”

Participants started by exploring Everglades hydrology and ecology through various learning modalities featured in the Everglades Foundation’s Everglades Literacy Program. Personal accounts of business challenges faced during the 2018 water crisis were then shared before students dove further into how advocacy can make a difference, as told through the story behind the defeat of harmful Senate bill 2508 in 2022, highlighted by Captains for Clean Water.

Hindsley’s overview of the economic value of the Everglades gave powerful insight into the need for continued restoration, and the widespread benefits from it. This tied into DePaolis’ presentation on the findings of our 2024 Economic Report on Water Quality, a joint study commissioned by SCCF, Captains for Clean Water, and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida that provides powerful economic data on the cost of harmful algal blooms. 

“When business owners, organizational leaders, educators and community members are experts on water quality — and the economic costs of poor water quality — that’s when I believe we start to see real changes,” Pecenka said.

Attendees also heard from a panel of previous course participants on the business impacts of water quality. The panel included Kyle DeCicco (Sanibel Captiva Community Bank), Joe Harrity (Doc Ford’s) Calli Johnson DuPont (Island Store and Bailey’s General Store), Bill Robinson (Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of REALTORS), and Bill Waichulis (Pink Shell Beach Resort).

Finally, attendees were invited to attend an evening aboard the Lady Chadwick for a sunset cruise departing from McCarthy’s Marina.