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TPF to Receive Award from Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board
Timucuan Parks Foundation has been chosen to receive the 2018 Environmental Achievement Award from the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board in the Community/Civic category.
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PROGRAMS:
CONNECTING PARKS AND HEALTH
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Jason Matthews (2nd from right) with Humana's Go365 program shows attendees at the Beacon launch in the parks how to use the app.
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Humana Expands Employee Wellness Program to Timucuan Parks and Preserves, First in the Nation
Humana has teamed with Timucuan Parks Foundation to reward members for getting active outside. Humana's Go365 wellness app is used by members in gyms and other traditional exercise locations. For the first time the program has branched out to the parks and preserves in a city, premiering nationally in Jacksonville.
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Healthcare leaders, park reps, and TPF explore Castaway Island Preserve.
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Talking Parks as Therapy with Healthcare Pros
TPF has created an inaugural Therapeutic Parks Advisory group to assist the City of Jacksonville with the updating of Castaway Island Preserve as a therapy park. Members include professionals from area hospitals, Jacksonville University and University of North Florida colleges of health, and city parks department.
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Exploring How to Bring Parks to Hospital-Bound Kids
TPF is in the initial stages of partnering with a special-purpose corporation to design virtual reality park experiences for hospital residents. Click here to read Mark Woods' column about this concept in The Florida-Times Union.
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help us create the largest urban park system in the nation by supporting what we do. Here's how:
* Become a member * Sign up for a Small Business Membership - coming soon. * Donate * Volunteer * Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn
CONTACT US
Interested in any of our programs? Send an email
here, call us on (904) 374-1107, or reach out on social media.
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Visit a national park for free on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 22. On this day, admission is free to all national parks.
(Jacksonville's national memorial and preserve are always free.)
Read more
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Visit Betz-Tiger Point, the Cedar Point preserves, and Pumpkin Hill for Bike Your Park Day, Saturday, September 29.
Read more
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Partners in Preservation Talk Trails, Trees & Outreach
TPF has been regularly convening "partners in preservation" consisting of Councilwoman Lori Boyer, North Florida Land Trust, Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute, Groundwork Jacksonville, and our city, state, and national park partners. Recent meetings have focused on property management, trees, urban outreach, cataloguing all trails in Duval County, and creating a "Registry of Special Public Places."
TPF Helps Defend Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve From Development Approach
One of the city's preserves in southern Duval County, Julington-Durbin Creek Preserve, was recently in the sights of a local developer. TPF along with other conservation groups rallied community members and long-time JDCP advocates against the proposal; these efforts succeeded and the developer dropped its idea. Thank you to all who stood up for this public land -- and for demonstrating that protecting public lands is a continuing activity. Read more here.
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TPF is a new member of JaxChamber.
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TPF Joins JaxChamber
JaxChamber, the local chamber of commerce, recognized TPF as one of its newest members at their August members luncheon. Outreach and Program Director Felicia Boyd was there to receive our membership certificate.
OUTREACH
TPF regularly hosts youth groups in the parks, working with Groundwork Jacksonville, Sandalwood GreenState, 4-H military children, and area schools. We participated in
NPS' International Migratory Bird Day and Ribault's Landing, Paddlefest, Aquafest at MOSH,
REI's Garage Sale, the city's Camp Milton Living History Weekend, the National Parks Conservation Association visit to Kingsley Plantation, the 241st Anniversary of the Battle of Thomas Creek event, and the Slave Dwelling Project at Kingsley Plantation.
Local health events
we attended include Florida Medical Society's annual Future of Health Care conference, Duval County Community Health Improvement Plan symposium, several Healthiest Weight subcommittee meetings, and
the Jacksonville Bold Goal Health Advisory Board meeting administered by Humana.
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Volunteers helped clear invasive plants at Huguenot Memorial Park for one of JaxParks' summer projects.
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VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
Friday Morning in the Parks Summer Projects
Our partnership with JaxParks continued with summer projects completed by community and student volunteers at Castaway Island Preserve, Palmetto Leaves,
Losco Regional Park, Huguenot Memorial Park, and Hanna Park. Thank you to all our volunteers!
Volunteer Groups
A huge thank-you to the corporate, business, nonprofit partners and community members who rallied teams or served on teams over the summer in the parks: Humana, JEA, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Boy Scout Troops 37 (Atlantic Beach) and 277 (Ponte Vedra), Groundwork Jacksonville Green Team, Captain Bob Brindle (Jacksonville Marine Charities), Duval County Master Gardeners, and our wonderful summer intern Olivia McGurrin of Vanderbilt University.
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UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
2018 Jacksonville Geocaching Challenge Underway Now!
Do you geocache? JaxParks has teamed up with local geocachers, Visit Jacksonville and REI to present the annual Jacksonville Geocache Challenge. The challenge kicked off last week and participants in this year's high-tech treasure hunts have the opportunity to find hidden caches in many of our featured parks and landmarks throughout the city. The first 150 participants to complete the challenge will receive a newly designed geocoin. Click
here for more details.
2018 EPB-UNF Environmental Symposium
Friday, Sept. 14, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
At UNF University Center
This symposium will present a unique opportunity for members of the community to interact with the regulatory agencies responsible for developing and implementing environmental policy. Click
here to register and for more details. Registration deadline is Sept. 7.
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Shoreline cleanup at Fort Caroline National Memorial
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2018 International Coastal Cleanup
This regional effort is part of the Annual International Coastal Cleanup coordinated by the Ocean Conservancy and supported locally by Keep Jacksonville Beautiful. TPF will be at the above locations. Preregistration is not required but encouraged at our
Volunteer page. Click above on a park location for more information.
National Public Lands Day - Improving Access & Opportunities at Pumpkin Hill
Saturday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
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On the trails at Betz-Tiger Point
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At Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park
Help increase the access to neighboring public lands and increase the recreational opportunities at Pumpkin Hill Creek and the 7 Creeks area. Organized by the Florida State Parks. Find out more
here.
Bike Your Park Day & National Public Lands Day Bike Ride
Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
At Betz-Tiger Point, Pumpkin Hill, and the Cedar Point preserves
Celebrate Bike Your Park Day and National Public Lands Day with a family-friendly bike ride through the Betz-Tiger Point, Pumpkin Hill and Cedar Point parks and preserves! Click
here for event and bike rental information.
Bird Walk for Beginners with Duval Audubon Society - Theodore Roosevelt Area
Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
At Theodore Roosevelt Area, register first at Fort Caroline National Memorial
A free expert-led bird hike through the Timucuan Preserve -- birding is a great way to explore the Timucuan Preserve. Click
here for more details.
Harvest Day
Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
At Kingsley Plantation
This family-friendly event is free and features living history demonstrations. Organized by the National Park Service. Click
here for more information.
Volunteer Project: Trail Maintenance and Fence Clearing
Saturday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
At Theodore Roosevelt Area and NPS Headquarters on Mt. Pleasant Rd.
All are welcome. More details to come.
------- WHERE TO GO WEDNESDAYS WORKSHOP SERIES -------
REI is hosting a Where to Go Wednesdays workshop series at Southern Swells Brewing Co. in Jax Beach. Each session will dive deeply into some of the best local places for hiking, paddling, and camping, including the hows and whens of getting there and recreating safely. Click on each item below for cost and details:
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Timucuan Parks Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner and friends group for the preservation parks in Jacksonville, Florida. We work side by side with city, state and national park partners to support the parks and preserves through advocacy, outreach and education, volunteer projects and fundraising.
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Sincerely,
Mark Middlebrook
Executive Director
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