Landscapes
Leadership A LETTER FROM
Dear Friends,
Can you believe we are halfway through this year? Already 2024 has been an incredible year for NFLT and how fitting as it is also our 25th anniversary year. When I have a moment to stop and reflect, I find myself both awed and inspired. We have continued the positive trend for support of land conservation in Tallahassee and closer to home our constituents have become more involved and passionate about our mission. In the past few months, we have added five new staff members —at least one in each department. We facilitated the preservation of close to 1,000 acres in the O2O Wildlife Corridor and another 1,000 acres nearby with more in the works. We began work on significant renovations to our stewardship facility. And, we were the lucky (and grateful) recipients of a significant grant designated to conservation acquisitions—the crux of our mission—from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund. To say it is an exciting moment for NFLT would be an understatement.
In this issue we provide you with an update on a critical initiative we first shared in our Winter 2023 newsletter about becoming a gopher tortoise recipient site. We are also excited to highlight another, new, revenue opportunity for NFLT: Carbon sequestration. Following up on questions we received after our annual meeting we provide a breakdown of how we fund our work and the relationship between fundraising and our government grants such as those through the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Perhaps the most thrilling feature is our “Who Calls NFLT Preserves Home” because we get to show you the impact of our work in the faces of the animals who have come back to live on our preserves.
We have said many times to anyone who will listen: Florida’s natural lands are simultaneously this state’s most significant economic, spiritual, cultural, and historical asset. NFLT is committed to protecting all the parts of North Florida that make it unique—and that can’t be replaced. We must protect our land for future generations, of humans and animals, and we must act now because it really is Now or Never.
You all make NFLT what it is, and you all enable NFLT to do what it does. It is together we can save the lands we all love before they disappear before our very eyes.
With thanks,
Rev. Cn. Allison DeFoor President & CEO
In the News
DELORES BARR WEAVER DESIGNATES $1 MILLION FOR NFLT OVER 10 YEARS
February 2024 – North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) is pleased to announce that Delores Barr Weaver has established the North Florida Land Trust Fund at The Community Foundation to benefit and support the work of the nonprofit land conservation organization. Weaver has designated a $1 million grant from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund to be distributed to NFLT over the next ten years to help fund land purchases. NFLT will receive up to $100,000 a year through 2034 from the fund to help pay for the preservation of conservation lands. As NFLT increases its fundraising revenue to match federal and state grants, the fund will help the nonprofit launch and leverage additional funding from other sources. NFLT will need to raise roughly $15 million in private support to fulfill the match requirements over the next few years.
NFLT CELEBRATED 25 YEARS OF LAND CONSERVATION AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING
March 2024 – North Florida Land Trust was joined by a room full of partners, supporters, members, and potential members at its Annual Meeting and 25th Anniversary celebration at TPC Sawgrass. The event, presented by the Doolittle Family, was a chance for the nonprofit land conservation organization to update everyone on its accomplishments and its goals for the future as well as to recognize some very important people dedicated to conservation. President and CEO Allison DeFoor and Board Member Lisa Barton presented the inaugural Charlie Commander Land Conservation Award to Atlantic Beach Holding Co. and the Bull Family. The award is given to a landowner who is dedicated to conservation and was named after Charlie Commander, a longtime supporter of NFLT and a true champion for conservation who passed away last year. The NFLT Legacy Award was presented to two men dedicated to conservation, NFLT Founder Bill McQuilkin and former NFLT President Jim McCarthy.
NFLT SET TO BEGIN WORK ON MAJOR RENOVATIONS TO STEWARDSHIP FACILITY
May 2024 – North Florida Land Trust is set to begin work on its stewardship department headquarters with funding from an anonymous source. The gift will allow the department to improve the facility at the stewardship department headquarters, improve the roads surrounding the property, and create a greenhouse that will support the restoration and management of NFLT’s nature preserves.
“These renovations will be transformative for our land stewardship team and the work they do to restore and manage the 14,000 acres and counting that we have in our portfolio,” said Allison DeFoor, president of NFLT. “The investment in our stewardship program and its infrastructure allows our highly skilled team to be more efficient and allows them to manage and restore the land without relying on outside contractors. It saves money by allowing us to bring the work in-house so our donorship dollars can go to saving even more natural spaces.”
