OSPREY, FL (April 6, 2021) Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and Sarasota Audubon Society announce the selection of the Quad Parcels Project Owners’ Representative, Steve Suau of Progressive Water Resources. As Owners’ Representative, Suau will assist both organizations in managing the project from beginning to end which will improve wildlife habitat, buffer the Celery Fields from industrial uses and I-75 to the west, and provide low-impact public access.
The 33 acres will buffer the western edge of the environmentally sensitive Celery Fields, a nationally recognized birding hotspot that is a vital part of Sarasota County’s water quality and flood protection system for the Phillippi Creek watershed.
In October 2020, the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners approved a unique public-private partnership which gifted a conservation easement on the northeast, southeast and southwest Quads parcels to Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast ensuring protection forever and contracted with Sarasota Audubon Society to improve habitat and manage the properties. The draft design is expected to be announced in the next few months. The two nonprofits are fundraising for the project and anticipate a public campaign kickoff later this year. Anyone interested in contributing should visit conservationfoundation.com/quads or sarasotaaudubon.org/donate.
About Sarasota Audubon Society
The local chapter of the National Audubon Society is dedicated to the protection, conservation and enjoyment of birds, wildlife and the environment in Sarasota, Florida. Their mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. Learn more at sarasotaaudubon.org.
About Conservation Foundation
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast protects land and water in Southwest Florida for the benefit of people and nature. Working with landowners, businesses, and government, Conservation Foundation saves land forever, protecting those special natural lands that make this region extraordinary. A nationally accredited land trust, the Foundation purchases natural areas, holds land conservation agreements and educates for responsible land and water stewardship in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier County. Learn more and join in their mission at conservationfoundation.com.