On Monday, March 12th a group of Arbor Trace Residents jumped on the bus as headed to the beautiful Island of Sanibel for the day. They arrived at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge for a guided tour through the park. The refuge, named for the cartoonist Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling, is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System. The 5200 acre refuge was established in 1976, to protect one of the country’s largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystems. The refuge is well known for its migratory bird populations, which the residents were able enjoy on their open air tram tour. A stop at the visitor center was a must to check out the interesting displays featuring the many different animals that spend time in the refuge. The center also gives a great historical overview of the area. After a great afternoon outdoors, the residents stopped for lunch at “George and Wendy’s Seafood Grille”.
