Farms, Forests, and Flowing Rivers: The 2026 Conservation Stewards Revealed

In 2026, ACT’s Conservation Stewards Awards will celebrate our honorees’ longstanding conservation efforts across the state's diverse landscapes. Their stewardship of these critical ecosystems ensures a healthy and vibrant future for wildlife, local businesses, and green spaces for recreation. This year, we will recognize Paul Lyrene and Bob & Lori Carroll for their commitment to lifelong learning and involvement in local conservation initiatives. Both Lyrene and the Carrolls have helped revitalize Florida’s farms, steward its forests, and protect its ever-threatened rivers through years of hard work and dedication.

These honorees are excellent models of responsible stewardship and have created conservation legacies rooted in patience and care for the land. We are extremely grateful for their commitment to North Central Florida and for their continued support of Alachua Conservation Trust. Please join us in recognizing the 2026 Conservation Stewards!

Photo of Paul Lyrene by UF-IFAS

Say Hello to Some New Faces: Welcoming Our Spring 2026 Interns and AmeriCorps Members

Last month, ACT welcomed lots of newcomers to the organization: 2 events & outreach interns, 5 environmental education interns, 8 natural resource management interns, and 7 AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers!

ACT greatly benefits from the time and dedication put into our organization by these young professionals. Through their program, ACT interns are able to become more familiar with the inner workings of an accredited land trust, gain real work experience with a nonprofit, and develop desirable skills in their chosen field.

This is ACT’s fourth time hosting a NCCC Americorps team. These teams have been instrumental in improving many ACT properties and projects while helping young adults explore careers in land conservation. Last year, ACT was also nominated as one of the best program sites in the nation.

A Trip to Tallahassee: The Alliance of Florida Land Trusts Visits the Capitol

The Alliance of Florida Lands Trusts (AFLT) hosted its first Advocacy Day last week at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee. Representatives from multiple land trusts as well as affiliate conservation organizations, met with legislators and expressed their support for continued and increased conservation funding in the upcoming 2026-27 budget.

AFLT represents over twenty land trusts and affiliate members across the state, many of whom rely on fully-funded conservation programs such as Florida Forever, Rural and Family Lands, and Florida Communities Trust to leverage outside federal and private funds in support of conservation easements and direct land acquisition. These programs continue to be critical for furthering conservation efforts in the communities that these organizations serve. Currently, there is more demand for these programs than allocated funding. Continued and increased funding for land conservation has received strong support from a majority of Floridians, who have voted overwhelmingly in favor of local sales tax initiatives that support county land protection programs.

The 2026 Advocacy Day was the first of many opportunities for land trusts and conservation organizations across the state to have their voices heard on the future of land protection funding in Florida. ACT is proud to be a founding member of the Alliance of Florida Land Trusts and will continue to represent ACT's 22-county working area in these important discussions. 


Included Image: AFLT Members pictured from left to right - Willy The Losen, Putnam Land Conservancy; Shane Wellendorf, Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy; Christine Johnson, Big Waters Land Trust; Kahreem Golden, The Nature Conservancy; Traci Deen, Conservation Florida; and Heather Obara, Alachua Conservation Trust

Public Notice of ACT's Application for Accreditation Renewal

The land trust accreditation program recognizes land conservation organizations that meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. Alachua Conservation Trust is pleased to announce it is applying for renewal of accreditation. A public comment period is now open.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, conducts an extensive review of each applicant’s policies and programs.

The Commission invites public input and accepts signed, written comments on pending applications. Comments must relate to how Alachua Conservation Trust complies with national quality standards. These standards address the ethical and technical operation of a land trust. 

To learn more about the accreditation program and to submit a comment, visit www.landtrustaccreditation.org, or email your comment to info@landtrustaccreditation.org. Comments may also be mailed to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, Attn: Public Comments, 36 Phila Street, Suite 2, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. 

Comments on Alachua Conservation Trust’s application will be most useful by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Featured Event

Weekly Walk & Talk at Orange Lake Overlook

Friday, February 6, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join ACT staff and volunteers for a guided hike at Serenola Forest Preserve.

Volunteer Work Day: Saarinen Preserve

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Join ACT for a cleanup event at Saarinen Preserve. We will be removing invasive species and trail maintenance.

ACT Book Club

Saturday, February 7, 2026, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Join ACT for a book club discussion led by Laurel Nesbit at Wild Path Institute. The reading for February will be Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane.

Weekly Walk & Talk at Blues Creek Ravine Preserve

Friday, February 13, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join ACT staff and volunteers for a guided hike at Blues Creek Ravine Preserve.

Weekly Walk & Talk at Blues Creek Ravine Preserve

Friday, February 13, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join ACT staff and volunteers for a guided hike at Blues Creek Ravine Preserve.

Tree Planting Workday- Plant Something Long(leaf) Lasting

Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Join ACT for a Valentine's Day longleaf planting and celebrate the season of love by planting long leaf pine for long(leaf) lasting love!

Weekly Walk & Talk at Tuscawilla Preserve

Friday, February 20, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join ACT staff and volunteers for a guided hike at Tuscawilla Preserve.

Weekly Walk & Talk at Little Awesome Preserve

Friday, February 27, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Join ACT staff and volunteers for a guided hike at Little Awesome Preserve.

2026 Conservation Stewards Awards (CSAs)

Saturday, March 7th, 2026

Mark your calendars for ACT's Annual Conservation Stewards Awards at Prairie Creek Lodge. All funds from the event will support Alachua Conservation Trust's work towards land conservation.

You make conservation possible! 

Thank you for donating your time, money, and energy to making ACT's work a success.

Please donate today - or consider including ACT in your estate planning - to save wild spaces, train the next generation of land stewards, and open up new public preserves to your community.



THANK YOU!

Banner Image by Dawn McDonald