Protecting the Panhandle

Three ways The Nature Conservancy in Florida conserves our wild wonders

Northwest Florida is a treasure, and it’s our duty to protect this place that we love. Here are three ways The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Florida employs science-based solutions to create positive changes for the planet — in our backyards and across the globe.

Saving Land From Development

The Nature Conservancy in Florida is part of a statewide effort to protect the 18-million-acre Florida Wildlife Corridor, including key ecosystems in the Panhandle. Wildlife like Florida black bears rely on a network of lands to travel and breed, and the best way to protect them is by protecting their habitats. TNC connects protected lands throughout the state, including TNC properties such as Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in Liberty County. TNC protects land from development through land acquisition partnerships, conserving the 17,000-acre Bluffs of St. Teresa and the 20,000-acre Lake Wimico properties.

Restoring Lands For Wildlife

It’s not just about buying land but restoring it, too. In Northwest Florida, TNC’s Center for Conservation Initiatives works to revitalize once-abundant longleaf pine and wiregrass habitats. Through controlled burns, TNC uses the natural benefits of fire to support native plants and wildlife.Threatened species like eastern indigo snakes and gopher tortoises are vital to Northwest Florida ecosystems, and thanks to science-based restoration, they are returning to the landscape.

Boosting Resilience and Water Quality

With Oyster Reefs Restored oyster reefs improve ecosystem health and defend sensitive coastlines. The Pensacola East Bay Oyster Habitat Restoration project is TNC in Florida’s largest estuarine habitat restoration project, consisting of 33 reefs over 6.5 miles. The reefs absorb wave energy, prevent erosion and foster calmer waters that allow seagrass to thrive, supporting manatees, dolphins, sea turtles and many other species.

How You Can Help: Volunteer, Support and Learn More

TNC’s Center for Conservation Initiatives educates and engages communities to inspire a love for nature and a passion for protecting it. Our volunteers maintain trails, collect wildlife data and connect with their communities. By supporting The Nature Conservancy in Florida, you too can help make our treasured Panhandle more vibrant and resilient. Learn more about who we are and what we do around the world by subscribing to Nature News. nature.org/florida