NAPLES, Fla. - s4story -- During an April 18 Earth Day Festival gathering of dignitaries, wildlife and environmental supporters, and families, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida officially broke ground on the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience.

The groundbreaking turns the page into a new chapter for the Conservancy. The brand-new experience was made possible by a transformative $25 million grant from the John & Carol Walter Family Foundation in 2025, the largest philanthropic commitment in the organization's history.

The John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will serve as a pivotal landmark in how the community will experience, understand and protect the systems that sustain Southwest Florida's way of life. Featuring new spaces, program offerings and continuously evolving, highly interactive exhibits, the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will inspire individuals to take action and support the Conservancy's critical mission to preserve Southwest Florida's water, land, wildlife and future for generations to come.

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The John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will feature a new nearly 7,000-square-foot welcome center, with interactive exhibits that bring the Conservancy's work, challenges, and solutions to life, including live native wildlife displays. An expanded outdoor deck and new educational amphitheater will support a broader range of programming. Guests can explore a new half-mile trail through the Christopher B. Smith Upland Scrub Preserve, with a shaded picnic area and food truck space at the trailhead. Expanded electric boat access will enhance exploration of the Gordon River. Sustainability features include a half-acre stormwater lake and a solar-powered parking garage.

The grant is part of the Conservancy's Now & Forever Campaign and will expand the Conservancy's 21-acre offerings, including the Susan and William Dalton Discovery Center and John & Carol Walter Discovery Wing, electric boat tours, daily programming, and conservation films in the Jeannie Meg Smith Theater. The Nature Center closes May 1 to begin construction on the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience. During construction, free public and member events will be offered in Collier and Lee County. The von Arx Wildlife Hospital will remain open throughout construction. Stevens Construction, Mudgett Parker Smith LLC, Coastal Vista, Museum EXP and Mainstreet Design will lead the project, with an anticipated opening date of the beginning of 2028.

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To learn more about the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, please visit Conservancy.org/NatureExperience.