When my wife and I first began spending time in Southwest Florida in the early 1990s, I didn’t initially appreciate how closely intertwined our way of life is with the state of our environment. 

These connections have become undeniably clear to me over the past ten years. Witnessing the effects of worsening red tide along our coastlines and blue-green algae outbreaks—combined with the resulting harm to marine and bird life, our quality of life, and the local economy—has made these connections both real and very personal. 

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida remains at the forefront in addressing the root cause of these and other key environmental issues that deeply impact our lives on the Gulf Coast. As a board member and supporter, I’ve seen firsthand the organization’s strong commitment to excellence. Its programs—driven by dedicated staff, interns, volunteers, and grounded in the best available science—work to protect our water, land, wildlife, and future. And the Conservancy has been having a strong impact now for over 60 years.

As our community rapidly grows, we must ensure that what is truly special about this region–its open spaces, beaches, estuaries, rural lands, and the species that depend on these habitats are not overwhelmed with poorly planned growth, worsening water quality, and the deterioration of the Western Everglades.

The Now & Forever Campaign will support and strengthen the teams working on your behalf every day to preserve paradise. I hope you will take some time to reflect on these challenges and help us seize the opportunity for even greater progress through a commitment to the campaign to protect our home—Southwest Florida. Together, we can strengthen this organization and what it does so well—preserving our paradise Now & Forever.