ALACHUA CONSERVATION TRUST INC

Property management: act actively manages eighteen major preserves along with several smaller conservation properties across north central florida. Act's land management activities include forest, groundcover, and wetlands restoration, creating and maintaining public trails and informational kiosks, the application of prescribed fire, and exotic plant species control. Act benefits from the use of volunteers from the university of florida, santa fe college, alachua audubon, emory university alumni, local businesses, and the community at large to help complete these management activities alongside staff. Act's women in the woods resource management internship program, which is specifically tailored for young women (but also includes young men) in an effort to improve their hiring prospects in this traditionally male-oriented conservation career path, served 23 young women and young men over the spring, summer, and fall semesters in 2024. In total, the program has served more than 138 young women and men since it began in 2017. In total, 330 interns and volunteers contributed 10,360 hours of service to the organization in 2024. The annual tree fest event organized by swamp head brewery & solar impact, inc. Raised additional funds in 2024 to plant 127,536 trees at act's little orange creek preserve. Act utilized prescribed fires to burn hundreds of acres in furtherance of its long-term habitat restoration goals, and installed additional ada accessible trails & boardwalks at several act preserves as well as other amenities to enhance recreational enjoyment for the general public from all across north central florida.