Conservation Foundation Invites the Public to Join Myakka Restoration Initiative

March 8, 2023 – Sarasota

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is working hard to support, restore, and enhance the Myakka region. At their 432-acre Myakka Headwaters Preserve – where seven creeks converge to form the Myakka River – the not-for-profit land trust recently embarked on a river restoration project in which they planted over 15,400 plants of 27 different species. Included in the planting were 2,000 coreopsis, the Florida loosestrife – a rare endangered endemic plant, almost 1,000 wetland trees from ten different species, and 9,000 plugs of a wetland grass called maidencane. 

Planted along approximately 1,000 feet of river bank, these plants will help improve water quality, capture sediment, and reduce erosion. They will also increase wildlife habitat for many species, including largemouth bass and common snapping turtle. Support for this vast undertaking came from numerous community partners, including Beautiful Ponds Inc, Blackbeard Ranch, Sandhill Native Growers, Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Partnership, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

“Conservation Foundation’s work goes far beyond protecting land,” says Christine P. Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation. “It’s also our responsibility to ensure the land we conserve is well managed and, when possible, restored, for the benefit of both the people and wildlife living here in Southwest Florida.”

This Spring, with support from the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation and the Arbor Day Foundation, Conservation Foundation plans to plant 10,000 more trees, expanding habitat and creating better streams and woods for fish and game throughout the Myakka region. They are delighted to invite the public to join them in this ambitious initiative and are hosting multiple volunteer days and on-the-land educational events, allowing participants to connect with nature and experience this stunning landscape firsthand.

Learn more and RSVP for upcoming opportunities at conservationfoundation.com/myakkarestoration.