Landscapes
THE ROLE OF FIRE IN LAND MANAGEMENT
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SMITH LAKE PRESERVE RENOVATIONS UPDATE WHY EVERY ACRE CAN’T BE SAVED
Leadership A LETTER FROM
Dear Friends,
As we said goodbye to 2024, NFLT was also concluding a remarkable milestone our 25th anniversary. This past year has been a time for reflection, celebration, and, most importantly, planning for the future of conservation in Northeast Florida Your steadfast support has made this journey possible, and we have been excited to share the strides we’ve made in the past 25 years as well as our vision for the years to come
This winter edition of Landscapes offers a glimpse into the many facets of our work, from the tangible impact of land stewardship to the thoughtful decision-making that ensures we conserve only the most strategic and sustainable properties Inside, you’ll find updates on the renovations to Smith Lake Preserve, where improvements are enhancing the ecosystem and strengthening habitat for local wildlife You’ll also read about why, as difficult as it may seem, NFLT sometimes chooses to turn down land—decisions rooted in our commitment to protecting lands where we can make the most difference.
Fire also takes center stage in this edition, with an in-depth look at the role prescribed burns play in maintaining the health and resilience of our conserved lands Finally, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our Book Club this month a new opportunity to bring our community together over conversations about the natural world.
As we continue to honor the past 25 years, we are equally focused on the future. Together, we can continue preserving and stewarding the wild spaces, clean waters, and vibrant ecosystems that make Northeast Florida extraordinary Thank you for being an integral part of this journey Here's to the next chapter in conservation! It is Now or Never
With thanks,
Rev. Cn. Allison DeFoor President & CEO
NFLT In The News
NFLT RECEIVES GRANT FROM PARTNERSHIP FOR GULF COAST LAND CONSERVATION
June 2024 – NFLT was awarded a grant of $105,000 from the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation (PGCLC) to support conservation efforts within the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor The funding assisted with the due diligence efforts as NFLT pursued the acquisition of two properties totaling 103 acres plus a 600-acre conservation easement. One of the acquisitions (18 acres) consists of marshes and wetlands and is a stopover for migratory birds The second acquisition (85 acres) is located within the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) near Camp Blanding and consists of upland mixed pine areas, pasture, and wetlands and serves as habitat for wild turkeys, deer, and gopher tortoises The third property consists of 600 acres and is a conservation easement It will serve as a buffer between conservation lands and increased development and is three miles east of the Northeast Florida Timberlands and Watershed Reserve Florida Forever Project. The conservation of the land will protect the headwaters in the Lower St Johns Watershed and provides habitat for many rare and imperiled species, including the Florida black bear, eastern indigo snake and red-cockaded woodpecker.
NASSAU COUNTY’S ATLANTIC TO OKEFENOKEE CONSERVATION CORRIDOR APPROVED AS FLORIDA FOREVER PROJECT
July 2024 – The Atlantic to Okefenokee Conservation Corridor, more than 55,000 acres of potential conservation land known as the A2O, was granted a significant approval when the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) approved the A2O for inclusion on the Florida Forever Priority List Nassau County and NFLT, long-time partners in conservation, worked together on the proposal to ARC to consider adding the critical corridor to the priority list. The A2O stretches from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to the west and incorporates the John M Bethea State Forest, Osceola Wildlife Management Area, and the Osceola State Forest complex The A2O completes a 90,000acre conservation corridor in the southern watershed along 80 miles of the St. Marys River, more than doubling the acres of existing conservation lands near its boundaries The conservation corridor also includes more than 1,200 acres that the State identified as necessary additions to Ralph E. Simmons State Forest and Ft. Clinch Preserve State Park.
NFLT NAMED ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO WORK
September 2024 – The Jacksonville Business Journal named NFLT one of the Best Places to Work on the First Coast. The nonprofit land conservation organization was chosen for inclusion in the 2024 Best Places to Work Extra Small Company category, which honors companies with 25 employees or less NFLT was just one of 15 extra small companies chosen for this designation The Best Places to Work award is based on an anonymous survey of employees that included both closed-ended and open-ended questions Although the survey was not mandatory, all 17 of NFLT's staff members participated.
