Nonprofit helps conserve 20,000-plus acres on Gulf Coast over 20 years

The recent protection of 58 acres in Manatee County led the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast to pass a milestone. The Osprey-based nonprofit has now protected more than 20,000 acres in its service area, which includes Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.

“As we celebrate this incredible accomplishment, we know our work is far from complete, and we look toward the future with excitement and enthusiasm," Conservation Foundation President Christine Johnson says in a statement. "We are grateful to all those who helped us reach this monumental milestone.”

The organization's most recent acquisition was that of a conservation easement abutting Braden River Park, for which it paid $500,000, according to a spokesperson for the Conservation Foundation. It marks the 60th property the organization has conserved, totaling 20,004 acres. Officials say the easement will help protect water quality in the Braden River and therefore, the Manatee River and Tampa Bay.