Welcome

The EcoEducational & Island Conservancy Park is a great way to start your journey into the native flora and fauna right here on our island! Follow the paths, stop and smell the flowers, look for wildlife, and appreciate our whimsical gnomes.

Native Plants Wildlife Find the Gnomes

Discover Our Native Plants

Visit the park to explore even more of our island’s native flora and fauna, from unique coastal plants to the wildlife that depends on them.

Beautyberry

Animal Food Source

Beautyberry is an essential food source for small mammals and birds, while also serving as a larval host for butterflies and providing nectar for pollinators like bees. With its vibrant purple berries and lush green foliage, it adds stunning visual appeal to Florida’s landscape and makes a lovely addition to any garden.

Muhly Grass

Soil Stabilizer

Muhly grass provides vital habitat for various wildlife, including small mammals and birds. Additionally, it aids in soil stabilization and helps filter water for septic fields, making it a practical choice for landscaping. By incorporating muhly grass into your garden, you enhance the beauty and functionality of your outdoor space while supporting local wildlife.

Red Cedar

Bird Canopy

Red cedar provides critical shelter and food for various wildlife, including birds and small mammals, while its aromatic wood attracts pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Additionally, with its attractive foliage and striking form, red cedar enhances the beauty of Florida’s landscapes and is a wonderful choice for gardens.

Florida Friendly Landscaping APP

A Fun APP For Finding Native Plants

Loaded with information on over 450 Florida-friendly plants, the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ plant app is your perfect guide to the right native and ornamental plants for a resilient, sustainable Florida landscape. The app makes it easy to select plants suited to your part of the state, then helps you sort through them based on their full-grown size, shape, flower color, sun/shade needs, drought/water tolerance, and more.

Get the App

Discover Our Local Wildlife

We encourage you to take time to appreciate the landscape that serves as the wildlife’s natural habitat and explore the plants that support them—it’s part of what makes this island so unique, especially with its lack of manicured gardens and paved roads. Keep an eye out for bobcats, woodpeckers, and the protected gopher tortoise!

Gopher Tortoise

Florida Protected Species

The Florida gopher tortoise is a protected species primarily due to habitat loss and the challenges it faces in our ecosystem. Driving slowly on the island is vital because cars are the number one threat to these vulnerable tortoises, which only begin to reproduce when they’re 12 to 15 years old. Protecting them helps sustain the ecosystem by ensuring the health of the burrows they create, which provide shelter for many other species.

Woodpecker

Aid in insect control and tree health

Did you know that woodpeckers play a vital role in our ecosystem by controlling insect populations, promoting tree health by creating cavities that allow trees to heal from damage, and assisting in seed dispersal? See if you can spot a woodpecker looking for insects!

Barred Owl

Natural Pest Control

On barrier islands like those on Don Pedro Island, Barred Owls serve as important natural pest control. They feed on rodents such as rats and mice that might otherwise disturb native bird nests, damage vegetation, or compete with native species. By keeping these populations in check, Barred Owls help sustain the delicate balance between flora and fauna in small, isolated island habitats.

Find All Your Gnomees!

Welcome to gnome scavenger hunt! Grab your family and prepare for a delightful adventure as you explore the park, searching high and low for all the whimsical gnomes scattered throughout. While you hunt, take a moment to appreciate the beautiful plants around you, including a special coffee bean plant hidden among the greenery. Let the gnome-hunting fun begin!

Gnome in a Tree

Hint: Hiding in a Cabbage Palm

Relaxing Gnome

Hint: Near the bridge

Starfish Gnome

Hint: On the path

Gator Fan Gnome

Hint: In a shady spot

Guitar Gnome

Hint: On the path

Doctor Gnome

Hint: By the coffee bush

Download the Gnome List here, print it out, and start hunting!

Gnome List

Ways to Support Us

Experience the joy of making a difference with hands-on activities in our conservation programs! Sign up on our calendar and invite friends and family to join you in protecting and restoring our island’s precious ecosystems.

Volunteer

Donate

Adopt

Past Island Living Lecture Series

From the sea floor to the sky: Protecting our island treasures.

The Island Lecture Series is a fun social gathering to meet, mingle, and learn. It is an opportunity to explore interesting topics that highlight our island’s unique environment, the importance of land conservation & other interests of our island community.

Protect the Sea Turtles

From Spring 2025

Did you know sea turtles don’t even begin to reproduce until they’re 25 years old? That’s just one reason protecting their nests is so critical. We’ve highlighted key insights from a recent discussion with Carol McCoy of the Coastal Wildlife Club — from monitoring and Lights Out efforts to the hidden threats of microplastics.

Save the Sea Turtles

Save the Sea Grass

From Spring 2025

Did you know underwater seagrass can capture carbon up to 35 times more efficiently than a rainforest? These meadows don’t just clean our air — they also feed fisheries, clear our waters, and protect Charlotte Harbor’s shoreline.

Save the Seagrass

Protect the Shore Birds

From Spring 2025

Did you know many Florida shorebirds nest directly on the sand and in fragile dunes? In a recent lecture, bird specialist Mike Weisensee explained how giving these areas space during nesting season helps protect eggs and chicks — and allows us to share the beach while safeguarding their habitats.

Protect the Shore Birds

Volunteer’s In The Park

Our volunteers have brought the park back to life—clearing debris, refreshing paths, replanting natives, and restoring our beloved gnomes. They also create hands-on educational programs for children, like our Gnome Discovery Program, where each gnome helps teach about the native plants and habitats that make our island so special.

Spencer’s dedication shines through in the installation of our new Lending Library at the Eco-Educational and Island Conservancy Park — lovingly known as the Gnome Garden. His hard work and care have created a wonderful addition for our community to enjoy, and we’re truly grateful for his generosity and the spirit he brings to our island!

A big thank-you to one of the co-founders of Bocilla Islands Conservancy, Barbara Deyulio, and volunteer Heather for helping children paint gnomes during the Kjell Plotkin and Judy-led program at our Eco-Educational Island Conservancy Park. This fun, hands-on activity invites children to explore the park’s flora and fauna.

Volunteer Judy Galloway with children writing a book.

A special thank-you to Judy Galloway for her dedication to education and inspiring the next generation of conservationists. During her program at our Eco-Educational Island Conservancy Park, children learned about protecting wildlife and even created a hands-on project—writing their own book together about conservation.

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.