The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ It’s Our Birthday! appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ NFLT Board Chair Matt Rapp appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

We are at week 25 in the countdown to our official birthday on December 27 and this week we want to feature a significant partner and program in our conservation work, one that has had a transformative impact on North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) as an organization and also in keeping Florida green – the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and their Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). NFLT has achieved significant milestones through its partnership with the USDA’s NRCS and their RCPP and this collaboration has been pivotal in advancing conservation efforts within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor, one of Florida’s most critical ecological linkages.

Spanning 1.6 million acres, the O2O Wildlife Corridor is a 100-mile-long network of public and private lands that bridges two of Florida’s largest forests—the Ocala and the Osceola National Forests. This corridor is essential for preserving biodiversity, supporting regional water systems, and maintaining habitat connectivity for Florida’s iconic wildlife, such as the black bear, red-cockaded woodpecker, eastern indigo snake, and gopher tortoise.

NFLT first partnered with the RCPP in 2018, securing $3.56 million to jumpstart conservation within the O2O Wildlife Corridor. These funds supported initiatives such as land acquisition, conservation easements, and improved management practices on private lands. Recognizing the success of these efforts, the RCPP awarded an additional $9.3 million in 2020 to expand the scope of the project. This funding not only bolstered land conservation but also implemented innovative conservation practices to enhance habitat quality and water resources.

NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr highlighted the importance of the program, stating, “Through collaboration and aligning our resources toward a common goal, we’re making an impact for natural resource conservation that could never have been realized on our own.”

In total, RCPP funding for the O2O initiative has now surpassed $11 million, complemented by over $33 million contributed by partner programs. These investments are critical in addressing pressing environmental challenges, such as habitat loss, declining water quality, and the fragmentation of forest ecosystems.

The corridor’s importance extends beyond its ecological significance. By linking existing conservation areas such as Camp Blanding Joint Training Center and numerous state parks, the initiative ensures that species dependent on large, unfragmented habitats can thrive. Additionally, the conservation of working timberlands and water resources helps sustain local economies while promoting sustainable land-use practices.

Expanding Conservation through the Corridor to Coast Initiative

NFLT’s conservation reach expanded significantly with the launch of the Corridor to Coast (C2C) initiative. Supported by a $15.2 million RCPP award, this project extends the conservation footprint to 5.2 million acres across nine counties in Northeast and Central Florida. The C2C integrates efforts across working farms, forests, wetlands, and buffer lands to protect natural resources while supporting regional economies.

Much like the O2O initiative, the C2C relies on partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private landowners. Notable partners include the Florida Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Trust for Public Land. Together, these organizations bring technical expertise and funding to ensure the success of the initiative.

Both the O2O and C2C initiatives demonstrate the transformative power of public-private partnerships. By addressing natural resource challenges at a landscape scale, these projects not only conserve biodiversity and enhance water quality but also mitigate the impacts of urbanization and climate change. For example, conserved lands within the corridor act as natural buffers, reducing flooding, controlling erosion, and filtering pollutants before they reach water sources. These efforts also strengthen regional resilience against sea-level rise and extreme weather events.

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, located within the heart of the O2O, has also benefited significantly from NFLT’s conservation efforts. Through the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program NFLT works to protect land surrounding the training center, ensuring the compatibility of military operations with conservation objectives.

The O2O Wildlife Corridor and the Corridor to Coast initiative exemplify how strategic conservation efforts can secure Florida’s natural heritage for future generations. By leveraging resources through the RCPP and fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, NFLT is creating a legacy of resilience and sustainability. As Allison DeFoor, President and CEO of NFLT, often says, “It is now or never.” With the stakes higher than ever, these initiatives provide a blueprint for conserving the landscapes that define Florida’s identity and support its communities.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ The NRCS and the RCPP appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ NFLT President & CEO Allison DeFoor appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

On this Thanksgiving we want to highlight our best memory ~ the people and partners who make what we do possible. All year long we have been celebrating 25 years of conservation and as we have reflected on the incredible milestones we’ve achieved, top of mind is the knowledge that none of this would have been possible without the support of all of you ~ our donors, our members, and our partners. Your contributions have enabled us to make huge strides in safeguarding Florida’s natural beauty, protecting critical habitats, and enhancing the quality of life for Floridians.