NFLT UNVEILS INTERPRETATIVE SIGNS AT LITTLE NANA DUNE IN AMERICAN BEACH
September 2024 – NFLT was joined by the community, supporters, and friends of American Beach as we unveiled new interpretative signs at Little NaNa Dune The three signs are positioned along Burney Road in American Beach, near the Little NaNa Dune system that NFLT saved with the community's help in 2021 The signs tell the history of American Beach, the reason behind the efforts to preserve the dune system, and the role of NFLT and its donors in saving the important land The Larsen Fund and Wende Burdick supported the creation and installation of the signs
NFLT CLOSED ON TWO PROPERTIES IN CLAY COUNTY WITHIN THE O2O
September 2024 – NFLT purchased two properties in Clay County within the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor and in the military use buffer zone for Camp Blanding. The properties total nearly 70 acres and are near NFLT's Milam Preserve and Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park One is about 18 acres adjacent to Milam Preserve and is now part of the preserve The second property is slightly more than 51 acres and located between the preserve and the state park The grant from the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation (PGCLC) helped fund the Milam addition’s due diligence costs and the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program provided the remainder of the money needed to acquire the property. The second property acquired was funded entirely by ACUB. The conservation of these lands provides floodplain storage and buffers for the portion of the current marshes and wetlands that were once regularly connected to Big Lake Johnson The property also offers much-needed access to a disconnected portion of Milam Preserve, allowing for better land management.
NFLT CELEBRATED 25 YEARS OF CONSERVATION WITH THE COMMUNITY
November 2024 – NFLT celebrated 25 years with an eye on the future with an event at its Smith Lake Preserve. The event was sponsored by The Roberts Companies and Heidja and Michel Kruse who each made gifts of $25,000 to NFLT’s Preservation Fund in honor of this event and milestone year. The event included trail rides through Smith Lake Preserve on the Hixon Buggy (a gift from Joe and Renate Hixon), food from Mission BBQ, and live music by the Remedy Tree Close to 100 friends, partners, and community leaders came out to the event
NFLT RECEIVES DONATION OF 396 ACRES ON AMELIA ISLAND
December 2024 – NFLT scored a big win for conservation on Amelia Island, thanks to a generous donation from the Thornton Family The family donated approximately 396 acres to the nonprofit land conservation organization to ensure it would remain in its natural state forever The property is adjacent to Ft Clinch State Park and runs about two miles between the state park and Egan’s Creek It is within the Ft. Clinch Optimum Boundary, and protecting the land protects the state park. It is also in NFLT’s Salt Marsh and Coastal Resilience Priority Preservation Area.
NFLT ACQUIRES MORE THAN 1,100 ACRES IN BRADFORD COUNTY
December 2024 – NFLT has expanded conservation land within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor by acquiring 1,109 acres in Bradford County. This is the second largest fee simple acquisition that NFLT will own and manage in its 25-year history and the third largest overall. The property is located west of the Camp Blanding Training Center, just north of NFLT’s Triangle Preserve, and one mile south of the New River Conservation Area Conserving the land protects the habitats of wildlife and plant species and provides a buffer for the military installation
Rekindled: The Role of Fire in Land Management
BY MARK MANNING
When we talk about the conservation of land, it’s important to consider why the land is special and unique in the first place We preserve land for so many reasons beyond offsetting development and those reasons all come into play when it comes to the management, maintenance, and restoration of land. Ecosystems are influenced by largescale changes or disturbances in the environment and these changes can be positive or negative. In the southeastern United States, our ecosystems and habitats have grown accustomed to, and in some cases even dependent upon, these changes and disturbances Events such as flooding, high winds, intense storms, landslides, and pest outbreaks are examples, but arguably the disturbance with the largest (and most beneficial) impact is the occurrence of fire.
