Palm Coast Times

Jacksonville, Fla., February 28, 2023 – North Florida Land Trust will be hosting its annual meeting on Sunday, March 5 at The Barn Palm Valley. The nonprofit land conservation organization will be updating the community on its efforts to preserve Northeast Florida’s most vulnerable natural spaces. The event will be held from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 531 N. Wilderness Trail in Ponte Vedra Beach. Guests can enjoy brunch, networking and the program which will highlight the nonprofit’s accomplishments and its goals for the upcoming year.

 

Clay Henderson will serve as the keynote speaker for the event. Henderson is an author, environmental lawyer, and educator. He has been an important part of the conservation effort in Florida throughout his long career. He served as president of the Florida Audubon Society and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and was instrumental in most of the environmental provisions in the State’s Constitution including the creation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Henderson was the co-author of the Florida Water and Land Legacy Initiative, the largest conservation funding program in our nation’s history. He also helped champion Florida’s signature land acquisition programs including Preservation 2000, Florida Forever and Florida Communities Trust.

 

Henderson’s latest book “Forces of Nature” is an environmental history of Florida. On Saturday, March 4, NFLT and Mark Kaufman with Story and Song Bookstore will host a book signing for Henderson at 3 p.m. Story and Song Bookstore is at 1430 Park Avenue in Fernandina Beach. Henderson will also be signing books at the annual meeting on Sunday, this book signing is hosted by San Marco Bookstore.

 

NFLT’s Annual Meeting will also serve as a chance to award some of the greatest champions for conservation in the region. Volunteer of the Year will be presented to John Delaney, the nonprofit’s immediate past board chair. Protect Nassau Now or Never PAC and Ben and Louann Williams will receive the Advocate of the Year Award. The Partner of the Year Award will go to NAIOP NEFL Commercial Real Estate Development Association in the corporate category, the nonprofit partner award will go to Trust for Public Land and the government partner award will be given to Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The Legacy Award will be presented to Photographer Steve Leimberg and to Cyrus Spurlino and the Spurlino Foundation. New members will also be inducted into the McQuilkin Society, which honors major donors to the land conservation organization.

 

A limited number of tickets are still available. Visit https://www.nflt.org/2023/02/07/2023-annual-meeting-march-5/ or contact Sarah Hande at shande@nflt.org or (904) 479-1962. Media interested in the event can contact Kelly White at kelly@kwhitecommunications.com or (904) 616-8754.

About North Florida Land Trust

North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida's irreplaceable natural environment. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through the donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with willing landowners and public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit nflt.org.  

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