Since our founding in 1999, we have protected more than 40,000 acres of critical landscapes, from the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O) to the salt marshes and coastal ecosystems along the Intracoastal Waterway. These achievements represent a shared commitment to preserving North Florida’s irreplaceable natural resources. Every acre we’ve saved is a testament to the dedication and generosity of our supporters.

Donors both big and small have transformed the scope of what we can achieve. Your gifts have strengthened our ability to act decisively in the face of environmental challenges. Your contributions have funded essential initiatives such as prescribed burns, longleaf pine restoration, and habitat preservation for species like the gopher tortoise. Landowners such as the Bull Family and Atlantic Beach Holding Company and Ben and Louann Williams of Wetland Preserve exemplify the profound impact of landowner partnerships and how shared values can lead to meaningful conservation outcomes.

In the year and a half since transitioning to a membership-based organization, we have welcomed close to 400 members who share our vision for conservation. Your participation ensures that we can continue this critical work, providing the resources to respond swiftly to opportunities and challenges. Each membership signifies a personal commitment to the land we protect and serves as a foundation for our future.

We are deeply grateful for the partnerships that amplify our impact. Collaborations with conservation organizations, government agencies, and community leaders have been instrumental in expanding our reach. The more than 26 strong O2O Partnership works together with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and their Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a collaboration that has enabled exponential growth in the conservation efforts of the O2O Wildlife Corridor. Funding through the Army Compatible Use Buffer program (ACUB) has allowed us to save more land, connect fragmented wildlife corridors, and support community well-being. Groups of passionate and dedicated residents such as the Amelia Forever Committee have been pivotal in helping us act quickly and protect land under threat of development. And of course, the guiding force from our inception through today, the NFLT Board of Directors.

Corporate and community partners, including Lory Doolittle and the Doolittle Family, The Players, Dream Finders Homes, and many others have provided financial support, resources, and advocacy that drive our mission forward. Whether through sponsorships of events like our 25th Anniversary Celebration and our Annual Meeting, or contributions to specific projects, the involvement and support of all our sponsors and funders has been crucial to our success.

As we honor the achievements of the past 25 years, we remain focused on the urgent work ahead. The rapid pace of development in Florida demands bold action, and your continued support is essential. Together, we can protect more vulnerable lands, expand wildlife corridors, and ensure that future generations inherit a landscape rich in natural beauty and biodiversity.

NFLT is not just an organization—it is a community of like-minded individuals, families, businesses, and government agencies and partners united by a passion for conservation. To every donor who has funded our land acquisitions, every member who has joined our growing network, and every partner who has stood with us in this mission: THANK YOU. Your support inspires us, fuels our efforts, and makes our shared vision a reality.

Here’s to the next 25 years of protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable landscapes together!

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ Thanksgiving appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

An important note ~

We must also take this opportunity to recognize the amazing support and partnership of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. We are grateful for their guidance and belief in our mission and their support of and for Northeast Florida and its nonprofit community. 

About The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida ~

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, Florida’s oldest and largest community foundation, works to stimulate philanthropy to build a better community. The Foundation helps donors invest their philanthropic gifts wisely, helps nonprofits serve the region effectively, and helps people come together to make the community a better place. Created in 1964, the Foundation has made more than $695 million in grants since its inception, and manages assets that exceeded $630 million at their peak in 2021.

*Little NaNa Dune photo credit: Steve Leimberg 2021

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

A New Memory to Celebrate!

We have been wandering through the archives and our rolodex, featuring memories of how NFLT was started, who were some of our first partners and landowners, and highlighting some of our key initiatives. For this week we want to share a new memory, but one that is nonetheless significant and will remain etched in our minds and hearts for many years to come.

This past weekend we recognized our 25 years of conservation with a celebration at Smith Lake Preserve. Close to 100 friends, partners, and donors joined NFLT staff and board members at our flagship property. Everyone 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 Fund, enjoyed music by the Remedy Tree, ate barbeque from Mission BBQ, and took self-guided hikes through the property. It was a beautiful fall day in Florida and at the end of the event our hearts were full.