As the Land Manager for the North Florida Land Trust, I work alongside a group of skilled individuals in the Stewardship department of NFLT to manage the landscapes across the preserves that we own I have been working in natural resource management for 10+ years and our entire team in large part has dedicated their careers to improving habitat for wildlife. By trade we wear many hats: We’re naturalists, heavy equipment operators, fire managers, exotic species managers, interpreters, recreation planners, volunteer managers, and more Not by trade but by necessity we are also arborists, electricians, small equipment repair-folk, tour guides, carpenters, plumbers, and photographers
Before there was a need to preserve land, before major development and urban sprawl, perhaps even before large-scale settlements, the environment was shaped by natural phenomena such as natural fire Think of a Florida unfragmented by civilization, roads, cities, towns, homes; imagine instead vast grasslands, palmetto, wetlands, and prairies, mighty live oaks and the omnipresence of our beloved Pinus palustris (the longleaf pine) its growth patterns only interrupted by lakes and rivers.
In Florida, lightning occurs more frequently than anywhere else in the United States This
is due to Florida being a peninsula and storms coming from either coast. An abundance of lightning means natural fires are prevalent here and flora and fauna in the southeast over time have adapted to the pyric nature of their surroundings These natural fires frequently reset, or renew, the landscape, to such a degree that the flora has become dependent upon the fire to grow and evolve. These occurrences of natural fire could sometimes be intense in certain weather conditions such as drought, but--likely due to their unfettered frequency--the majority of natural fires were slow moving and burned at a low intensity
Indigenous peoples of North America were the first to understand the importance of this natural force and learn to use it to their advantage. Early use of fire helped native people to clear their crops, to improve their ability to travel across the land, to reduce wildfire risk near their settlements, and to manage the land for the benefit of specific plant and animal species These are also important reasons that we continue to use fire today
European settlement in North America and the subsequent interactions of the settlers with Indigenous people led to the settlers’ understanding of these fire practices and the method was quickly adopted into practice. White settlers used fire in much the same way, applying fire to improve forest productivity, rangeland forage, visibility, and access The settlers also understood that fire on hunting lands could ultimately improve wildlife habitat for oft hunted animals such as quail.
Conservationist scientists, biologists, botanists, burn managers, and environmentalists are constantly learning about new relationships within fire-dependent ecosystems and their inhabitants Now, land managers and those who study the effects of fire have come to understand some important, basic principles among these pyrobeneficiaries (note from the author: I may have just made up the word pyro-beneficiaries but I think it gets the point across). As an example, consider the longleaf grassland savannah ecosystems.
Serotiny Defined as a plant trait where seeds are kept in cones or fruits until an environmental trigger, such as fire, releases them Longleaf pines, always found in firedependent landscapes, require a large burst of heat for their cones to open and release seeds. This process works in tandem with a freshly scorched and open sandy habitat which is ready to accept those seeds
Seed Viability Studies on grassland species show that seed success rates are directly related to the presence of fire For example, Wiregrass (Aristida stricta) may not produce a viable seed unless it has been burned during the heavy lightning season for that region.
Keystone species It is difficult to talk about fire without mentioning the Gopher Tortoise Gopher tortoises are a keystone species because their existence benefits many other species as well as the ecosystem as a whole Their burrows have been observed to support up to 350 different species and are used as safe refuge for many of these species during the occurrence of fire.
Habitat Fire plays a fundamental role in the landscapes that are occupied by firedependent fauna Gopher frogs rely exclusively on ephemeral ponds to lay their eggs These ponds will disappear if hardwood trees are not kept in check by fire The southeastern American kestrel relies on traditional grasslands, which are also maintained by fire, to do its hunting.
Did You Know?
NFLT began its fire management of habitats in 2021, with coverage of fire-dependent habitats growing year to year. In 2023, Stewardship was able to reintroduce fire on 320 acres, across seven burn days, with a goal of 400 acres burned over three preserves in 2024 I am excited to see NFLT’s burn program grow, as the use of fire is our most powerful tool in restoring Florida’s unique landscapes Considering the recent timeframe since applying fire (less than four years), we have seen a remarkably positive change in the natural communities found here and it is my hope and mission to continue this positive trend for wildlife
Prescribed fire is a right of landowners in Florida and the Florida Forest Service (FFS) authorizes around 88,000 burns a year across the peninsula These authorizations are most often requested by larger agencies such as the national and state park services, water management districts, fish and wildlife, and other agencies, but these requests also come from land trusts like NFLT, as well as private landowners.
What does it take to conduct a prescribed fire on the ground? There are a few boxes we like to have checked before we light the match
Establish Management Zones
The preserve is broken down into zones, usually based on existing roads or natural features.
