OSPREY, FL (August 9, 2022) Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast recently received a $15,000 donation to help fund their new Nature Interpretation program. The donation came from Rob Harlan and Susan Lowy Harlan, long-time supporters of Conservation Foundation and recipients of the organization’s 2021 Conservation Partner of the Year award.
“The Harlans have had a substantial and far-reaching impact on our work over the past 15 years,” says Christine P. Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful for their investment in our mission and for continually supporting our initiatives to connect more people to the land we save.”
An extension of Conservation Foundation’s environmental education program, the Nature Interpretation Program will provide equitable education experiences to adults, families, and kids to empower and expand conservation understanding in the community. The Nature Interpreter will offer people different ways to experience and learn about our natural world as well as how land and water conservation affects their daily lives. The goal is to connect community members to nature and facilitate a deeper understanding of local habitats, wildlife, and our delicate relationship with the natural world.
Funding to hire the Nature Interpreter was provided by a Gulf Coast Community Foundation grant in support of their Climate Change and Environmental Quality priority. The Harlans’ donation will fund the equipment and supplies needed to provide high-quality nature experiences to individuals from all walks of life. Initial program activities are expected to roll out later this year.
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 conservationfoundation.com.