Smith Lake Preserve is not open to the public so many have not 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. The abundance of green, the resurgence of native plants and the little long leaf pine saplings were thrilling to see. (Scroll down for some photos.)

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 (we moved into Smith Lake Preserve in spring 2021) not only reinforces the importance of our mission but also inspires all of us and reenergizes our work.

Thank you to all who joined us last Saturday. We often say we cannot do what we do without you, but we say it often because it is true. You are the best part of NFLT.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ Our 25th Anniversary Celebration appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

Ben and Louann have been a part of the NFLT family for many years, and if you want to know more about the work we do with conservation easements, just ask them. The two got their start in conservation by first working to protect water. They worked in the commercial seafood industry and saw the need to protect the health of the underlying ecosystems that provided their livelihood. That led to their early involvement with the St. Johns Riverkeeper. Ben served for 12 years on the St. Johns Riverkeeper’s board and provided the seafood for the nonprofit’s annual oyster roast. Educating themselves about the importance of conservation, the two realized how important it was to the waterways to protect the land that surrounds it. Then, they decided to buy some land.

The two bought nearly 3,600 acres, which they named Wetland Preserve, and after spending 35 years in the commercial seafood industry, they moved into the timber and land business. Wetland Preserve is adjacent to the Rice Creek Conservation area owned by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). It was good timber property, and Ben and Louann saw an opportunity. The land could produce income while also helping them further their conservation goals. They began talking with Ray Bunton, a former NFLT board member who worked with the SJRWMD. When they learned how a conservation easement could protect the land while allowing landowners to continue to use it as a working forest, they started on the conservation easement path. They wanted to make sure the land would be free from development for future generations. The self-proclaimed do-it-yourselfers were trying to figure it out on their own.

“We had been banging our heads trying to figure out how to get a Florida Forever conservation easement on the property,” said Ben. “We were at a St. Johns River Water Management District meeting one day, and Marc Hudson (former NFLT land protection director) had spoken, and I was impressed. I corralled Marc outside the meeting and thought if anyone could make this happen, this young man could.”

That was approximately ten years ago. Ben said Marc’s persistence and intelligence at the meeting helped convince him that he needed to work with NFLT. Our staff then got to work. We identified the property as a perfect fit for a conservation easement in 2015 and served as a landowner advocate for the Williams family throughout the process. In 2017, NFLT helped move them to the top of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program list before it was defunded. We then identified the Florida Forever Program as a funding option for the conservation easement. We assisted the family through the process while helping the state understand the property and execute the due diligence. Ben and Louann also wanted to protect the Florida Trail, which runs through part of Wetland Preserve. We helped them craft the conservation easement to ensure any subsequent owners could not move the trail off the property. We also included protecting old growth on the property outside of the Best Management Practice areas.

In 2020, we helped them finalize the deal and closed on the conservation easement purchased through the Florida Forever program for $2,873,000. When asked what they would do with the money, they asked what the state wanted them to do. The answer was to buy more conservation land, so that is what they are doing. Stay tuned for details as they add to their conservation portfolio.

NFLT continues to work with the Williams to save more land from development, and Ben and Louann continue to support us in many ways. They have been a $10,000 Black Bear Sponsor of our annual meeting for the last few years. Ben recently joined us for the Florida Forestry Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show, where he shared his insight on the conservation easement process and his thoughts on why saving land is so important. Ben and Louann are also frequent hosts at Wetland Preserve, providing educational outreach for groups.

The Williams have received accolades for their work in conservation over the years. They were named Florida Landowners of the Year in 2019 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The American Tree Farm System recognized them with the Florida 2021 Outstanding Tree Farmer award, and they were also named NFLT’s Advocate of the Year in 2023.

“We would not be able to do all we do without the conservation easement,” said Louann. “We love having the opportunity to be stewards of this land for this little window of time.”

You can learn more about Wetland Preserve and Ben and Louann’s work at benandLouann.com.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ Ben and Louann Williams, Owners of Wetland Preserve appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

For this week’s 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation post we want to highlight and recognize a premier partner of NFLT— the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.

