ACT to Celebrate 35 Years of Conservation on March 23rd
March 12, 2024
Gainesville, Florida – Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) will host its annual Conservation Stewards Awards (CSAs) on Saturday, March 23rd. The event will take place at Prairie Creek Lodge in Gainesville from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The CSAs event honors individuals in the community who are influential in a wide variety of ways, such as the arts, historic preservation and particularly, in protecting our wildlife and natural resources. Previous CSAs have been the largest gatherings of community leaders and supporters of wild Florida in the region.
The theme of this year’s event, “Celebrating 35 Years of Saving Special Places”, will commemorate the first three and a half decades of ACT’s conservation journey and honor several individuals who have helped make saving special places possible along the way. Conserving land is no small endeavor and ACT could not have accomplished so much over the last 35 years without support from so many. Our theme invites you to reflect on the moments that have defined a legacy of conservation across North Central Florida.
This year, ACT will recognize the Gary Family of Marion County, Florida, and Anne and John Shermyen as 2024 Conservation Stewards.
Much like the beginnings of ACT, our honorees represent the different ways in which a group of committed and passionate individuals can come together to save the natural lands they love. A donation of a Conservation Easement from the Gary Family on multi-generational farmlands has led to the protection of hundreds of acres in Marion County over the last decade and a half. Anne and John Shermyens’ dedication to environmental protection has ensured the conservation of thousands of acres of land that runs along the banks of the iconic Santa Fe River as well as a Conservation Easement buffering San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park.
“This year’s Conservation Stewards exemplify the belief held by many Floridians that our environment and way of life is worth protecting today for the benefit of future generations. We look forward to welcoming the community to Prairie Creek Lodge on March 23rd to celebrate this important milestone in ACT’s history and recognize the imprint this year’s honorees have made on the story of conservation in North Central Florida.”
In addition to an awards ceremony, the CSAs event will include a cocktail hour, catered dinner, silent auction, and a live musical performance from The Savants of Soul. The silent auction will feature donated artwork, collectibles, and adventure-based experiences. Proceeds from the silent auction and CSA event will support ACT’s mission to protect the natural, historic, scenic and recreational resources in and around North Central Florida.
The event is sold out.
Prairie Creek Lodge is located at 7204 SE County Road 234, Gainesville, FL 32641.
Press are invited to attend this event. Members of the press, please contact Heather Obara at info@AlachuaConservationTrust.org or (352) 373-1078 if you plan to attend.
Photos by Thomas Niemi.
