Fundraiser to Conserve Land for Wildlife-Nature!

HELP The Environmental Conservancy of North Port And Surrounding Areas purchase and protect a double-lot 1/2 acre land parcel (Lot 36-Minardi Street and Lot 1-Jayman Road) in the Meroni Paradise neighborhood of North Port to permanently protect land for wildlife, native plants and trees!

HOW: RAISE $24,000 ($12,000 per lot) by August 17, 2023 by donations via this GoFundMe. Checks are also accepted, please make checks payable to The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc. and mail to 3465 Alfred Road, North Port, FL 34286.

WHO: We are a 501c3 non-profit entity focused on acquiring and permanently conserving undeveloped natural land parcels in neighborhoods of North Port and its Surrounding Areas (Sarasota and Charlotte Counties) to provide greenspace for wildlife/native plants/native trees [aka nature] to continue thriving upon as it has for decades as our population continues to grow at a rapid pace.

WHAT: With this acquisition we would permanently protect 1/2 acre of habitat for use by the threatened Florida Scrub-jay and other wildlife, along with an abundance of Florida native plants and trees, all thriving in native soil.

North Port hosts a population of the Florida Scrub-jay, a threatened species rapidly losing habitat as our area's human population continues to grow. Once a building, earthmoving or tree removal permit is in process, U.S. Fish & Wildlife reviews the proposal and identifies potential negative effects to the birds. If impacts are identified, strategies for avoidance, minimization or mitigation of these impacts is required. In most cases, mitigation is required of the developer and development can then proceed. Examples of mitigation are habitat replacement at a ratio of 2:1 in the form of title to other occupied lands, conservation easements, purchase credit at a scrub-jay conservation bank, or payment to a State scrub-jay land acquisition fund which is used to purchase habitat elsewhere. Florida Scrub-jays are not relocated; instead as development continues, local neighborhood natural habitat for these birds is being slowly erased. Providing “stepping stone” habitat in Scrub-jay neighborhoods in the form of protected natural land parcels is the best way to help ensure they, and other wildlife, will always have a place to call home in North Port.

Further, upon completion of a residence, few to no local native plants that once grew on the lot are replanted, and even if a local native tree is replanted (live oak, slash pine, sabal palm) it is common that those trees will not survive and grow to maturity. Replanting native trees/plants is something we always recommend, but replanting can never take place of conservation of an untouched natural environment.

Greenspace in our neighborhoods benefits nature and humans alike!

Conserving natural land in our neighborhoods allows for the preservation/protection of, education about, and co-existence with, our local native flora and fauna, especially threatened species such as the Gopher Tortoise and Florida Scrub-jay.

Conservation of natural land amidst residential development preserves wildlife habitat, threatened and/or endangered species and biodiversity; maintains scenic landscape for people; helps reduce flooding; helps filter water/improve water quality; and maintains the tree canopy and native vegetation that serve as filters for our air. Conserving land increases property values near these greenspaces too.

QUESTIONS? Contact us at [phone redacted] or [email redacted] or visit our website at www.ecnorthport.com, Facebook at www.facebook.com/ecnorthport or Instagram @npconservancy.

Tax ID Number 84-4132468