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The The Public Trust has defended Northeast Florida’s special places from environmental degradation since 2005 by bringing Florida Sunshine Law, clean water act, public records, and administrative law cases.

We defeated plans to construct a cruise ship terminal in historic Mayport Village. This project would have had significant negative effects on human health, the local fishing industry, and the surrounding environment including the Timucuan Ecological Preserve.

The Public Trust sponsored the “Pass the Torch” program that has empowered over 150 members of the next generation of local conservationists.

We reached a settlement with the City of Jacksonville that will strengthen our City’s urban forestry practices and create enhanced city transparency. This settlement has now become a catalyst for the effective planting of over $21 million worth of trees in Duval County in the future. No other advocacy group/non-profit had the unique expertise to achieve this remarkable result. We are proud that this settlement will ensure that Northeast Florida’s beloved tree canopy will flourish for generations to come.

We have successfully brought Clean Water Act lawsuits against the JEA, Clay County Utility Authority, and other polluters to stop the unmitigated flow of sewage into the St. Johns River. We continue to monitor compliance within our waterways and take action against facilities that are out of compliance with their permits.

The Public Trust has also helped negotiate the conservation acquisition of the Riverbranch Preserve- a 350-acre tract of land on the intracoastal waterway. We also assisted on the conservation acquisition of the Selva Preserve property by the City of Atlantic Beach.

We have successfully brought Clean Water Act lawsuits against several major industrial facilities to stop polluted stormwater runoff from entering our local waterbodies. We routinely monitor compliance and take swift action against facilities that continue to pollute our waterways.

Within the first year of launching our newest Revive Initiative, we initiated three projects in which we revived public green spaces in Duval County. These successes include designing and planting a new butterfly garden and trees at Huguenot Memorial Park, restoring Sulzbacher Village’s streetscape by planting trees and creating a native flower garden, and leading the design and construction of a one-of-a-kind pergola at Tide Views Preserve.