Welcome to the Bat & Wildlife Natural Habitat Preserve

Visit our educational site at 24 Bayshore Circle to see how bat shelters make a big difference for our island bats

Why Every Bat House Matters on Our Island

After powerful hurricanes, many of Florida’s bats lose their natural roosting spots when old trees, palms, and deadwood are blown down or flooded. Without safe places to rest or raise their young, bat populations can decline just when they’re needed most to help control insects and restore ecological balance. Installing bat houses gives these displaced bats a secure, dry home — helping them recover, rebuild their colonies, and continue their vital work keeping Florida’s skies and ecosystems healthy.

Destroyed Bat Habitats

Where Bats Can Rest, Recover, and Thrive

Hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton brought powerful winds and flooding that devastated much of our island’s natural habitat — and bats were among those deeply affected. When storms destroy old trees, palms, and deadwood, bats lose their natural roosting spots, leaving them without safe places to rest or raise their young. By installing bat houses, we help replace what the storms have taken — giving these vital creatures a secure home while they continue their work keeping our island’s skies healthy and insect-free.

Mini Reef Program

Welcoming Bats

Not so scary after all.

Bats are often misunderstood, but they’re peaceful, remarkable creatures that quietly support the health of our coastal waterways. By reducing insects that can harm native vegetation and spread to fragile mangroves and seagrass beds, bats help protect the balance of life along our barrier islands. They’re shy by nature, keeping to themselves during the day, yet their nightly work strengthens the very ecosystems that make our islands thrive. Welcoming bats into our community means giving nature’s night flyers a safe home — and ensuring our coastal habitats continue to flourish.

Building Hope, One Bat House at a Time

Girl Scout Taking Action To Protect Our Local Wildlife

With hearts as big as their towering bat houses, Maya and Raina gave our island’s bats a new place to call home after hurricanes destroyed their natural shelters. Their generosity helps restore balance to our ecosystem — keeping mosquito populations in check and our nights peaceful. Thanks to their kindness and creativity, the bats — and our island — can thrive again.

Vertical Oyster Garden Program

Building Process

Volunteer Maya building Bat Houses for the Bocilla Islands

Girl Scout Taking Action To Protect Our Local Wildlife

Girl Scout Cadettes Maya and Raina C. have made a lasting impact on Don Pedro Island through their Silver Award project, “Bat Houses and Educational Signs for Bats.” Partnering with the Bocilla Islands Conservancy, the sisters built bat houses, created educational signage with QR codes, and inspired the community to protect local bat populations. Their work provides safe roosting spaces for bats that lost natural habitats after storms and raises awareness about the important role bats play in Florida’s ecosystems. Visit 24 Bayshore Circle to see the bat houses! Thank you Maya and Raina!

You’ll Be Amazed — Learn Why

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Volunteer’s In The Park

The resilience of our park reflects the incredible dedication of our volunteers. After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, they’ve worked tirelessly—clearing debris, re-mulching paths, replanting native species, and restoring hidden benches. Their efforts have renewed our artificial reef and Marine Life Park, helping us rebuild and celebrate the vibrant ecosystem that defines our island.

A big thank-you to our volunteers, Jim and Duane from Ohio, for sharing their skills and talents to install our new Bat Habitat Educational Sign in the Bat and Wildlife Natural Habitat Preserve. These educational signs help visitors learn about the importance of bats and other native wildlife to our island ecosystem. Your contribution helps us further our mission to protect, educate, and inspire through conservation.

Maya and Raina C. have made a lasting impact on Palm Island through their dedication to protecting wildlife and the environment. We’re deeply grateful for their stewardship of our island’s animal habitats—and for the way they carry their compassion for conservation far beyond our shores.

Young volunteers at our Bat & Wildlife Natural Habitat Preserve

Thank you to our young volunteers for helping install a Borrow Bin at the Bat and Wildlife Natural Habitat Preserve! The bin encouraged reuse by letting beachgoers borrow and return toys and gear—reducing single-use plastics on our island. Though it was later destroyed during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the spirit of this project continues to inspire conservation and community care.

