Conservation Foundation is Building a Better Future for Southwest Florida

November 8, 2023 – Osprey

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is delighted to announce their 20^th Anniversary November spotlight, Building a Better Future. As they celebrate twenty years of protecting Southwest Florida’s land and water, each month the not-for-profit land trust is spotlighting a different aspect of their work and the corresponding community impact. This 20^th Anniversary spotlight series is generously sponsored by Elizabeth Moore. 

Conservation Foundation protects natural areas and ranchlands throughout the region. Together with their conservation community, the organization works to maintain the health and productivity of Florida’s land and water, while at the same time preserving the natural beauty and rural character of our community as more and more land is developed. Conservation Foundation’s work helps build a better future for the entirety of our region. To date, they have protected over 19,200 acres across Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties. 

“You can’t think about land conservation without thinking about the future,” comments Christine P. Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation. “Though it, of course, benefits us in the present to protect land and water, everything we do is with an eye toward forever. We must ensure balance between the built and unbuilt worlds if we want to see a future in which people and nature flourish together. Saving land is an investment in the well-being and prosperity of our community, now and forever.”

Conservation Foundation also helps build a better future by advocating for policies that will increase conservation funding and further conservation efforts at local, state, and national levels. For example, in Manatee County – one of the fastest growing counties in Florida – Conservation Foundation partnered with Manatee Fish and Game Association and The Trust for Public Land to support a 2020 bond referendum to provide dedicated funding for water quality protection, natural areas preservation, and park creation/management. The funding measure passed with 71% of Manatee County voters supporting the initiative to protect nature for current and future generations.

In Sarasota County, Conservation Foundation again partnered with The Trust for Public Land along with Friends of the Legacy Trail to advocate and support the popular Legacy Trail Extension. This measure passed by a countywide referendum vote in November 2018 by 70%. The Legacy Trail – which now connects downtown Sarasota to North Port – provides an attractive and safe place to walk, run, skate, cycle, connect with nature, commute to work, and even run errands. This community connector enhances our local quality of life and improves property values for nearby properties. 

To learn more about how Conservation Foundation is building a better future, visit them online at conservationfoundation.com/novemberspotlight.