North Florida Land Trust Announces New and Focused Initiative for the O2O Corridor

Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 25, 2017 – North Florida Land Trust is pleased to announce Dr. Susan Carr has joined the land conservation organization to lead the new and focused initiative for the Ocala to Osceola, or O2O, wildlife corridor. Carr will be responsible for management, outreach and conservation projects for the environmentally important wildlife passage.

The O2O corridor is a nationally critical wildlife corridor that stretches from the Ocala National Forest to the Osceola National Forest and eventually to the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. Black bears move through the corridor, which also provides habitat connectivity for endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snakes and gopher tortoises. In total, there are 34 federally threatened and endangered species, and three disappearing habitat types within the O2O.

“Dr. Carr will serve as our point person for the O2O corridor and will be focused on these lands that are in critical need of conservation,” said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. “She will be reaching out to landowners and working with them for the acquisition of easements and land to protect and preserve the property along this ecologically significant corridor. Dr. Carr has a very strong background in conservation and we are lucky to have her on board.”

Carr earned her Ph.D. in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida and has more than 20 years of experience in conservation, land management and nonprofit operations. Carr has worked as an ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. She has also worked with The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana and the Conservation Trust for Florida. Carr, a native of Gainesville, Fla., serves on the board of directors for the Florida Native Plant Society, the Alachua County Land Protection Board and co-manages a chestnut farm.

More information on the O2O corridor can be seen in a video produced by students from the North American Nature Photography Association’s College Program (NANPA) with the assistance of NFLT staff. The video can be seen at https://vimeo.com/207243255.

About North Florida Land Trust
North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of environmental protection primarily in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill State Park, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary’s River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org.

North Florida Land Trust
2038 Gilmore Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204
Media Contact: Kelly White
kelly.white@cfmedia.net

This release was published on openPR.