Conservation Foundation receives $15,000 donation in support of newest program offering

Nature Interpretation program’s goal is to connect community members to nature and facilitate deeper understanding of the natural world

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast recently received a $15,000 donation to assist with the development of its new Nature Interpretation Program, the nonprofit has announced.

The contribution 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,” a news release explains.

“The Harlans have had a substantial and far-reaching impact on our work over the past 15 years,” said Christine P. Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation, in the release. “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 children to empower and expand conservation understanding in the community, the release explains. “The Nature Interpreter will offer people different ways to experience and learn about our natural world,” it adds, “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 its Climate Change and Environmental Quality priority, the release notes. The Harlans’ donation “will fund the equipment and supplies needed to provide high-quality nature experiences to individuals from all walks of life,” the release points out. “Initial program activities are expected to roll out later this year.”

To learn more about the Conservation Foundation and to join in its mission, visit conservationfoundation.com.