Alachua Conservation Trust Receives $22,000 for Simple Things for Our Springs Project

Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) is pleased to announce that it has received $22,000 from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida (FWFF) for the Simple Things for Our Springs Project, a holistic communications campaign focused on protecting water quality and quantity by working with private property owners to protect family land through conservation easements. This grant helps ACT accelerate the rate of springs’ protection and encourage land conservation throughout the Suwannee and Santa Fe River basins. ACT will utilize the funding to both conduct a mapping analysis to identify key lands that contribute to groundwater recharge, water quality, and wildlife habitat and conduct outreach with property owners to learn about conservation options.

This is the third grant awarded to ACT to protect private lands for spring and aquifer protection in and around the Suwannee and Santa Fe River watersheds. When asked about the significance of these funds, Erica Hernandez, the Statewide Land Acquisition Specialist for ACT said, “This grant from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida allows ACT to really elevate the work we do to connect with private landowners and truly get the message out about the tools available to protect private property. Protecting your land with a tool called a conservation easement protects water quality and quantity permanently, and allows individuals to really make a difference. Long term solutions like this are even more important as Florida works to protect our imperiled springs and water resources.”

The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida has raised and given away more than $45 million to conserve Florida’s unique wildlife and ecosystems, including its springs. Funding for the Simple Things for Our Springs Program is made possible with proceeds from the ‘Protect Florida Springs’ license plate. More info about the ‘Protect Florida Springs’ license plate can be found here.  

For more information about the Simple Things for Our Springs Project, contact ACT by phone at (352) 373-1078 or by email here.