Fund Florida Forever, Cocktails & Conservation on Feb 25 and more news!
- IRNA
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
February 14, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
The IRNA, along with the Indian River Land Trust and the Alliance of Florida Land Trusts, is asking for your help to secure dedicated state funding to protect the Florida panther, black bear, and other important wildlife.
In 2014, 75% of Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to provide at least $500 MILLION A YEAR FOR 20 YEARS to Florida Forever—a program created to protect the state’s natural lands, water resources, wildlife habitats, and parks. These funds come from real estate transaction fees and are meant to support:
ACQUISITION OF LAND by the state to permanently protect natural areas.
RURAL AND FAMILY LANDS PROGRAM – helping ranchers protect their land from development by purchasing development rights on these properties.
FLORIDA COMMUNITIES TRUST – grants for cities, counties, and land trusts to buy land for public recreation and conservation.
Unfortunately, much of this funding has not been allocated over the past decade, leaving Florida Forever only partially funded. This year, land trusts and other conservation groups statewide are uniting to urge the State Legislature to restore full funding—and WE NEED YOUR VOICE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please contact your state legislators and ask them to fully fund Florida Forever with $500 million, including $350 million for the Rural and Family Lands Program and $50 million for the Florida Communities Trust. Your outreach will help ensure Florida’s wildlife and natural lands are protected for generations to come!
STATE SENATOR ERIN GRALL
3209 Virginia Avenue, Suite A149
Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Phone: 772-595-1398
Email: Grall.Erin.web@flsenate.gov
Legislative Aide: Wadsworth.Tyler@flsenate.gov
STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROBBIE BRACKETT
1800 27th Street, Suite B2-203
Vero Beach, FL 32960
Phone: 772-365-9230
Email: Robert.Brackett@flhouse.gov
Legislative Aide: Susan.Aguirre@myfloridahouse.gov
Their staff want to hear what matters to you.
The Legislature recently convened and will meet through March for the 2026 session, so now is the time to reach out. Your voice makes a tremendous difference. Thank you for speaking up!
HOW DOES STATE FUNDING HELP SAVE THE PANTHER?
Florida panthers need large, connected areas of habitat to survive. As development expands, these habitats are being fragmented. State funding is essential for protecting the key lands that connect important natural areas. In 2021, the State Legislature adopted the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act which recognized the importance of a statewide network of more than 18 million acres of connected habitats. Florida Forever funding will keep the Florida Wildlife Corridor intact, support wildlife movement, preserve working ranches, and safeguard Florida’s natural resources.
Without steady state investment, the Wildlife Corridor cannot function—and the Florida panther will lose the habitat it needs to survive.
Protecting land today means ensuring the panther has a home tomorrow.
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Join the IRNA in building a stronger voice for our community. Your support empowers us to safeguard our natural resources, demand transparency from elected officials, and champion the changes we need to see—together, we can create lasting impact.
Join us on February 25 at 5 PM for a special presentation by Dr. Duane DeFreese, Executive Director of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (One Lagoon), as he shares new insights into the economic importance of the Indian River Lagoon.
With combined federal funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NOAA, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program has released its 2025 Economic Valuation Update. Conducted by The Balmoral Group, this research highlights how the lagoon supports local jobs, tourism, property values, and our overall quality of life. Discover why protecting the Indian River Lagoon needs to be both an environmental and economic priority.
Tickets are $40 per person and include admission to the program, passed hors d’oeuvres, and beer and wine. We thank you for your additional support to cover our costs as you check out.
RSVPs are required. Quail Valley is a gated club and if you do not pre-register, your name will not be with with the gate guard. If you can not purchase tickets online for some reason please reach out to us at Info@IndianRiverNA.com.
American Airlines Launched Daily Nonstop from Vero Beach to Charlotte on Thursday (Sebastian Daily) - American Airlines will begin daily nonstop service from Vero Beach to its Charlotte hub on Feb. 12, 2026, expanding connectivity, boosting tourism and economic growth in Indian River County, and linking Treasure Coast travelers to more than 170 destinations worldwide.
Sebastian council grants Ameron appeal (Hometown News) - Sebastian’s City Council unanimously overturned a Planning & Zoning denial to approve Ameron’s proposed RV and boat storage facility, granting the conditional use, fence waiver and site plan with an added condition prohibiting overnight stays despite residents’ traffic and safety concerns.
Oversized John’s Island parking garage gets green light (Vero News) - Indian River Shores Town Council unanimously approved John’s Island Club’s request for height and setback variances to build a three-story, 160-space parking garage, concluding the expanded structure would meet code requirements and remain out of public view despite earlier zoning board opposition.
Florida cold causes snook, tarpon fish kill in Indian River Lagoon (TCPalm) - A sharp cold snap dropped water temperatures into the low 50s along the Treasure Coast, killing thousands of fish in the Indian River Lagoon—including snook and tarpon—and prompting calls to temporarily close snook season.