Fire Lines Created
Tactical breaks in the soil are re-hashed by heavy equipment to prevent fire from leaving the burn unit, typically based off existing or remnant roads
Water Source Identified
In most cases a water source will be secured for suppression purposes and putting out the fire later.
Prescription is written
A document is prepared outlining all the conditions needed to conduct the fire including the objectives for the burn, the weather requirements, emergency plans, burn and property maps, and more.
Appropriate weather day
A day matching the conditions listed in the prescription
Crew requests are sent to partners
Depending on the size of the burn operation, participation and assistance from our fire partnerships may be required
Authorization is obtained
A request is filed with the Florida Forest Service either the day before or the morning of the burn
Fire is conducted
On the day of the burn a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager will serve as lead of the operation. The primary role of this burn manager is to make sure the burn objectives are met in a safe manner and the needs of each crew are fulfilled Once the authorization to conduct the fire is obtained, notifications are sent out to neighbors, local fire departments, and sensitive areas of concern (for example, publicly accessible parks and trails, nearby farms and working lands, etc ) These notifications are sent so people and businesses in the area know the smoke they see is from a controlled burn and not a wildfire.
The burn crews will arrive along with the equipment, a briefing is conducted with the full team, and then everyone breaks out into their assigned areas and teams After the ignition of the fire is complete, areas of concern with the smoke will be identified and addressed within the burn unit to lower the amount of smoke in nearby neighborhoods, on roads, and other sensitive locations. This phase is referred to as “mop-up”. After mopup is completed, an after-action review (AAR) of the event is conducted with all crew Once this debrief is completed, the non-critical crew is released and once the fire is deemed safe to leave, the remaining crew can leave pending a plan for further mop-up in the following days. The burn unit is monitored closely for two more weeks and then further observed throughout the following month, with a post-burn evaluation scheduled approximately six months later to evaluate if and how the objectives were met
From the Ground Up: Renovations at Smith Lake Preserve
BY RIANNA ELLIOTT
Smith Lake Preserve is home to the Land Stewardship division of North Florida Land Trust. Acquired in 2019 with funds through the Army Compatibility Use Buffer (ACUB) the 480~acre preserve showcases multiple ecosystems with an extraordinary range of biodiversity From sandhill full of longleaf pine and blazing star to scrub habitat with saw palmetto, deer moss, and wild blueberry the preserve offers a stunning snapshot of the flora and fauna native to the southeastern United States. Conveniently located near the geographic center of the properties managed by NFLT in northeast Florida, Smith Lake Preserve is an invaluable asset for NFLT’s conservation efforts
The preserve's existing infrastructure further strengthens its role in land stewardship A 14,000-square-foot pole barn, built in 2011, provides office space and storage for essential equipment, enabling the staff to implement tailored management plans for each property under their care. Recently, the Smith Lake Preserve has undergone a wave of improvements made possible by a spring 2024 gift from an anonymous donor This gift has funded upgrades to access roads, construction of a greenhouse, installation of an artesian well, and renovations to the pole barn, ensuring its longevity for decades to come.
In the first phase of the two-year work plan, substantial progress has already been made. Improvements to the preserve’s access roads, which suffered from erosion and flooding, were among the first priorities Situated on a sandy hilltop north of Smith Lake, the roads required significant stabilization Tuttle Dozer Works built and sloped a mile of road with layers of clay and lime rock, transforming it into a durable and scenic pathway through the preserve’s habitats. To address flooding issues around the barn, American Gutter installed a comprehensive gutter and French drain system, effectively protecting the building and its contents from water damage
Attention has now turned to the barn itself Current projects include reinforcing the roof trusses, insulating and finishing the offices, expanding restroom facilities to comply with
ADA standards, and adding ADA accessible parking. These updates will enhance the building’s functionality while accommodating the needs of all visitors and staff.
