Horse Farms Forever, Inc.® will host a Conservation Summit on Thurs., Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ocala Breeders’ Sales with award-winning filmmaker and photographer for National Geographic, Mark Emery, serving as the keynote speaker.
The goal of Emery’s presentation about the springs of Central Florida is to create more awareness about the importance the springs carry in ensuring clean drinking water. There are three first magnitude springs in Marion County and together, these springs discharge more than 1 billion gallons of water per day and include Silver Glen Springs, Rainbow Springs, and Silver Springs, the largest artesian spring in the world.
Margaret Ross Tolbert, an internationally renowned artist and author of AQUIFERious and Dr. Emily Taylor, Ph.D., executive director of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, will also make presentations. The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute is a science and education based non-profit focused on restoring and protecting springs. Ross Tolbert currently has the exhibition, Water Margins, showing at the Appleton Museum of Art.
The springs protection zones for Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs are located within the 193,000-acre Farmland Preservation Area, which was designated in 2005 by Marion County to protect the rare agricultural soils and watersheds in the area.
Horse Farms Forever® is raising awareness about the importance of the Springs Protection Zones in the Farmland Preservation Area that help protect the recharge areas for the Floridan Aquifer. The aquifer referred to as ‘the lifeblood of the springs’ is the source of much of Florida’s drinking water.
The group will also honor Guy Warwick with the Acorn conservation award. Through his leadership, Warwick has helped protect thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land in Marion County and across Florida for decades.
HFF is also hosting a Springs Forever art and essay contest for all K-12 students in partnership with the Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District. The winners will be presented with ribbons and gift certificates at the Summit.
Doors open at 4 p.m. for a pre-event poster and printing autograph signing by the speakers. Posters and prints will be available onsite for purchase. Thanks to title sponsor Brook Ledge Horse Transportation and presenting sponsor Advent Health, tickets are only $45 and available at www.horsefarmsforever.com/event/conservation-summit-2024.