NFLT FACILITATES THE PRESERVATION OF MORE THAN 855 ACRES IN PUTNAM COUNTY
June 2024 – More than 855 acres of land in a critical wildlife corridor in Putnam County will now be preserved forever in an agreement brokered by North Florida Land Trust and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). The organizations worked together to purchase the 855.35-acre conservation easement on family-owned land in the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O). The conservation easement was acquired for $2.1 million funded through the Florida Forever program. NFLT approached the O’Connor family heirs who own the land to discuss the possibility of conservation for the property which has been in the family for almost a century. The land, an important linkage property within the O2O, is adjacent to Cross Florida Greenway conservation land and includes significant frontage on Rodman Lake. The property was the only land along the lake that was not yet protected. NFLT was able to facilitate the preservation of the property by connecting the family to the state program that could make the acquisition possible.
NFLT WELCOMES NEW EMPLOYEES
June 2024 – North Florida Land Trust has added new employees to all of its departments. Joel Benn joined the nonprofit’s conservation acquisitions department, Chris Bebout is the newest member of the land stewardship team, Brenda Lynch and Willow Logue are now a part of the philanthropic services team, and Michelle Smith joined the operations department. (You can get to know our new staff members on the NFLT website under the “About” tab!)
Conservation Funding 101
BY SARAH HANDE
At NFLT we get a lot of questions about the types of funding we receive. As a conservation organization there are many ways we are funded, perhaps more than your average nonprofit. Because we work to protect and conserve land, we are eligible for government grant programs and state and county grants and conservation program dollars, in addition to the private foundation and individual donations we receive.
But first, let’s start with the basics. What exactly is fundraising? Fundraising is the seeking of financial support for a charity, cause, or other enterprise and to engage in the organized activity of raising funds to support that cause, campaign, or organization.
There are two general ways funding can be classified:
Restricted Funding
Restricted funding (or giving) is when a donor specifies how their donation can be used. A donor can restrict, or designate, their gift to a specific project or fund or for a particular use. This means the nonprofit cannot use a donor’s gift for anything other than what the donor has designated unless the donor gives their approval in writing. Restricted gifts are held in a separate account from the unrestricted gifts and a detailed accounting is kept regarding how the restricted dollars have been spent.
Unrestricted Funding
Donations and gifts that are not designated to a specific project can be used for any purpose in support of a nonprofit’s operations. Unrestricted gifts are the most critical to the sustainability of a nonprofit, and the hardest to raise. They can be used to fund the salaries of employees, for general operations such as rent and technology, for operational expenses (i.e., NFLT considers fuel for our stewardship equipment to be an operating cost and as such would be paid for through general operating funding), and other non-project specific expenses associated with overall operations. Without these unrestricted funds, there would be no capacity to raise the restricted funds nor to carry out the work the nonprofit needs to do.
NFLT sets fundraising goals each year for both restricted and unrestricted funding. These goals are based on forecasted expenses and projects for that budget year. Of NFLT’s total fundraising goal of $1.67 million for 2024 (not including government grants), 42% is restricted and 58% is unrestricted, a ratio of approximately 7:10.
NFLT raises funds through a variety of ways. We solicit donations from individuals and family foundations, we secure sponsorships, usually in relation to an event, we apply for grants from government programs and private foundations, we solicit corporate support, and we identify opportunities for in-kind support. Individual donations are what most people are familiar with — these are gifts from individuals and families in any amount. Foundation grants are also well understood; a nonprofit will prepare a proposal or an application and submit it for review. If the proposal is accepted a grant will be awarded. These grants sometimes have performance conditions and a designated timeline during which the project must be completed and the funds spent. Often, a final report is due at the conclusion of the grant summarizing the results and impact the project had and how the funds received enabled the results and impact. Corporate support can work much the same way as foundation support, but often companies will sponsor an event or initiative in exchange for recognition. The solicitation of a sponsorship may require a proposal or it may be as simple as meeting with a company and sharing our mission and details of the event or project for which we are seeking sponsorship. Sponsorships usually do not require a final report, though it is good stewardship to provide a follow up after the event or initiative concludes sharing the impact and results.
