The St. Joe Company (NYSE:JOE), Northwest Florida’s leading residential
and commercial property developer, and The
St. Joe Community Foundation have signed an agreement with The
Humane Society of the United States, Florida Fish and Wildlife
Commission, and Freeport based Nokuse
Plantation to support the relocation and rehabilitation of the
Gopher Tortoise, one of Florida’s threatened species.
Gopher Tortoise (Photo Courtesy of Matt Aresco/Nokuse Plantation)
The Gopher Tortoise is unique in the way it creates its home. While most
tortoises simply shelter under vegetation, the Gopher Tortoise digs and
creates extensive burrows, typically up to 30 ft. These burrows are
important habitats for not just the Gopher Tortoise but for other
species of wildlife that share or use them too – including burrowing
owls, frogs, lizards, rabbits and snakes. Many of these habitats are now
threatened and the project aims to relocate more than 2000 tortoises
over the next three years.
Park Brady, CEO of The
St. Joe Company said: “Gopher tortoises are an important part of an
environmental ecosystem in Northwest Florida. They build homes that
support and encourage up to 350 other species of wildlife. At St. Joe we
also see it as our responsibility to encourage and promote communities,
so we are proud to support this worthwhile venture.”
The St. Joe Company has a long history of responsible stewardship of the
land and environment in Northwest Florida. The St. Joe Community
Foundation provides vital funds to support this effort.
“The Foundation assists in funding non-profit organizations to protect,
improve or educate the community on the environment or environmental
issues,” said Janet Greeno, Executive Director of The St. Joe Community
Foundation. “Our donation of $150,000 to The Humane Society of United
States will support and enable the responsible collection and relocation
of gopher tortoises to designated sanctuaries.”
Since its inception, The St. Joe Community Foundation has donated in
excess of $18M to charities and nonprofits in the Northwest Florida
region. The Foundation has supported other environmental programs with
Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, South
Walton Turtle Watch as well as environmental activities with local
schools.
The Gopher Tortoise will be rehoused on land at the Nokuse Plantation, a
53,000 acre preserve located in Walton County, Florida and owned by Mr.
M.C. Davis. Nokuse is dedicated to the preservation, protection, and
restoration of Florida's native species, including gopher tortoises.
“The gopher tortoise is considered a keystone species and is an
essential part of our overall restoration of the longleaf pine sandhill
ecosystem. We are grateful to be part of this unprecedented program
between The St. Joe Community Foundation, The St. Joe Company, The
Humane Society of the United States, and Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission to relocate gopher tortoises from development
sites throughout Florida to our preserve,” said Matt Aresco, The Nokuse
Plantation’s Director.
About the St. Joe Community Foundation
Since its inception, the St. Joe Community Foundation (STJCF) has
provided more than $18 million in grants to improve the quality of life
in the communities it serves. STJCF provides charitable grants primarily
in Bay and Walton Counties that embrace the arts, strengthen education,
protect the environment and improve healthcare. These efforts help build
healthy, caring, long-lived communities. For more information, visit www.stjcf.com.
About The St. Joe Company
The St. Joe Company is a Florida-based real estate development and
operating company. The Company owns land concentrated primarily in
Northwest Florida and has significant residential and commercial
land-use entitlements in hand or in process. The Company also owns
various commercial, resort and club properties. More information about
the Company can be found on its website at www.joe.com.
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