Nonprofit’s leaders cite recent impacts of Hurricanes Milton and Helene
On Oct. 21, the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, which is based in Osprey, announced that its Nov. 9 Party in Paradise has been cancelled.
The leaders of the not-for-profit land trust “made the difficult decision to cancel the annual fundraising event as the community recovers from the recent impacts of Hurricanes Milton and Helene,” a news release explained.
“Party in Paradise is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Christine P. Johnson, president of the Conservation Foundation, noted in the release. “However,” she continued, “in light of all that our community is currently going through, we feel it would be inappropriate to host an evening of extravagance and indulgence, even if it is in support of our vital mission to save land.”
Johnson added, “We recognize that now is the time to focus on recovery and resilience. And our mission to protect Southwest Florida’s land and water is all about increasing our community’s resiliency to storms and flooding! Our hearts go out to the community during this stressful time,” she continued, “and we stand ready to continue our important work with the help of our conservation community and donors.”
Founded in 2003, the Conservation Foundation to date has protected more than 20,000 acres across the five counties it serves, the release points out. “Saving land is a race against time,” the release says, but together with its supporters, the Foundation is “quickening the pace of local land conservation for the benefit of all who live, work, and play in our region.
“Conserving land helps reduce flooding by protecting and restoring the natural floodplains, coastal marshes, prairies, and forests that naturally absorb and hold water,” the release explains. “When humans pave over natural areas, the land cannot hold or store water as it is meant to, and instead with nowhere to go, floodwaters rush through our cities and towns putting our community at risk and picking up pollution, fertilizers, and other contaminants along the way,” the release adds.
By preserving land, the release notes, the Conservation Foundation protects that land’s ability to store and clean water, helping to safeguard the community and local waters for generations to come.
To learn more or donate to the nonprofit, visit conservationfoundation.com.