Circles Charity Chat: March

Spring Into Action

March is the season of New Beginnings and Growth. We are enjoying weather perfect days – not too hot and not too cold – it’s the best time in Jax to be outside. Flowers are blooming and Spring is here. Did you know that Jacksonville has the largest urban park system in the U.S., with over 80,000 acres of parks? We are blessed by many local natural resources including the St. Johns River and our beaches, we should do our part to preserve them for future generations. Our focus this month is Environmental Sustainability.

The City of Jacksonville became a recognized leader in environmental sustainability when Mayor Donna Deegan launched a 50-year resilience strategy called Resilient Jacksonville in October 2023. The plan addresses environmental challenges while ensuring that citizens remain healthy and safe with access to more opportunities. It incorporates nonprofit organizations to expand community knowledge and participate in resilience actions. Read on and I hope you will be inspired to get involved! Let me know your thoughts and ideas at [email protected].

Environmental Sustainability

The City’s resiliency partner for Jacksonville’s first Urban Forestry Management Plan to guide the protection and expansion of the tree canopy is Greenscape of Jacksonville. This nonprofit is the oldest tree advocacy group in Florida and the second oldest in the country, celebrating 50 years of service in 2025. Greenscape’s vision is a thriving tree canopy that benefits residents, promotes resiliency, and sustains a growing urban forest. Executive Director Lisa Grubba leads a small team so they rely heavily on volunteers for tree planting in parks, schools and preserves. Once the trees are planted, they are maintained by Tree Keepers, another group of volunteers who are trained in pruning, tree anatomy and addressing common tree health issues. Visit Greenscape’s website for more information and to complete the application. A personal way to support is by donating $50 to plant one tree, which can be dedicated to a loved one.

The history behind Jacksonville becoming the largest urban park system dates back to 1999 when the City began acquiring vulnerable land and then entered into an unprecedented partnership with the National Park Service and Florida State Parks. A nonprofit called Preservation Project Jacksonville was formed to be the intermediary between the landowners and government agencies. After several years, the agency evolved into Timucuan Parks Foundation, with a focus on preserving and promoting the 23 parks. Executive Director Fred Richards and his team provide healthy living programs, such as guided walks, youth education including Junior Rangler Angler program, and environmental stewardship volunteer opportunities like historic garden maintenance, weed wrangles, dune protection and cleanups. Donations are welcome and the Foundation also receives a portion of sales from coffee table photo books and posters to benefit the parks.

Led by President & CEO The Rev. Cn. Allison DeFoor, North Florida Land Trust’s mission is to preserve and enhance our quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment. For 25 years, NFLT has focused on local land conservation to preserve the natural landscape and ecosystems of seven counties in North Florida and the Osceola to Ocala Corridor. They have conserved more than 41,000 acres including coastal salt marshes, pine forests, cypress swamps and beaches. You can show your support by donating and becoming a member of NFLT. Members can enjoy events such as lunch and learn educational series, book clubs, festivals and outdoor adventure series. Volunteers can participate in cleanups to remove trash and conduct maintenance on the preserves.

Also advocating for 25 years is the St. Johns RIVERKEEPER, a privately-funded, independent voice for the St. Johns River, led by Lisa Rinaman and Executive Director Jimmy Orth. They patrol the river on a regular basis, investigate pollution problems and educate the community. Volunteers can join the River Patrol and participate in cleanups along the waterway like in Riverview Park. Memberships are available with an annual gift of $30 or more.

A green oasis in the midst of our city, the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens features 136 acres of seven different hiking trails, 13 distinct ecosystems and curated gardens. The Discovering Nature Nearby program offers classes in gardening, nature, health and the arts. Volunteers can help with cleanup and maintenance of the arboretum. Donations and memberships help sustain its mission of cultivating understanding and wonder by engaging the community through the natural beauty of Northeast Florida.

Our community’s newest and still growing green space is the Emerald Trail, which opened in May 2024. The nonprofit behind it, Groundwork Jacksonville, has been serving the community since 2013 by developing partnerships dedicated to environmental improvement. Led by CEO Kay Ehas, their main focus areas are working with the City to design and build the 30-mile Emerald Trail, and restoring Hogans Creek and McCoys Creek. A great way to support and get involved is by becoming a member, starting at only $10/month. GWJax also offers a Green Team youth apprenticeship program and a CREST environmental stewardship program. Check out their website for the calendar of cleanups, which are held at least twice a month on Saturdays.

If you can’t find a cleanup day that fits your schedule, organize your own! United Way of Northeast Florida has provided beach cleanup guidelines on their volunteer portal, under Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects. Volunteers can pick up trash anywhere on the sand, the boardwalk or parking lots, just do not step into the dunes as that contributes to erosion.

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For more information on these impactful nonprofit organizations, please visit:

Greenscape of Jacksonville,
www.greenscapeofjax.org

Groundwork Jacksonville,
www.groundworkjacksonville.org

Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens,
www.jacksonvillearboretum.org

North Florida Land Trust,
www.nflt.org

St. Johns RIVERKEEPER,
www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org

Timucuan Parks Foundation,
www.timucuanparks.org

United Way of Northeast Florida Volunteer Portal:
https://uwnefl.galaxydigital.com/

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