Perhaps the most complicated (and for anyone not involved in the day-to-day perhaps the most confusing) of NFLT’s funding are government grants. These often require matching dollars and span multiple years with Key Performance Indicators and benchmarks that must be met to receive the next stage of funding. There is detailed reporting required, usually quarterly, and all expenses must be tracked and submitted for review. NFLT works closely with the federal government and the state of Florida, as well as local and regional authorities to generate funding for projects of mutual interest. Below is a summary of some of the types of government grants NFLT has received and how they are structured.
Government Grants and Programs
U.S. Federal Government
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land and works with willing landowners. NFLT has three open grants through the RCPP: The 2018 RCPP in support of the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O) which is coming to a close, the 2020 RCPP also in support of the O2O, and the 2023 RCPP in support of the Corridor to Coast (C2C) initiative which extends from the O2O Wildlife Corridor through the Northeast and Central Florida region to the Atlantic coast. The 2020 RCPP is managed through a partnership of 26 public and private organizations all dedicated to landscape-scale conservation. These organizations include other land trusts, environmental organizations, the military, and non-government organizations. The 2023 RCPP partnership is an extension of the O2O partnership.
The 2020 RCPP is a five-year (2021—2025) grant for $9.3 million. The overarching goal of the 2020 RCPP is to add 140,000 acres to the O2O Wildlife Corridor by the year 2040 through conservation acquisitions, U.S. held easements, and entity-held easements.
The grant includes dollars for these acquisitions as well as funding to support the administrative costs associated with soliciting and securing these acquisitions and easements. One of the conditions of the grant is each participating partner must provide a designated match amount which is made up of staff time, due diligence expenses, and fundraising for the O2O. This is where our fundraising is critical; without the match, the federal money is lost. The required match over the course of the five years for the O2O RCPP is $5 million with $250,000 of that being due diligence costs. The 2023 RCPP is also a five-year grant (2024—2028) and is for $15 million. The required match for the 2023 RCPP over five years is $10.5 million with $550,000 of that being due diligence costs.
Funding through the RCPP is restricted and tightly managed. All funding supports acquisitions and conservation easements within the grant’s project boundary. This funding may underwrite the costs of the acquisition, the staff time to actually facilitate the acquisition or easement, and the outreach to solicit landowners for the program. None of the dollars may be used by the partner organizations for operations and each partner must contribute to the match requirement.
Photo by: Jean Blom
State of Florida and Florida Forever
Florida Forever is the State of Florida’s conservation and recreation lands acquisition program and serves as the blueprint for conserving Florida’s natural and cultural heritage. It supports a wide range of goals including water resource protection, coastal resiliency, public access to outdoor recreation, and the restoration and maintenance of public lands. It is one of the largest land acquisition programs in the United States and is a willing seller program. NFLT works with the Florida Forever program to fund conservation easements that meet the criteria of the Florida Forever Priority List.
Funding through the Florida Forever program is restricted to acquisitions and these funds do not pass through to support the individual agencies and land trusts submitting and facilitating potential acquisitions. All proposed acquisitions will go before the Governor and Cabinet who serve as the Florida Board of Trustees for approval and if approved for purchase, the lands acquired are owned by the State of Florida and held in a trust for the benefit of Florida’s residents and visitors. Fundraising is important here as the work we do in generating landowner interest, in preparing and advocating applications, and in supporting the landowner or the State during the negotiations and acquisition process is time-consuming but very necessary. We are the shock-absorber making the transaction easier to understand and complete for both parties.
(Interested in knowing what areas were recommended for the 2024 Florida Forever Priority List? Click this link here or visit floridadep.gov/floridaforever and read all about the program.)
There are many ways we secure funding to support our mission. Government funding is an important means to achieving our goal, but it is extremely limited in how it can be used. Private funding, by individual donations, foundations and grants, or corporate gifts, is critical to enabling us to do our work. Staff time and the tools to do the job, whether it’s a laptop or a tractor or a cooler full of ice water, are all funded by donations. Each year NFLT undergoes an audit and prepares a Form 990 which is available for any donor or interested donor to request and view. It is imperative that a donor, no matter who they are and the size of their gift, has confidence in the nonprofit they are supporting and, in turn, how their dollars are being used. NFLT also adheres to the philanthropy and nonprofit sector’s industry standard, the Donor Bill of Rights (which can be found on the NFLT website under the Important Documents tab).
