County Manager and Nassau County Commissioners named “Partner of the Year” by North Florida Land Trust

Nassau County Insider
April 1, 2022

 

Pictured Left to Right: Assistant Planning Director, Holly Coyle; District One Commissioner, John Martin; County Manager, Taco Pope; District Four Commissioner, Thomas Ford; and Brandy Carvalho, Chair of the Nassau County Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Committee

We are pleased to announce that County Manager, Taco Pope, and the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners have been jointly named as Partner of the Year by the North Florida Land Trust for the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Plan adopted on January 25, 2021. The CLAM was created to provide guidance in the selection of lands to be acquired by the County and set aside for conservation.

Mr. Pope and the Board were recognized at the North Florida Land Trust’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. North Florida Land Trust President, Jim McCarthy, stated, “Nassau County is being recognized for leading the effort in adopting the strategic Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Plan for Nassau County and for preparing for a local land conservation referendum to the voters in November 2022. The process they are following is exemplary in that they are planning for conservation in a rapidly growing county utilizing a commitment to transparency, equity, fiduciary responsibility and scientific integrity. Due to Nassau County’s efforts, they are preserving as much land as possible for wildlife habitat, environmental sustainability, and community resilience”.

According to Mr. McCarthy, to be considered for the title of Partner of the Year, an agency must advance the North Florida Land Trust’s mission in preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida’s irreplaceable natural environment.

County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “Adopting the CLAM was a monumental step forward for Nassau County. We’ve had great partners to help us get to this point. With the support of the North Florida Land Trust Board of Directors and staff, we were able to successfully create a program that will guide the County in identifying properties for conservation, planning for acquisition of those properties, and ensuring that the properties are managed sustainably and with appropriate recreational opportunities for the public. We appreciate the guidance they provided us and are honored to have been selected as Partner of the Year”.

To view the adopted CLAM Program, please visit our website.

-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Jacquelin Louise Osborne
Jacquelin Louise Osborne (@guest_64430)
1 year ago

Our County Commissioners and County Manager Pope work very hard to keep our amazing County growing while still maintaining her beauty. Congrats for a job well done. Thank you Fernandina Observer for sharing.

Margaret Kirkland, Amelia Tree Conservancy
1 year ago

Land conservation is critically important for the future of our County–for maintaining our quality of life, our competitive edge in tourism. temperature moderation, stormwater management, protection from flooding and storm winds and generally the sustainability and resiliency of our county in a time of climate change and sea level rise. Kudos to Mr. Pope, the County Commissioners and staff for stepping up to the plate.