By-Line: Jonathon Rubin, Clean Earth Initiative
On Thursday, January 16th, 2025 18 conservation nonprofits signed up to join Clean Earth Initiatives (CEI) Conservation Breakfast in Tomoka State Park. This event was attended by elected officials, foundations, and non-profits from Flagler, Volusia, and Brevard counties. The breakfast was kicked off by CEI’s Executive Director Jonathan Rubin and Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower.
“Everyone present today is here for one purpose, and that is they care about their home. They care about their communities, the health of their local ecosystems, and the world that we interact with every single day,” shared Jonathan Rubin.
Clean Earth Initiative is an umbrella conservation nonprofit that brings together passionate people and talented organizations from around the State. As a unified voice, nonprofits are more efficient in their conservation efforts, share resources with others, and raise awareness of their causes.
Volusia County Chair, Jeff Brower, shared “It’s great to see so many old faces and new faces in the room with us today. I’d like to thank everyone for the hard work they do for our community. I am excited to learn more about the initiatives being presented today.”
Kathy from Friends of Blue Springs State Park shared about the launch of the Rolling Hikes Program. This program enables guests with mobility challenges to go on hikes and experience nature. An ADA-compliant chair, with offroad automatic capabilities, can bring you through the park onto unfinished paths and unsmooth terrain. Blue Springs State Park was home to 14 recorded manatees in 1970. The number has risen to 729 by 2023.
The Brevard Zoo came and shared their plans for an exciting new aquarium opening this year. The Bowen Aquarium will be home to sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, manatees, and other species.
The Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS) shared that their team responds to over 100 sea turtle strandings annually. This includes juvenile and adult Sea Turtles found in people’s pools, garages, and driveways. Brevard County is home to one of the world’s most popular coastlines for nesting Sea Turtles, with over 70,000 nests being laid in 2023. STPS also organizes beach cleanups and other volunteer opportunities.
Florida is home to 13 species of bats. All bats in Florida are insectivores meaning they eat only insects. They can fly up to 50 miles in one night searching for food and can eat up to 3,000 insects per night. Bats are facing a population decline due to increased pesticides and habitat destruction as shared by the Florida Bat Conservancy.
101 Paws & Claws is an animal sanctuary home to over 100 abandoned exotic pets and animals affected by the fur trade. States may have lax policies on exotic pet adoption leaving inexperienced owners with complex animals. The sanctuary is home to lemurs, red foxes, opossums, raccoons, capybaras, and other exotic pets.
Clean Earth Initiative will be hosting a similar event in Fort Myers on January 28th and in Palm Beach Gardens on February 24th. Those who register will have the chance to network with like-minded individuals, gain exposure while presenting for their organization, and educate others about imperative community issues. Please visit their website at cleanearthinitiative.org to sign up for their newsletter and learn more about their programming.