As NFLT moves into the second half of our fiscal year we will be ramping up to our end of year campaign with our eye on hitting both our fundraising goals—restricted and unrestricted. As we have said many times before, we cannot do what we do without you and we mean that quite literally—your support allows us to hire the best in their field, to move quickly on important acquisitions, to demonstrate support from our community when submitting grant applications, to pay for the fuel to run our stewardship equipment, and more.
NFLT 2023 Funding Breakdown
Individuals / Corporate Sponsorships, Memberships, and Grants & Foundations
Total funds raised for 2023 not including government grants was $2.45 million
Breakdown above does not include government grants or funding
For comparison:
2022 funds raised = $1.33 million
2021 funds raised = $2.63 million (includes Amelia Forever campaign for Little NaNa Dune)
What
Carbon Sequestration
BY RIANNA ELLIOTT AND SARAH HANDE
Have you heard companies using the term “carbon neutral” and wondered what that means? You may have also seen these same companies talking about carbon sequestration as a way they are achieving this goal of carbon neutrality. To be carbon neutral is to make no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere; it is essentially having a balance between emitting carbon to the atmosphere and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it is known as carbon sequestration. Many companies are using smarter technologies and adapting to renewable energy sources as a means to achieve carbon neutrality but there are also other means to aid them in this process, such as carbon sequestration.
NFLT entered the world of carbon sequestration almost five years ago. As our followers and constituents know, we are in the business of conserving, restoring, and preserving landscape size tracts of land, some of which we will continue to own and manage in perpetuity. The Land Stewardship department has a mission to take these preserves and apply best management practices to make the land we tend and the forests on that land the healthiest habitats possible for flora, fauna, and humans for generations to come. However, these land management practices come at a cost that at times for nonprofits can be hard to budget for with today’s economy.
This is why ingenuity and collaborative partnerships are so very important to achieve long-term goals for climate resilience. Healthy forests make for a healthy planet, and everyone has a part in ensuring our forests stay healthy. Imagine that a forest that has been placed into conservation and needs certain practices applied to make it sustainable and supportive of the ecosystem today and for decades and centuries to come. This is where corporations that are looking to improve their footprint on the planet come into play. Think of a large forest as a whole that can be broken into stocks, or shares, each of which can sequester carbon from the atmosphere for long periods of time. Companies or groups of companies can make investments in these shares and secure the ongoing management and sustainability of these forests for decades and beyond. As the forests thrive and grow the amount of carbon they can remove from the atmosphere will continue to grow. It is a win for everyone involved, but especially for mother nature.
Several years ago, when NFLT began acquiring these larger parcels of hundreds and thousands of acres this concept of carbon sequestration was a novel idea. Recognizing the opportunity in carbon sequestration, both for planet health and sustainability for the organization, NFLT was at the front of the line and in 2019 began the process of entering preserves into carbon sequestration. There are many steps involved in analyzing, verifying, and calculating the ability of each forest to sequestrate carbon, both today and into the future, in order to accurately allocate a quantifiable number to each share. Independent scientists visit each preserve to calculate a baseline on where a forest is today and how that forest will continue to grow and thrive through best practices for the next forty years. NFLT’s stewardship team will continue to apply prescribed fire, manage for exotic and invasive species, and promote native species for wildlife habitat throughout this time and into the future, thus improving the forests every step of the way, and increasing the forests’ carbon sequestration ability.
So, what does this all mean for NFLT today? This spring NFLT completed this verification step, and now our “shares” are registered with the American Carbon Registry. What is the American Carbon Registry? Think of it as an organization like the New York Stock Exchange, but for carbon shares. When these shares are offered to the open market and sold, it will be a way NFLT can earn revenue to help fund our land stewardship efforts and management plans on our conservation properties thereby offsetting the burden of fundraising for stewardship activities. This, in turn, increases NFLT’s capacity to acquire more land for conservation and to steward that land.
