OSPREY, FL (February 15, 2022) Sarasota Audubon Society and Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast invite the public to an open house to view the concept design for the 33-acre Quad Parcels at the Celery Fields. The open house will take place Saturday, February 19, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Audubon’s Nature Center located at 999 Center Road in Sarasota. Members of both the Conservation Foundation and Audubon teams will be onsite to answer questions about the re-wilding of this community land.
The Quad Parcels are located at the intersection of Palmer Blvd and Apex Road and buffer the western edge of the Celery Fields. Envisioned improvements include extensive plantings, meadows, woodland areas, additional trails, high and low points of terrain along a meandering stream, shaded picnic areas, ADA-compliant walkways, a bird blind/observation platform, facilities, a discovery area for kids, and more. The project management team includes owners’ representative Steve Suau of Progressive Water Resources, site plan engineering firm, Kimley-Horn, and construction manager, Willis Smith Construction.
In October 2020, the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners approved a unique public-private partnership and gifted a conservation easement on the northeast, southeast, and southwest Quads parcels to Conservation Foundation, thus ensuring protection forever. Sarasota Audubon Society will manage the properties, and together, the two organizations are fundraising to improve this land for people, birds, and other wildlife. Anyone interested in contributing should visit conservationfoundation.com/quads or sarasotaaudubon.org/donate.
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 places that make this region extraordinary. A nationally accredited land trust, Conservation Foundation purchases natural areas, holds voluntary land protection agreements, and educates for responsible land and water stewardship in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties. Learn more and join in their mission at www.conservationfoundation.com.
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 for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. Learn more at sarasotaaudubon.org.