The donor’s funding also supports initiatives critical to the long-term goals of NFLT's Land Stewardship Division The installation of an artesian well ensures that fire crews have access to a reliable water source, enhancing fire management capabilities in this remote location. Additionally, plans are underway to establish an onsite nursery dedicated to propagating native ground cover plants and seedlings A newly purchased 20’ x 40’ greenhouse will allow NFLT to grow species from seeds collected on their preserves, fostering habitat restoration efforts and addressing the regional shortage of native plants
Each of these projects represents a significant step forward in NFLT’s mission to restore and protect Florida’s natural landscapes. Thanks to the generosity and vision of this anonymous donor, Smith Lake Preserve is not only advancing the goals of the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor but also shaping a legacy of conservation for future generations
NFLT invites visitors to tour Smith Lake Preserve and experience firsthand the vital work of the Land Stewardship Division.
Photo credit Will Misner
Preservation Priorities:
Why Every Acre Can’t Be Saved Balancing Mission and Reality
BY KIMBERLY HALL
As NFLT’s Conservation Transactions Manager, I work with a variety of folks every day Some are new to conservation and I often find the use of analogies to be exceptionally helpful when explaining the ins and outs of conservation. Explaining why we, as a land trust, must sometimes turn down a property or a conservation project can be difficult. Shouldn’t we want to save every piece of land we are offered or have the opportunity to save? In theory, yes but also no Enter the analogy
Let's say we are going for a boat ride What do we need? We need life jackets for each person on the boat, a whistle or horn to make ourselves heard or in case of distress, a visual distress signal such as flare gun or flag, and a fire extinguisher. That covers safety, but what about what we may need to operate the boat? We need to ensure we have adequate fuel and that the maintenance and overall condition of the engine is acceptable for operation Who wants to breakdown and be caught adrift in the middle of the river or ocean? Boating is one of life's best analogies. After all, none of us wants to be stranded on a sinking ship or boat.
NFLT takes seriously its responsibility to our community as a conservation entity Every project presented for conservation is evaluated for alignment with our mission and goals We weigh each decision carefully, accounting for the balance between mission and operational resources Each decision must make sense
operationally, philanthropically, and fiscally to ensure NFLT’s viability and sustainability so that we can continue our mission far into the future This means that sometimes, we are faced with the difficult choice of whether to decline a project. To explain to owners or partners how hard this decision can be, I often use the boating metaphor.
I love boating and have been boating all my life Every boat has a US Coast Guard safety plate stating, "This Boat Complies with the U S Coast Guard Safety Standards " With this plate, a boat is deemed legal and safe for operation to carry passengers. This plate specifically details the capacity limits of the boat. There are also U.S. Coast Guard rules and regulations regarding certain equipment that must be on board during operation for the safety of the passengers
Let's draw the parallel of the boat passengers to conservation projects and the U S Coast Guard rules as NFLT's operational budget and mission constraints. Each proposed project or passenger initiates a review of the capacity of the boat to continue safe operations. According to this example plate, at full capacity, the boat can carry 12 people (projects) OR 1700 lbs It also must have resources for each person and enough fuel to make the necessary passage to the port
If we allow our emotions to drive the boat's capacity, the boat will begin showing stress, and the fuel may run dangerously low We need to search for alternatives to taking on every passenger or we risk the entire boat, along with the existing passengers (projects) No matter how well intended we are to operate our boat, the effectiveness of our mission to get from point A to point B without sinking becomes diminished by overstretching our resources Every boat, and thereby every organization, has its limits without sinking, and here we will review how we approach turning projects away or down
NFLT has a robust intake review process before “boarding” the boat. We compare the property's location to the boundaries of all the possible funding sources. These resources include, but are not limited to, state, federal, local, and other funding and partners At the point that NFLT staff has completed its initial review, which includes mapping evaluation of all possible resources and partnerships Then, staff sit down as a team and review the prospects, vetting the potential new passenger on its boat.
If, at this juncture in the decision tree, we have determined that there are no identifiable funding sources, we are concerned with fuel levels, and or do not have enough life vests, we must consider declining the passenger (project) or identify other options is the owner willing to make a bargain sale or donate
the property? Is the conservation of the property so endangered and unique that we must consider private fundraising? Does the property align with the expertise of one of our partners? What is the seller's intent and goal? How does the property's geographic location factor in its long-term management? Is there a future possibility for conservation? Can we send another boat at another time?