Nothing NFLT does is for the short term. Every parcel we acquire, every preserve we manage, every grant we apply for, and every program we implement is with an eye on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organization. NFLT works closely with other like-minded corporations and environmental nonprofits to continue our collective mission to keep North Florida’s landscape healthy and resilient. In this newsletter you will also read about our continued work towards becoming a gopher tortoise recipient site, an effort with this same eye on long-term sustainability. We understand the inherent responsibility in being a land trust, that everything we do to protect our irreplaceable natural environment must stand the test of time so that these landscapes are protected for generations to come—forever. Landscapes | Summer
BY KELLY WHITE AND AARYN TARVER
We have been dedicated to preserving natural Florida for the last 25 years. We do this to ensure that Florida’s natural spaces remain that way for the humans who love them and the wildlife that call them home. Our preserved lands provide critical habitats for all types of species, and to learn more about our wild friends, we spy on them!
At the heart of our conservation efforts, we’ve deployed a unique wildlife surveillance system, affectionately known as trail cams, across Smith Lake Preserve and Little Rain Lake Preserve. Earlier this year, we embarked on camera trap surveys that allowed us to observe the diverse wildlife that frequents our properties. And we’re not stopping there, we are gearing up for another round of ‘spying’ this fall.
Why do we do this? We do it not just because we are curious about what wildlife lives in our preserves. The data we gather helps guide us in our management and land stewardship decisions. We want to make sure we are maintaining the land in a way that supports the animals that live there so they can eat, thrive, and survive.
Our first round of spying, or trail cam surveying, was conducted over two weeks in February. Seven trail cameras were set up around Smith Lake Preserve, and six more were set up at Little Rain Lake Preserve in Clay County. So, what did we find? Well, at Smith Lake Preserve, we got pictures of more than 420 animals!
There were 318 photos of deer, 75 pictures of turkeys, 16 snapshots of raccoons, and 19 prints of crows. For the deer we recorded, there were 32 bucks, 275 does, and 11 fawns. Of the 75 turkeys, 32 were gobblers, and 42 were jakes (young male turkeys).
Using a computation form from the National Deer Association, Aaryn Tarver, our land stewardship biologist and guru of all things wildlife-related, calculated the number of deer per square mile, the number of acres per deer, and the number of does per buck that we captured in our survey. She found 14 deer per square mile and 15 deer per acre. She also determined there were eight does per buck and one fawn per doe.
At Little Rain Lake Preserve, we caught images of just under 70 wildlife beings. We saw 41 deer, all of them does, plus a total of 26 turkeys, 14 gobblers and 12 hens. Unfortunately, the cameras didn’t catch quite as much wildlife as they did at Smith Lake Preserve. Before we acquired it, the previous use of the land at Little Rain Lake Preserve had gone unchecked and had been overhunted, resulting in lower numbers of wildlife. We hope our land management plan for this preserve will result in an increase in the fauna we see. We will be back at our trail cam spying in the fall to monitor results.
One more thing about our camera trap surveys: We are currently working with a University of Florida professor to conduct more surveys on our other preserves throughout North Florida. Working with UF would provide NFLT with more equipment and with more manpower to help review all the photos collected from the trail cams. No definitive timeline has been set yet, so stay tuned for an update in the coming months.
Want to help NFLT do more wildlife monitoring? Interested in sponsoring a camera? NFLT will be offering new ways for our followers to get involved this fall!
Becoming a Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site
PART 2
BY KELLY WHITE AND AARYN TARVER
We are getting closer to being the new home to some of Florida’s gopher tortoises! In the Winter 2023 Landscapes, we told you about our quest to become a gopher tortoise recipient site. Now, we want to update you on where we are and where we will go next in the process with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
First, we want to remind you why we are doing this. Gopher tortoises are important to the ecosystem and essential to the survival of 350 different species. They help other wildlife by sharing their burrows. For example, the Eastern indigo snake, gopher frog, and Florida mouse rely on the gopher tortoise and its burrow-digging prowess. The gopher tortoise thrives in longleaf pine forests, where development also occurs when we are not able to protect the land. Since the gopher tortoise and their burrows are protected under state law, FWC requires developers to acquire a gopher tortoise relocation permit before construction can be started. Gopher tortoises can then be relocated, for a fee, to sites designated as gopher tortoise relocation sites.
