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Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

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Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Nonprofit Organization, 10941 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda, FL.
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The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing environmental education, recreation, and conservation efforts to the local community and beyond.

08/30/2026

Thanks for tuning into another ! Today we're diving beneath the new mangroves CHEC planted to explore a popular and ecologically important Florida fish.

The mangrove snapper (Lutjanus griseus), also known as the gray snapper, is a versatile and adaptable species found in mangrove forests, seagrass beds, estuaries, and offshore reefs. Juveniles typically shelter in the tangled roots of mangroves, where they find abundant food and protection from predators.

Its not all peaceful in natures nursery however. Mangrove snappers can produce grunting and clicking sounds for communication during mating or territorial spats. This includes younger fish and even larvae! The larvae can even make knock and growl sounds like grown fish. They also found that mangrove snappers are much more vocal at night. I would hate to be their neighbor!

Mangrove snappers are opportunistic feeders, consuming small fish, crustaceans, and shrimp. They are also nocturnal hunters! Mangrove snappers see great in low light conditions thanks to a reflective layer in the back of their retina called the tapetum lucidum. This layer helps them feed on shrimp and crabs during the night, using their sharp canine teeth. Their presence in nearshore habitats is a sign of a healthy coastal ecosystem. As they mature, many move to offshore reefs where they join larger schools and contribute to the balance of reef communities.

These fish are not only important ecologically but also economically, supporting both recreational and commercial fisheries in Florida. Proper management of mangrove habitats and sustainable fishing practices help ensure healthy populations for future generations.

08/23/2026

Welcome back to ! This week’s species is a cheerful native plant that brightens Florida’s coastline year-round, even during rainy season. Ladies and gentlemen, the beach sunflower! 🌻

The beach sunflower (Helianthus debilis), also known as the dune sunflower, is a low-growing, salt-tolerant plant with bright yellow blooms that resemble teeny tiny sunflowers. Found along dunes, coastal roadsides, and sandy open areas, it thrives in hot, sunny environments and poor, well-drained soils.

In Florida, we have three sub species of dune sunflower, varying in height and size. From Pinellas County down to Lee, we see the Helianthus debilis subsp. vestitus or the west coast dune sunflower, which is 2 to 6 inches tall.

No matter the size, beach sunflower provides valuable nectar for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators while offering seeds that feed birds and small wildlife. Its sprawling growth helps anchor sand and reduce erosion, making it a key species for dune stabilization and restoration.

These guys also are not only beautiful, but reactive! The flower heads of the beach sunflower always follow the sun throughout the day. Talk about a real head turner!

Because it requires little maintenance and attracts abundant wildlife, beach sunflower is a favorite in native landscaping projects. Planting this sunny wildflower supports pollinators, beats erosion, and adds vibrant color to Florida’s natural and urban coastal settings.

08/17/2026

Our team got their boots muddy for mangroves in our latest restoration project!💚🌊

Mangroves provide critical nesting and nursery sites for a wide variety of species, from wading birds to fish to crustaceans and shellfish. Even sharks and the endangered smalltooth sawfish utilize mangrove habitats as a safe place for their pups to grow up. They also support the little guys too, like oysters, a keystone species that filters up to 50 gallons of water a day.

Not only are mangroves a vital habitat, but their large canopies and dense root systems also help to protect our coasts from hurricanes by reducing wind impact, wave energy, and preventing shoreline erosion. The more we protect the mangroves, the more we protect ourselves.

Unfortunately, Charlotte Harbor has lost over 60% of its historical mangrove habitat due to coastal development, so they need our help more than ever. Thanks to the help of some awesome volunteers, there are now more red and black mangroves lining the coast of this beautiful Charlotte Harbor location, holding the promise to grow into habitat and shelter for our land, wildlife, and our community.

Planting today to protect tomorrow.

08/16/2026

Welcome back to . What is that in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's the southern flying squirrel! 🐿

The southern flying squirrel, or Glaucomys volans, is one of three species of flying squirrels found in North America. It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North America, from southeastern Canada to Florida, and west from Minnesota to Texas. They are also sometimes called the assapan, which stems from the Virginia Algonquian language.

You may not notice these guys gliding through the air as they are extremely small. Flying squirrels are around 8 to 10 inches long (including their tail) and weighing only 1.5 to 3 ounces, roughly the size of a chipmunk. They have large dark eyes and flattened tails. All flying squirrels “fly” or glide by using a furry membrane called a patagium that extends from the front to the rear legs during the night.

