On December 6, a land preservation organization serving Florida’s Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties announced a significant change in its identity.
The nonprofit, formerly known as the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and based in Osprey, has rebranded as Big Waters Land Trust. This decision underscores the organization’s dedication to both coastal and inland communities within its service area, which stretches from South Tampa Bay to the Everglades. President Christine P. Johnson stated, “Looking at our service area, which covers from South Tampa Bay to the Everglades, we realized it is water that defines our region. And because it’s Florida, we don’t just have small rivers and lakes, we have BIG WATERS.”
The rebranding comes with a new name and logo, aiming to encapsulate the essence of the region’s defining water features. The trust’s area includes three national estuaries—Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, and Charlotte Harbor—as well as four significant rivers: the Manatee, Myakka, Peace, and Caloosahatchee.
Since its inception in 2003, Big Waters Land Trust has played a key role in preserving over 20,000 acres across 60 properties through partnerships with various entities, including local governments and individual landowners. Their mission focuses on enhancing the health of local waters, benefiting both wildlife and surrounding communities.
Director of Marketing and Events, Sam Valentin, highlighted the urgency in conservation efforts due to climate change and increasing development pressures as more residents move to Florida. He remarked, “Together with our conservation community, we protect the land and water of Southwest Florida because we envision a future in which the human and natural worlds flourish together.”
Recent conservation efforts by Big Waters Land Trust include protecting 58 acres near the Braden River in Manatee County, 656 acres at Longino Ranch in eastern Sarasota County, 64 acres at Crooked River Ranch along the Manatee River, and a 20-acre addition to Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park in Port Charlotte.
In collaboration with the Sarasota Audubon Society and Sarasota County, the trust is also engaged in re-wilding the 33-acre Quad Parcels at the Celery Fields, further demonstrating its commitment to ecological restoration. Christine P. Johnson emphasized the continuity amid change, assuring that, “We are the same organization, but at the start of a new chapter.”
As Big Waters Land Trust embarks on this new chapter, its commitment to safeguarding Florida’s unique landscapes remains unwavering. The organization’s renewed focus on water as a fundamental feature of its conservation strategy reflects a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of land and aquatic ecosystems, aiming to foster environments where nature and communities can thrive together.
Source: Businessobserverfl
