OSPREY, FL (March 18, 2025) Presented by Big Waters Land Trust, the Wild About Nature Festival returns on Saturday, April 5, 2025! This celebrated annual community event will take place from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the not-for-profit land trust’s Bay Preserve headquarters located at 400 Palmetto Avenue, Osprey, 34229. With an exhibitor line-up … Read more
In December, Big Waters Land Trust, formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, concluded their twentieth anniversary year with a surprise name change announcement. The new name was revealed at their Annual Conservation Celebration event via a mission-forward video celebrating the critical importance of land conservation and the impact of the regional not-for-profit land trust. The approximately 90-second announcement closed with the reveal of their new name, Big Waters Land Trust. Big Waters is thrilled to share with the community the exciting news that the video recently received honors during the 2025 American Advertising Awards (ADDYs).
Big Waters Land Trust, formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, is delighted to introduce a new Bay Explorers Summer Experience! Registration is open now for this immersive week of education and exploration designed for historically underserved youth ages 14 to 18. The free program was specifically designed to be accessible to youth in the North Sarasota and Newtown neighborhoods; however, any youth ages 14 to 18 residing in Sarasota or Manatee counties with need are eligible to apply.
Big Waters Land Trust, formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, is thrilled to announce the launch of their first webstore! Featuring a variety of branded items for all ages, online purchases through the store directly support Big Waters’ mission to protect the land and water in Southwest Florida for the benefit of people and nature.
At Big Waters Land Trust, we’re committed to a future where both the human and natural worlds thrive. One of the ways we are working towards this future is by incorporating eco-friendly principles into our events and everyday operations. Our goal is to eventually become entirely zero-waste. Creating and implementing a zero-waste guide tailored to … Read more
Representatives from Sarasota Audubon Society, Big Waters Land Trust (formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast), and Sarasota County came together to put shovels in the ground on the morning of Thursday, January 23, celebrating their first steps in Re-wilding the Quad Parcels at the Celery Fields. Community investors, stakeholders, staff, and members attended the private program, which was originally planned to take place on the southeastern parcel, but instead held at the Audubon Nature Center due to the weather.
Hurricanes are a powerful force of nature, bringing high winds, heavy rainfall, and massive storm surges that can significantly alter the landscape. Our native wildlife has evolved strategies to cope with these extreme weather events, often relying on instinctive survival tactics and adaptations developed over thousands of years. From birds and butterflies to large mammals … Read more
Big Waters Land Trust, formerly Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, is thrilled to host a collective of Florida Highwaymen and their heirs for a special one-day-only exhibition of their legendary art. The event will take place, Saturday, February 1, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Big Waters’ Bay Preserve headquarters located at 400 Palmetto Avenue in Osprey.
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is excited to re-introduce themselves as Big Waters Land Trust! In their twenty-year history, humbly starting as the Sarasota-based, Sarasota Conservation Foundation, and then as Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast for over a decade, the not-for-profit’s impact and ability to support their community has grown exponentially.
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is pleased to announce the three newest members of their team, Brooke Langston, Director of Land Protection; Shalla Ashworth, Director of Philanthropy; and Sarah Rubin, Youth Education Manager. These three join the not-for-profit land trust in support of their urgent mission to protect Southwest Florida’s land and water for the benefit of people and nature.
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