Forests with seed-bearing hardwood trees are their choice, using natural tree cavities and woodpecker holes as homes. They are a highly social species, living within groups of up to 25 individuals.They are also a family driven species, as populations which nest together were found to be more highly related than expected by chance. It is believed that this could be a form of kin selection since an individual's stored food may be beneficial for the survival of its relatives in the event of death, in addition to providing heat energy in the winter. Can you imagine you and 25 family members living in a one room apartment?

Southern squirrels differ in color from other flying squirrels. Unlike their northern cousins, southern flying squirrels have grey-brown fur on top with darker flanks and are cream colored underneath. This helps them blend in with trees as they sleep during the day, and in moonlight when they glide through the air. However, in UV light, all rules go out the window. The southern squirrel glows pink and blue in UV light! While scientists don't know the exact reason, we have two guesses. It could throw off their nocturnal predators, like raccoons and owls, or it helps them communicate with other flying squirrels. Either way, they look great pink!

08/09/2026

This is dedicated to Miss Debbie Spangler.

If you’ve ever been to CHEC and stopped into the Butterfly Sanctuary, you’ve probably met Miss Debbie. Her passion for butterflies was unmatched, and everyone who stopped in left with a little bit more butterfly passion themselves.

I asked once, while catching butterflies with her to take inside before a cold snap, which butterfly was her favorite. Obviously, a silly question to ask an expert. She told me she loved all of them equally. Nevertheless, after the last butterfly was caught and the nets were put away, we walked past the shelf with her pinned butterflies. Full of atalas, monarchs, and malachites. Even experts have a soft spot.

Malachites, or Siproeta stelenes, is a large Neotropical butterfly. They get their name from their brilliant green and black wings, similar to the mineral Malachite. Underneath, their wings turn to soft olive green.

They are a brush- footed butterfly. This means that although they have six legs like all insects, the two forelegs are reduced to hold their colourful wings flat when resting. The brush they most prefer to foot on is the Florida native Ruellia, or wild purple petunias. Coincidentally, Miss Debbie's favorite color. There, the females lay eggs on the new leaves of the plants. Adults will also feed on the nectar, along rotting fruit, dead animals, and bat dung. Delicious!

Like Miss Debbie used to say, “There are no baby butterflies! It’s larvae!”
So, the malachite larvae are horned, spiny, black caterpillars with red markings. The pupal stage is green, with sharp, gold spines that can puncture predators. Not that they needed protection with Miss Debbie around. Ever see a lady fling lizards out the door like a bad dog? That was Miss Debbie.

The pictures of malachites posted are from our Butterfly Sanctuary, reared by Miss Debbie herself. Modern science tells us that these butterflies will remember her from their time as caterpillars. So you don't have to take our word for how passionate Miss Debbie was, or how hard she worked, or how missed she will be. You can ask the butterflies.

08/06/2026

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the loss of a member of our CHEC family, Miss Debbie Spangler. 💜🦋💜

You may have known her as the friendly face welcoming you into the Butterfly Sanctuary. The one who would drop everything she's doing to tell you all about the magic of butterflies. The one who was so passionate about what she did that she inspired others to create butterfly gardens of their own, helping to generate a broader corridor of plants that pollinators need to thrive. That's Miss Debbie.

She was an instrumental and leading force in the creation of the Butterfly Sanctuary. She spent countless hours each and every week taking care of the Sanctuary. In the heat, in the cold, with the bugs. Through it all, because it was her true love. Thousands of elementary students each year would come through her Sanctuary, and she shared that love with each one, every time. Often allowing the students to hold the caterpillars or release butterflies to really immerse them in the magic. There were no off days for her. That's Miss Debbie.

Not only was she an extraordinary volunteer, she was an extraordinary friend. Starting off mornings right with a hot cup of coffee and a good catch-up session. She filled our office and Sanctuary with so much laughter it can still be heard today. In good times and in bad, she was a shoulder to lean on, making herself available for whatever anyone needed. That's Miss Debbie.

Her absence has left a huge hole in the Sanctuary, around the preserve, and in our hearts. Her passion, dedication, and love will forever live on in the Sanctuary that she created. She may be gone, but she is still felt everywhere. Each time we see a butterfly flying, we will know... that's Miss Debbie.

Our sincerest condolences to her family, her loved ones, and the community for the loss of such a beautiful soul. Fly high with the butterflies, Miss Debbie. Our love and appreciation for you will live on forever.

