Goal is ‘to connect more people to the great outdoors and protect more special places’
The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, based in Osprey, is teaming up with Outdoors by Owner (OBO) “to connect more people to the great outdoors and protect more special places in the process,” the Foundation has announced.
A not-for-profit land trust, the Conservation Foundation has been saving land in Southwest Florida since 2003, a news release notes. To date, it has permanently protected more than 19,200 acres across 56 properties in the five counties it serves, the release adds. “Notable recent conservation successes include the 8-acre Don Pedro Island State Park Addition in Charlotte County, 20 acres of Florida Panther habitat in Collier County, the 191-acre Crowley Museum & Nature Center in Sarasota County, the 432-acre Myakka Headwaters Preserve in Myakka City, the 228-acre addition to Old Miakka Preserve in Sarasota County, and the centrally located almost 300-acre Bobby Jones Golf Club in the City of Sarasota,” the release points out.
The critical lands that the Foundation protects “help capture pollution, provide vital habitats for plants and animals, act as natural buffers along coasts and riverbeds, and prevent flooding by holding rainfall from intense storms,” the release explains. The organization’s work also increases people’s access to nature and, with it, “all the benefits of healthy lands, such as clean water, fresh air, nutritious food, and improved mental and physical health,” the release notes.
“Connecting our community to nature and facilitating a deeper understanding of our delicate relationship with the natural world is a central component of Conservation Foundation’s work,” said Christine P. Johnson, president of the Foundation, in the release. “We are delighted to partner with Outdoors by Owner to help even more people do just that and we thank OBO for their support.”
“OBO is a premiere short-term rental platform, started specifically with the goal of getting people outside,” the release explains. “Everything on OBO’s online platform is curated to be both informational and educational, providing travelers with all the details they need to access outdoor activities and amenities during their OBO stay,” the release adds. A portion of every dollar OBO earns goes toward the stewardship of lands and waters through partnerships with conservation and environmental organizations, including the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, the release says. OBO also has an online merchandise store, with 100% of the proceeds directly benefitting its conservation partners, the release points out.
Individuals may visit the OBO website at go-obo.com to see available vacation properties and to start planning their next trips. To ensure a trip supports the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, and to get $50 off the first booking of $400 or more, persons may use the exclusive promo code GulfCoast50, the release adds.
To learn more about the Conservation Foundation’s work and how the public may get involved with it, visit conservationfoundation.com.