Camp Blanding is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard and plays a crucial role in preparing service members for a variety of operational scenarios. The installation not only supports military training but also provides resources to enhance joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational training in support of our country, state, and local communities, making it a key stakeholder in the region. Camp Blanding is located in Clay County and is neighbor to two of NFLT’s priority properties, Little Rain Lake Preserve and Smith Lake Preserve. It is also a crucial partner in our work to protect land in the O2O Wildlife Corridor. There are so many examples we can list as to how Camp Blanding has been such a critical and supportive partner to our work but first let us take a step back and talk about how this partnership came to be.

Did you know that military installations manage some of the most well-preserved wildlife habitats in the country? Each military installation needs a buffer zone to limit the effects of encroachment and to protect training areas, as well as to preserve natural resources and keep surrounding communities safe. The Army Compatible Use Buffer Program (ACUB) is a strategic initiative designed to ensure that military installations can coexist harmoniously with surrounding communities while fulfilling their mission requirements. The program seeks to reduce land use conflicts while also supporting conservation measures and preserving working lands and forests. The program manages the impacts of military training activities on surrounding communities including addressing noise, environmental concerns, and land use changes that may arise due to military operations.

From the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs ~

The ACUB program is designed to minimize development that is incompatible with military training activities by utilizing permanent conservation easements, fee-sales, or other interests in land from willing landowners. In the case of conservation easements or similar agreements, the landowner retains ownership and rights to use the land for the purposes specified in the agreement. 
 
Establishing buffer areas around a military installation limits the effects of encroachment on military training and maximizes the amount of available training land inside the installation boundary that can be used to support the installation’s mission.  These buffer areas also contribute benefits to local recreational, agricultural, forest management, and greenspace uses. There are multiple secondary natural resource and habitat-based benefits to the program.  ACUB is a voluntary program; landowners in the approved project area can decide whether they want to participate.

Camp Blanding serves as an excellent case study for the ACUB program. Environmental stewardship is a critical aspect of the ACUB program and Camp Blanding encompasses diverse ecosystems and habitats that are vital to Florida’s wildlife. The ACUB encourages sustainable practices within the installation, promoting conservation efforts that benefit both the military and local communities. Initiatives include habitat restoration projects, wildlife management programs, and efforts to ensure water quality and conservation. By prioritizing environmental sustainability, Camp Blanding not only fulfills its military mission but also enhances the quality of life for nearby residents.

NFLT works closely with Camp Blanding in supporting the ACUB Program by promoting land conservation initiatives that align with both environmental stewardship and military readiness. A core component of NFLT’s mission is to protect critical habitats and preserve the region’s ecological integrity. Through ACUB, NFLT works to acquire and conserve land adjacent to Camp Blanding, creating buffers that mitigate the impact of military operations on local communities. These buffers serve several purposes: they reduce encroachment from urban development, preserve wildlife habitats, and help maintain the natural landscape essential for military training exercises. By collaborating on conservation easements and land acquisitions, NFLT ensures that areas surrounding Camp Blanding remain free from incompatible development, thereby supporting both military operations and local ecology.

You may recall that NFLT recently acquired two properties in Clay County, both within the O2O and both within the military use buffer zone for Camp Blanding. Through NFLT’s partnership with Camp Blanding and the ACUB program, NFLT received funding to support both acquisitions. These most recent acquisitions are just two of many examples of NFLT’s and Camp Blanding’s partnership. Some other properties conserved through the ACUB program in partnership with Camp Blanding include Little Rain Lake Preserve, the Bear Bay conservation easement, and the home of our stewardship team and flagship property, Smith Lake Preserve.

NFLT’s relationship with Camp Blanding and the ACUB Program is a prime example of how military readiness and environmental conservation can coexist and, even more so, how they can ensure the other’s success. Through collaborative efforts to establish and maintain protective buffers, conservation not only enhances the operational capabilities of Camp Blanding but also safeguards the natural resources that are vital to the region, benefiting the military, the resident wildlife, and the local community now, and long into the future.

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation ~ Camp Blanding Joint Training Center appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.

The Vital Role of the Preservation Fund in NFLT’s Mission of Conservation

The post 25 Weeks of Memories for 25 Years of Conservation — The Preservation Fund appeared first on North Florida Land Trust.