Chris Lechowicz

Chris grew up on the southwest side of Chicago, IL. He had a strong interest in nature at a very young age, especially with amphibians and reptiles. His passion for all things slimy and scaled led him to the Chicago Herpetological Society where he was mentored by numerous knowledgeable members and visiting scientists. Chris has two Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Zoology and Computer Science from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU) and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Environmental Science from Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU).

He began working at SCCF in 2002 and is the Director of the Wildlife Habitat Management Program and staff herpetologist. As land manager, he oversees SCCF’s nearly 2000 acres of conservation land with the help of his field technicians. Prescribed burns, exotic plant removal, native tree planting, and other habitat restoration techniques are used to maintain functioning ecosystems on the islands. Chris is also the IT Manager for the Foundation.

Chris’s current Sanibel wildlife projects are the SCCF Pine Island Sound Eastern Indigo Snake Project, the SCCF Diamondback Terrapin Project, and the SCCF Florida Box Turtle Project. Chris is also  a coauthor on a new book (2014); “The Amphibians and Reptiles of Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida: A Natural History”. He maintains an educational website on map turtles and is involved with several projects along the Gulf Coast with these riverine turtles. He is a member of the Turtle Survival Alliance, the IUCN/SCC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, a board member of the Florida Turtle Conservation Trust, and an active member of the local herp society (Calusa Herpetological Society).