North Florida Land Trust Celebrates Earth Day with an Interpretive Sign Reveal at Smith Lake Preserve

Six interpretive signs are along the Florida Trail, along with two more at the trailhead kiosk, made possible by FPL’s NextEra Energy Foundation

Jacksonville, Fla., April 22, 2025 – North Florida Land Trust (NFLT) celebrated Earth Day this morning by revealing interpretative signs along a portion of the Florida National Scenic Trail at the nonprofit’s Smith Lake Preserve. Made possible through a gift from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) through its charitable arm, the NextEra Energy Foundation, the signs give hikers information on the habitats throughout the preserve and the efforts to preserve the natural spaces in North Florida.

NFLT President and CEO Allison DeFoor was joined by Carol Saviak, FPL’s external affairs manager for North Florida, as they debuted the new kiosk at the Florida Trail trailhead at Smith Lake Preserve in Keystone Heights.

“We are extremely grateful to be here with our partners from FPL and are very thankful to have them support us with these signs,” said DeFoor. “FPL has a long history of involvement in this state. Carol and I both grew up in Florida, and protecting what is left of Florida resonates with us. We know it is now or never.”

“We are honored to join the North Florida Land Trust in revealing these exciting new interpretative signs for the preserve,” said Saviak. “Provided by NextEra Energy Foundation to align with our company's environmental stewardship programs, this is a wonderful opportunity to share with others who may not be familiar with the flora and fauna in our state.”

Opened to the public in 2023, the Florida Trail runs for approximately 2.2 miles through Smith Lake Preserve and takes hikers through sandhill, scrub, marsh and oak hammock habitats. Signs at the trailhead kiosk explain NFLT’s mission to protect and preserve the natural landscape and ecosystems of North Florida and why conservation is so important. It also gives a history of Smith Lake Preserve. The kiosk was created in partnership with Eagle Scout William Allen, Scout Troop 26 from Jacksonville and the Florida Trail Association. Allen and his team helped build and install the structure.

Along the trail, the signs explain the habitats and wildlife throughout the preserve. Topics include the role of fire in maintaining an ecosystem, the increasingly rare sandhill habitat, a closer look at the Florida Scrub habitat, and exploring wet prairies and lake habitats. The signs showcase the birds found in Smith Lake Preserve, including the sandhill crane, great blue heron, little blue heron, anhinga, snowy egret, great egret, and robin. There is also a sign about the gopher tortoise, a keystone species found within the preserve, and which is protected under state law.

Smith Lake Preserve is a 463-acre preserve that NFLT obtained in 2019 and serves as the headquarters for NFLT’s stewardship department. It is within the Ocala to Osceola (O2O) Wildlife Corridor, a 1.6-million-acre network of public and private lands that connects the Ocala and Osceola National Forests, a critical link within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

About North Florida Land Trust

North Florida Land Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the quality of life by protecting North Florida's irreplaceable natural environment. Founded in 1999, NFLT has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through the donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with willing landowners and public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit nflt.org.