ACT's June Field Notes

Burning for Birds Conservation Collaborative Continues to Spread Its Wings!

This spring, as part of the Burning for Birds Conservation Collaborative project, ACT teamed up with Putnam Land Conservancy to host a public tour through the demonstration prescribed fire unit at Little Orange Creek Preserve in Hawthorne. ACT and PLC have hosted several tours through the burn unit to help highlight the importance of growing season fire and wildlife habitat restoration. At the start of each tour, ACT and PLC introduce the Collaborative and provide a brief tutorial of the eBird and Merlin Bird ID apps for birding before heading onto the preserve for a guided hike through the unit.

On our latest tour in March, ACT staff highlighted a collaborative endeavor with the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS), which is utilizing the demonstration burn unit as a transplant site for native plants that would be lost due to development. These efforts have added a new dimension to the Burning for Birds project by engaging with a new partner that is focused on habitat restoration that will benefit many species within the demonstration burn unit. You can learn more about the FNPS plant rescue efforts at another site in Florida here.

ACT has also been working on installing interpretive panels about the Burning for Birds Conservation Collaborative in the demonstration burn unit. Look for those panels at Little Orange Creek Preserve soon!

More info about the Burning for Birds Conservation Collaborative, which is supported with funding through Cornell University's Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative, can be found by clicking on the button below.

More Information

Thank you to Hubie Jacques!

As we move into the hottest months of the year, we're highlighting one of ACT's volunteers, who recently led his last Walk & Talk of the season.

Hubie is the heart behind our Weekly Walk & Talks, leading groups through the trails across our preserves. His knowledge, enthusiasm, and friendly conversation make every walk a memorable experience. We're incredibly thankful for the time and passion Hubie brings each week!

Our Walk & Talks will resume in August.

Developing the Next Generation of ACT Leaders with NRLI

ACT's Associate Director, Heather Obara, Esq., recently graduated from the Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI) at the University of Florida School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences.

NRLI is an 8-month specialized leadership program designed for natural resource professionals, featuring immersive training, discussions, and site visits throughout the state of Florida.

ACT's Events Coordinator, Ema Olmos, has also been accepted to Class 25, which will begin in August 2025 and conclude in April 2026.

WUFT Puts A Spotlight on Prescribed Fire

In May, Kate Becker of WUFT News joined ACT's fire team to discuss the practice of prescribed fire in Florida with our Stewardship Director, Barry Coulliette.

Prescribed fire is a land management practice where fires are planned and intentionally set to achieve certain ecological goals, as a substitute for naturally occurring fires. Prescribed fire has lots of uses, including preventing severe wildfires, stimulating new plant growth, and more.

Watch the Video Here

Kicking Off Summer with a New Class of Interns

ACT recently welcomed our cohort of Summer 2025 interns! This semester, we have groups focused on two paths: Natural Resource Management and Environmental Education.

In their first few weeks, our Natural Resource Management interns explored the basics of plant identification, learned the safety and how-to of various land management tools, and joined ACT's fire team on a prescribed burn.

Our Environmental Education interns (who will work with the CrEEK program at Little Orange Creek Nature Park) toured Ashton Biological Preserve and UF IFAS's Fisheries department , participated in safety and curriculum trainings, and participated in team bonding activities.

The June 7th Trail Accessibility Event Has Been Postponed

We regret to share that our Trail Accessibility Event scheduled for Saturday, June 7th at Prairie Creek Lodge has been postponed due to lower-than-expected registration.

We are working closely with our partners to reschedule the event at a later date when more members of the community can join us to experience these incredible adaptive trail devices. Stay tuned for a new date.

Individual experiences with ACT's EcoRover can still be reserved on our website.

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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!

Alachua Conservation Trust

Phone: 352-373-1078

Email: info@alachuaconservationtrust.org

Website: www.alachuaconservationtrust.org

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