Ways to Support Us

Join our conservation programs to protect and restore our island’s ecosystems. Volunteer your time and talents, make a donation to support essential resources, or participate in our adoption program by nurturing sea oats or mangrove propagules, or adopting a mini reef to aid in marine life restoration.

Volunteer

Donate

Adopt

Hand’s on Programs

Our programs are designed for volunteers eager to learn about the ecosystem! Participate in activities such as building Vertical Oyster Gardens, propagating mangroves, restoring shorelines, and planting sea oats. Unlike traditional lectures, these hands-on experiences allow you to engage directly with the environment and make a tangible impact.

Clean Islands

Volunteer Island Cleanup Team

The Clean Islands volunteer team is dedicated to preserving the beauty of our island. Our passionate group of volunteers comes together to clean vital areas, including easements and beach access points, ensuring our environment remains vibrant and accessible. Thanks to our generous community members and visitors, we have successfully removed approximately 10 tons of construction debris and 6 tons of vegetation, all fueled by the energy and big hearts of our volunteers. Join us in making a real difference—get involved and help us keep BOCILLA Island beautiful.

Our Past Events

Oysters For Clean Water

Coming this Fall 2025

Join us in this vital mission to protect and revitalize our aquatic ecosystems! VOGs consist of oyster shells strung together with lengths of rope, designed to hang below docks. Building on the success of our pilot projects at the Marine Life Park and Artificial Reef, we are excited to introduce our upcoming program this fall. This effort not only aims to enrich our park’s biodiversity but also encourages community members to establish similar gardens at their docks.

Learn More

Mini Reef Habitat Program

20 Mini Reefs were installed by Ocean Habitat on May 17, 2023 at the Artificial Reef & Marine Life Park.

If you have a dock, you can purchase your very own Mini Reef, and we’ll help you install it. And if you don’t have a dock, you can still join the fun by adopting a Mini Reef that will be installed at a host location or one of our parks. Best of all, you can adopt a portion of a Mini Reef — every contribution helps, and together we’ll build reefs that clean the water and bring marine life back to our islands. Each Mini Reef filters up to 30,000 gallons of seawater daily while creating a habitat for fish and other marine life.

Learn More

We are a Nationally Certified Wildlife Habitat!

We are proud to be a Nationally Certified Wildlife Habitat Community, recognizing that our community as a whole met the requirements by certifying 40 individual properties and providing ongoing education that supports and celebrates wildlife conservation.

Receiving a Certified Wildlife Habitat® designation from the National Wildlife Federation means that your property provides the essential elements wildlife need to thrive—food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices that support the local ecosystem. This certification recognizes your commitment to creating and maintaining a healthy environment where native plants and animals can flourish.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

Be the first to learn about our Island Living lecture series and exciting fundraisers, where we unite to support preservation and environmental education! Stay informed about our upcoming clean-up events and hands-on demonstrations in our parks, like creating oyster strings that benefit our beautiful shores!

Bocilla Islands Conservancy Overview
Bocilla Islands Conservancy is a public, nonprofit, non-political organization working in partnership with the residents of the Bocilla Islands chain, including Don Pedro Island, Knight Island, Little Gasparilla Island, and Thornton Key. Our mission is dedicated to the long-term preservation of open, undeveloped spaces and natural habitats across the Bocilla Islands. The Conservancy can customize conservation easements through land acquisition, ensuring sensitive habitats are preserved and protected to maintain the ecological balance of the islands.

Disclaimer:
The content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and reflects the views and opinions of Bocilla Islands Conservancy members. It is not intended as legal, financial, or professional advice. Bocilla Islands Conservancy assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or the accuracy of the information provided. Visitors are encouraged to consult qualified professionals regarding any concerns or decisions. By using this site, you agree that Bocilla Islands Conservancy and its contributors shall not be held liable for any actions taken based on the information presented here.