Since the beginning of this process, we have been in constant communication with the FWC. Our vision is to be able to accept gopher tortoises at Smith Lake Preserve and Little Rain
Lake Preserve. Our pre-application meeting was held, and the FWC has visited our proposed sites multiple times. We are eagerly awaiting their report from their last visit in April. This report will give us an update on the acceptable gopher tortoise recipient sites within our preserves. After we receive the report, we can move on to the next step in the process: completing our surveys.
We currently have about 100 acres of acceptable gopher tortoise habitat in Little Rain Lake Preserve. To prepare the land, we have burned about 320 acres between Smith Lake and Little Rain Lake Preserves. The prescribed burning removes non-native pasture grass and helps to reduce the spread of invasive plants, making the habitats prime spots for gopher tortoises.
Our Land Stewardship Biologist, Aaryn Tarver, has been leading this project. She and the team have been proactive and created an intake process for the gopher tortoises, so we are ready to go once we get the go-ahead from FWC. They have also built our internal guidelines for our recipient sites. Once FWC finishes its report from the last visit, we will complete our gopher tortoise and vegetation surveys.
Photo by: Jean Blom
Population and vegetation surveys are required before we can begin accepting gopher tortoises. Population surveys of the properties are needed to calculate our final stocking rate and determine the number of burrows on the property. This survey classifies the types of burrows found by the burrow activities as potentially occupied burrows and abandoned burrows.
FWC looks at two types of criteria for the gopher recipient sites: acceptable and desirable. Both categories measure size, soil, and habitat, with the desirable category adding enhanced conservation value, meaning it is adjacent to or within protected land. NFLT hopes to be considered for the desirable criteria category, which would allow a maximum of four gopher tortoises per acre, two more per acre than the acceptable category. Our desire is to accept at least three gopher tortoises per acre.
The post-baseline vegetation surveys examine the gopher tortoise habitat within the permitted site recipient area. These types of surveys are required for monitoring purposes and habitat management throughout the life of the gopher tortoise recipient site permit and/or conservation easement.
We can apply for the permit to start receiving gopher tortoises as soon as we receive FWC’s latest report and can complete the surveys currently in progress. We will apply to become a long-term protected site at the tier 2 conservation easement level, which could earn us as much as $6,000 per gopher tortoise relocation. If the development that disturbs gopher tortoise burrows is within 100 miles of our preserves, we will become the recipient site for the displaced tortoises. For NFLT, this will help us continue our mission to protect North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment. We hope to finalize this process and start receiving gopher tortoises by the fall. Stay tuned and look for updates and photos in our newsletters and on our social media channels along the way.
Photo by: Renee Bodine
Florida Venomous Snakes
RATTLESNAKES
CANEBRAKE
Grayish brown or pinkish buff color
Orange/red stripes down the middle of its back
Head much wider than neck
Seldom bigger than 5 feet
MOCCASINS
COTTONMOUTH
Florida specimens average 3 feet
Can grow to +5 feet
Olive-brown to black in color
Broad head and stout body
Dark band from eye to rear jaw
Loves water
Florida has 6 species of venomous snakes
Snakebite is a rarity - but be careful
Wear boots or leggings when in the woods or fields
Wear pants leg outside of boots
Use caution around logs and brushy places
Don’t put hands or face close to the ground without first looking carefully
Look carefully before sitting down outdoors
Carry a snakebite kit
Learn the rules of giving first aid for snakebite
EASTERN DIAMONDBACK
Black and white face stripes
Size to 6 feet or more
Yellow bordered diamond-shaped body markings
Arrow-shaped head wider than neck
Ringed tail
Landscapes | Summer 2024
DUSKY PYGMY
Gray in color with rounded dusky spots
Rattle sounds like a buzzing Insect
Small rattle
Size to 2 feet
SOUTHERN COPPERHEAD
Size to 3 feet or more
Hourglass markings
Pinkish-tan color
Markings are reddish brown
SNAKE
Brightly colored with red, black, and yellow bands
Red band borders the yellow band
Has a black nose
Neurotoxic venom
Note: Has round eyes and narrow head
CORAL
Facts About Snakes
VENOMOUS SNAKES
Except Coral Snake
Elliptical pupil
Large, hollow fangs and small, hooked teeth
Tongue is harmless; functions as a feeler and smeller (Tongue does not actually smell but brings odors into the mouth where they are received by smell-sensitive organs.)