08/02/2026

Its shark week, and also ! Today, we are talking about our unique friend, the bonnethead shark.🦈

The bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), also called a bonnet shark or shovelhead, is the smallest member of the hammerhead shark genus. They get their name from having the smallest cephalofoil, or hammerhead, of the species. However, for what they lack in size, they make up for in style. These amazing sharks are the ONLY sharks known to exhibit sexual dimorphism in the morphology of the head! Adult females have a broadly rounded head, whereas males possess a bulge along the front of its hammerhead. Hope they dont get a big head about this!

Personally, I think calling them shovelhead is a little mean, but it is a great description for how they hunt. They swim in small groups of five to 15 individuals across the sea floor, moving their heads in arc patterns like a metal detector, looking for minute electromagnetic disturbances produced by crabs and other creatures hiding in the sediment. When they sense one, they bite down on the sediment, with sharp teeth in the front of the mouth (for grabbing soft prey) and flat, broad molars in the back (for crushing hard-shelled prey). Party in the front and business in the back.

They can be found in Florida in spring, summer, and fall, preferring our estuaries and bays. Don't let this ruin your beach plans, as they are a timid shark with no confirmed attack on humans, choosing to swim away rather than attack. They also have plenty of food, considering they are the second shark to be discovered to be omnivorous! Their sharp teeth also help rip out seagrass, while the flat molars grind it down. A nutrient content analysis showed bonnetheads were digesting 56 percent of the organic matter in seagrass, similar to young sea turtles. Young bonnetheads have even more, so current theories are either a hunting learning curve or a true diet choice. Shove over manatees!

Regardless if its for a manatee or a bonnethead shark, protecting seagrass helps everyone thrive. You can help by practicing safe boating, reducing chemical and plastic pollution, and supporting local conservation groups.

Photo credit: FWC

07/29/2026

We're excited to share in the recent excitement at the preserve with the release of a very rare Great White Heron! 🤍🤍

These herons are considered to be a white color morph or a regional subspecies of the Great Blue Heron, but the full species status remains a heated debate. They differ from their blue relatives by having a thicker yellow bill and pale yellowish legs. While GBH are commonly found statewide, theres only an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 total GWH individuals in Florida, primarily found in the southern regions. So you can guess how thrilled we were when we were contacted by our friends at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary to help release the beauty you see here!

Lovingly named Grace, she was found in critical condition resulting from emaciation and severe dehydration. After a few days of TLC, Grace was ready to make her way back into the wild. Located within 46,000 acres, CHEC was deemed the perfect place for her to call her new home.

We are so grateful for partnerships like this as we all work towards a common goal: keeping Florida wild. From fallen to freedom, welcome home, Grace!🌿

07/26/2026

Don't be blue! The common blue mud dauber is here for you! 💙
Welcome back to ! Today, we're talking about the common blue mud-dauber wasp.

This eye catching bug is Chalybion californicum, the Nearctic blue mud-dauber or the common blue mud-dauber wasp. You may have seen these guys in your rarely used shed or outdoor bathroom, up in corners in a nest made of mud. Or maybe you saw them out by the pond, gathering mud for their nests, glinting at you in the sun.

Your first thought may be “ugh, now I have to clean this up!” but trust me, you’ll want to leave the mud-daubers where they are. Because where mud-daubers are, spiders are not! These wasps prey on spiders, including black widows, a favorite prey. They pack each cell with up to 25 to 30 spiders for their young. With about 15 to 20 cells per nest, that's over 500 spiders eaten!

These nests may seem messy to us, but they’re a lot of work for the daubers! Females construct their nests by gathering globs of mud in their mandibles, or jaws, from a nearby source of wet dirt. They carry the mud to a protected nest site, where they construct a cell, and lay one single egg. They reuse these cells once the larvae are gone, so it's important to leave even an empty nest where it is.

Since they are wasps and brightly colored, these guys are feared and squished in anticipation of a painful sting. However, these guys are mostly peaceful! Mud-daubers are docile towards humans, and will only sting if they are directly handled. Even if they do, the stings are extremely mild. So now you can walk past our bright blue friend without worry! If you were a wasp, what color would you be?

Photo from iNaturalist

07/22/2026

Let's SHELLebrate our oyster restoration intern, Alexis, who's helping give oyster shells a second chance to shine!🦪🌊🦪

Instead of heading to a landfill, these shells will be used to create Vertical Oyster Gardens that provide supplemental habitat for juvenile oysters so they can grow to do what they do best: filter and clean our waterways! Making our water cleaner and clearer, one shell at a time.

A big thank you as well to our Oyster Restoration Contributors at , , and for your partnership and support of our mission!

Address

10941 Burnt Store Road
Punta Gorda, FL
33955

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4pm
Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm
Saturday	8am - 4pm

Website

http://www.checflorida.org/

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