Cape Coral City Council approves $900,000 grant for burrowing owls

The Cape Coral City Council has approved a $900,000 grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to help maintain land for burrowing owls.

David Watson is the owner of OEF Veterans Landscaping. He loves the burrowing owls but said the burrows can be a challenge when he sees them in the yards of his clients.

“It’s manageable,” Watson said. “I believe you’re allowed to go up to like 10 feet with a weed whacker, and then heavy machinery, you know, I believe it’s a little bit further– 30, 35 feet, something like that, you know, because it can possibly cave their nest, and so I just tried to pretty much not mess with them at all.”

Watson still can do his job. He just needs to be careful, he said.

“I try to stay clear of them the best I can, you know, because I know that they are endangered, and I try to respect their space,” Watson said, “and you know, a lot of people might not know the rules or the regulations for the owls and down the road grass is cut right up to the nest.”

And Watson said this grant is something he can get behind.

“I’m all about conservation of animals,” he said. “Everybody should come together and try to protect them. They’re only in a couple places in Florida so a pretty special bird.”

Cape Coral City Council approved the grant at their Tuesday meeting.