Let’s review the reasons for declining projects There are no identifiable funding sources There are no partners available Property management requires too many resources or is too challenging The property is an isolated parcel too far from management resources There are existing issues, like routine dumping or trespassing, and the parcel cannot be adequately secured. While some of these issues persist, some can be overcome with time and circumstance We keep a list of potential projects (passengers) that we routinely refer to for future reference There are times when we can refuel and turn the boat around, but sometimes we cannot
Despite the disappointment of turning some passengers (projects) away, we have an even greater obligation to safely operate and maintain our “boat” (capacity) for the long-term use of the passengers (projects) to come
On a gorgeous fall day in November, close to 100 friends, partners, and donors joined NFLT staff and board members at our flagship property Smith Lake Preserve to celebrate NFLT’s 25th anniversary and 25 years of conservation Guests enjoyed guided property tours on the Hixon Buggy, had an opportunity to “meet” our new firetruck, Lola D, a custom-built, large capacity firetruck gifted to NFLT by the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds, enjoyed music by the Remedy Tree, ate barbeque from Mission BBQ, and took self-guided hikes through the property. It could not have been a more perfect day and at the end of the event our hearts were full.
Aside from the two-mile portion of the Florida Trail, Smith Lake Preserve is not normally open to the public so many of our guests had not yet had a chance to see the progress we have made with restoring the property It was great fun to be able to showcase the impact of our donors’ and partners’ dollars in real life and the abundance of green, the resurgence of native plants and the little long leaf pine saplings were thrilling to see
Land restoration can take a long time. Land management plans span years, if not decades, and they are subject to change based on external variables such as climate and weather, progression of growth, and plant viability. To see such a significant change in just three years (NFLT moved into Smith Lake Preserve in spring 2021) not only reinforces the importance of our mission but also inspires all of us and energizes our work
The 25th Anniversary Celebration was sponsored by The Roberts Companies (pictured on facing page) and Heidja and Michel Kruse
NFLT VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Keith and Suzanne Langenberg~ Bogey Creek Preserve Stewards
Volunteers are a driving force behind NFLT’s mission and it’s the hard-working preserve stewards like Keith and Suzanne Langenberg that push progress forward
If you are going to call yourself any kind of outdoorsperson, you have to have a sense of adventure, be both curious and brave, and care about the world around you. Keith and Suzanne exude all of these qualities and it is their dedication to the outdoors and their passion for the environment that make them such fantastic preserve stewards Over the many years Keith and Suzanne have been volunteering at Bogey Creek Preserve, they have taken real ownership in their work, whether its monitoring the preserve, prospecting new interpretive opportunities for visitors, checking trail cams, or just picking up trash Keith and Suzanne have both made a tremendous impact and are fantastic honorary members of NFLT’s Stewardship Department
From all of us at NFLT, thank you Keith and Suzanne!
Save the Dates! NFLT Members-Only Events in 2025
Save these dates and stay tuned for more details in an email later this month!
January 9 ~ NFLT Book Club at Story & Song
January 15 ~ Working Lunch Wednesday (a virtual lunch-and-learn series)
February 19 ~ Working Lunch Wednesday (a virtual lunch-and-learn series)
February 22 ~ Outdoor Adventure Series
March 8 ~ 7 Creeks Festival
March 11 ~ Outdoor Adventure Series
March 19 ~ Working Lunch Wednesday (a virtual lunch-and-learn series)
March 30 ~ NFLT 2025 Annual Meeting at The Yards
April 10 ~ NFLT Book Club at San Marco Books and More
April 16 ~ Working Lunch Wednesday (a virtual lunch-and-learn series)
April 22 ~ Outdoor Adventure Series Earth Day Edition
May 3 ~ Outdoor Adventure Series
May 21 ~ Working Lunch Wednesday (a virtual lunch-and-learn series)
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Ways to Get Involved
If you believe that the conservation of North Florida is a necessity, there are many ways you can support. Together we can build NFLT to be as robust and expansive as our region’s natural resources Here are some ways you can help
GIVE
Our mission is to protect land, which often means to buy it and always means to maintain it The more funds we have to purchase land and take care of that land, the more land we can protect Help us say “yes” to more projects by donating today!
VOLUNTEER
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 funding sources continue and confirm their commitment to conservation.
SHARE
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 and with it our need to act quickly To meet our goals, we 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