'It took a village': Crews dig up road to rescue manatee trapped in Florida storm drain (FOX8) - A coordinated multi-agency effort in Melbourne Beach rescued an underweight juvenile manatee trapped in a storm drain—likely seeking warmer water after a cold snap—by digging up the road and transporting him to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
Severe erosion on Fort Pierce South Beach, state of emergency declared (TCPalm) - Unprecedented erosion along Fort Pierce South Beach has prompted a state of emergency as sand is rushed in to combat encroaching ocean waters that have already damaged dunes and left at least one homeowner fearing the sea could soon reach his house.
HB 433 and SB 290 need amendments before passage. Florida's agriculture bills contain provisions that undermine local environmental protections. While agricultural support is important, these specific sections need fixing:
1. Remove the Expanded Disparagement Law
The bills expand liability for statements that “cast doubt” on whether an agricultural food product is safe for consumption if a court later finds the claims were not based on “reliable, scientific facts and data.”
Ask our legislators: Strike the disparagement expansion. Citizens shouldn't face lawsuits for raising environmental concerns.
2. Protect Conservation Lands
Taxpayer-purchased conservation land shouldn't be "surplused" for agricultural conversion. Natural ecosystems provide different benefits than managed farmland.
Ask our legislators: Remove provisions allowing sale of conservation lands acquired after January 2024.
3. Preserve Local Control
Prohibiting local regulation of gas-powered equipment and rural event venues strips communities of basic quality-of-life protections.
Ask our legislators: Let cities and counties address noise, emissions, and traffic impacts in their own communities.
4. Accelerate Water Quality Standards
Pushing biosolids compliance deadlines to July 2028 means more years of weaker nutrient pollution controls.
Ask our legislators: Move the compliance date forward to protect Florida's stressed waterways.
5. Maintain Environmental Review
The “notwithstanding any ordinance to the contrary” language imposes a state-defined approval framework that limits local flexibility in protecting ecologically significant parcels.
Ask our legislators: Remove provisions that override local ordinances protecting ecologically significant land.
Take Action
Contact our State Representative and Senator. Ask them to amend HB 433 and SB 290 to remove these provisions. Supporting agriculture doesn't require sacrificing local environmental control.
State Elected Officials Contact Information:
Sen. Erin Grall
Phone: (850) 487-5029
Email: Grall.Erin.Web@flsenate.gov
Address: 3209 Virginia Avenue, Suite A149, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Rep. Robbie Brackett
Phone: (850) 717-5034
Address: Suite B2-203, 1801 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960
Governor Ron DeSantis
Phone: 850-717-9337
Address: The Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Stuart reaches settlement with DuPont over water contamination (WPBF) - Stuart secured a $2.6 million settlement with DuPont over PFAS “forever chemical” contamination in its drinking water, with more than $1.7 million after legal fees set to fund monitoring, treatment, and protection of the city’s water system.
Water shortages declared in parts of Central Florida amid dry conditions (WESH) - More and more across the state... Water management districts in Central Florida have declared water shortages and imposed restrictions amid unusually dry conditions and wildfire risks, urging residents to conserve water to protect limited supplies and maintain firefighting capacity.
Indian River students excel at regional science and engineering fair (Hometown News) - Nearly 500 students from across Indian River County showcased innovative science and engineering projects at the 2026 regional fair, earning state and international competition bids along with major scholarships and awards from organizations including Florida Tech, NASA and Intel.
Florida senators want to end 'forever fees' imposed by some big homebuilders (Jason Garcia Substack) - Florida Senate leaders are advancing legislation to outlaw developers’ “forever fees” in master-planned communities by codifying a court ruling against profit-generating HOA amenity charges, while a wide array of other business-friendly and culture-war bills move through the 2026 legislative session.
DEEP DIVE: 25 years on, CERP is restoring the Everglades. But will it be enough? (VoteWater) - Twenty-five years after its launch, the multibillion-dollar Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has accelerated major projects to restore water flow and reduce harmful discharges, but rising costs, climate change and the need for additional land and infrastructure mean fully rescuing the Everglades will require sustained funding and expanded efforts beyond CERP.
Week 5 of IRNA’s Breaking Down the Code highlights Indian River County’s Landscape & Buffer Ordinance (Chapter 926), which sets standards for shrubs, groundcovers, turf grass, and mulch—shaping how landscapes look, function, and conserve water over time.
Shrubs play a key role in screening and structure. The code requires proper height and spacing—often in offset double rows—to create solid visual buffers. A portion must be native species, such as Walter’s viburnum, cocoplum, firebush, gallberry, and Simpson’s stopper, which also support wildlife.
Groundcovers reduce bare soil and limit turf areas. They must fill in within about a year for a finished look, with at least 50% native species like beach sunflower, blanket flower, sunshine mimosa, gopher apple, and pink muhly grass.
Turf grass (such as St. Augustine) is capped at roughly 50% of irrigated landscaped areas to reduce water use and nutrient runoff, encouraging more planting beds and native groundcovers instead.
Cypress mulch is prohibited, and while other mulches may be used in beds, they are not intended to replace established groundcover. Together, these standards guide landscapes toward a balanced, attractive, and more sustainable design.
