Protect, Share, Inspire

We can all share a legacy of stewardship

My father taught me to love nature. As far back as I can remember, he educated my family on every animal species we encountered, planned camping vacations for us, and shared stories about the importance of preservation. He taught us how to respect the land and all its creatures. 

I know now that guarding our land is critical in preserving the things we love about living on the Emerald Coast. Our area is home to as many as 80,000 species, and as the epicenter of the planet’s 36th biodiversity hotspot, we have much to protect. Our purpose at Emerald Coast Magazine is to educate, support, and inspire the community we serve through storytelling. Every story we share and every event we host or sponsor is guided by this principle. It is a responsibility we hold dear, and it drives me every day.  

In this issue, we highlight some of the efforts made to champion the species that called the Emerald Coast home long before we did. The Florida black bear, sea turtle, manatee, and more are just some of the animals you can enjoy meeting in this issue, as well as the people and organizations inspiring others to join them in conservation initiatives.  

There are countless ways we all can support our community and conserve its wildest parts: the animals and plants that were the foundation of this land’s incredible energy. For instance, I encourage any parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or caretaker to spread the importance of preservation and conservation, as my father did for me. In this issue, you’ll discover engaging family experiences, like public sea turtle releases or how to visit the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport. Most may know of the refuge for its domestic pet services, but they also boast a massive wildlife rehabilitation effort and educational opportunities. 

Laurie Hood, founder and CEO of Alaqua Animal Refuge, is a past Pinnacle Award recipient honored for her incredible work with Alaqua, a no-kill sanctuary offering shelter, veterinary care, and adoption services for abused, neglected, and homeless animals. It’s so exciting to see how she continues to make waves in our area.
I have the privilege of knowing Laurie personally and seeing her vision of an additional 100 acres of sanctuary take shape. The refuge is an incredible asset to our community.

At Alaqua, the list of needs are long and always growing, and any of us can take a step to help. Hood and her team have experienced many emergency situations, such as cruelty cases, both in the state of Florida and further out. While the refuge’s focus is always on the animals, priorities and resources have to be flexible. In light of recent developments, a designated Florida Black Bear Conservation area is on her list of future projects. 

Not every child has the opportunity to learn how to preserve and protect our world, as my father gave to me. Luckily, we all have the chance to make a difference. There are so many organizations we can lean on to help us learn about the natural world. My dream is that this issue inspires you to make even one small change to better protect this beautiful place that 80,000 species call home. 

Much love, 

McKenzie Burleigh, Publisher

Photo by Sean Murphy