NON-VENOMOUS SNAKES
Coral snake resembles non-venomous
• Round pupil
• Teeth small and hooked
SNAKES HEAR
BY
PICKING UP SOUND VIBRATIONS WITH THEIR ENTIRE BODY
SNAKES DO NOT HAVE EAR OPENINGS OR MOVABLE EYELIDS
The idea for this illustration inspired by Wallace Hughes. Information sourced from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
NFLT Celebrates One Year of Our Annual Membership Program
On April 20, 2023, North Florida Land Trust unveiled a new annual membership program to generate unrestricted revenue support for the organization. In addition to funding land acquisitions, stewardship activities, and daily operations, another goal of the program was to offer supporters an inside look at the work happening every day. Through periodic e-news updates, bi-annual newsletters, private NFLT property tours and other touchpoints, annual members were given a first glimpse at NFLT’s progress throughout the year. We welcomed 353 members in the inaugural year and raised over $156,000, in 12 months.
Annual members enjoyed private screenings of conservation documentaries, small group tours of NFLT’s Little Rain Lake Preserve and Smith Lake Preserve, as well as a private tour of one of the properties which NFLT has a conservation easement on, Lanakila Gardens. Highlights included spotting bear tracks at a preserve, seeing the before and after effects of prescribed fire, and hearing about the possibility of Smith Lake Preserve becoming a gopher tortoise recipient site! Our members shared their inspiration for wanting to protect North Florida’s unique ecosystems and offered ideas for future event formats. We can’t wait to see what year two has in store!
The membership program is growing rapidly, and we want you along for the ride! From kayak tours to nature photography walks and even So, What’s Next?
educational Zoom sessions with NFLT staff, there are options planned for the adventurers and those who prefer to take action at a more leisurely pace. Memberships start at just $45/year, making the program an affordable means to make a difference, with a front row seat to the action. We hope to see you at an event soon!
Want to be a member of NFLT?
Scan here to become a NFLT member.
How to Get Involved
If you, like us, believe that the conservation of North Florida is vital, there are many ways you can help. Together we will continue to build our land trust to be as robust and expansive as our region’s natural resources. Here is how you can help.
GIVE
Our mission is to protect land, which often means t land, the more land we can protect. Help us say “ye
HELP
Opportunities to give with your hands are available throughout the year. We regularly hold cleanup days to remove trash and conduct maintenance on our preserves.
ADVOCATE
Much of the funding needed to conserve land in North Florida comes from public sources, like Florida Forever. To continue to preserve the parts of Florida that are quickly disappearing, we need our local, state and federal representatives to prioritize the funding of conservation. You can ask your representatives to ensure these sources grow in their commitment to conservation.
SHARE
Lastly, as a conservationist and a member of the NFLT family, we hope you’ll share with your network the good work we are accomplishing together. The threat of over-development continues to grow aggressively, and with it our need to act quickly. To meet our goals, we’ll need our family to grow. Whether you share the mission of NFLT in person or online, you’ll help to spread the word and grow our region’s understanding of the importance of conservation.
Scan here to donate to NFLT
SAVE THE DATE FOR NFLT’S NEW MEMBER EDUCATION SERIES!
Save the dates for our new virtual lunch and learn educational series, presented by Rick and Faith Hoffman, for members only! On the second Wednesday of August, September, October, November, and December, NFLT will provide an inside look at the why of land conservation and the activities it takes to keep a land trust operating.
“Working Lunch Wednesday” is sure to be an interesting series with many takeaways. Haven’t joined membership at NFLT? Become a member today by visiting nflt.org/membership and don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear the behind-the-scenes details.
NFLT WORKING LUNCH WEDNESDAY
PRESENTED BY RICK AND FAITH HOFFMAN
NFLT Annual Membership Educational Series (Virtual Only) Launching Fall 2024
AUGUST 14, 2024
SEPTEMBER 11, 2024
OCTOBER 9, 2024
NOVEMBER 13, 2024
DECEMBER 11, 2024
History of American Beach with Janyce Dawkins
Importance of Salt Marsh and Climate Resilience
Prescribed Fire and its Place in Florida’s Irreplaceable Landscape Conservation, Job or Lifestyle?
How Does a Land Trust Work?
Become a Member