As I write this, we are experiencing “extreme drought” around the Suwannee River drainage. Spring water from Poe Springs stopped flowing: the rain simply can't offset the drought and pumping.
Severe drought, rapid development, wastewater challenges, and new water and energy-intensive industries (data centers!) are raising questions about how much water our region has, how it’s used, and who decides.
We know that every major decision about growth is also a decision about water. That creates a critical question: what role should state and local governments play in protecting the wetlands and water resources?
The Sierra Club Suwannee-St. Johns Group is convening: Our Water, Our Future, Our Voice to bring residents, scientists, community organizations, and policy experts together on Oct 10th. Learn more here and save your seat.
We hope to see you there! Thanks for all you do!
David Hastings Chair, Sierra Club Suwannee-St. Johns Group
Protecting FL Springs
It's all hands-on deck as we prepare for the Water Summit to be held on Oct. 10th to inform residents on the importance of water in this election year.
The meeting is virtual so register to receive the Zoom meeting link.
The SSJ Energy Committee is being revived! Come explore local answers to a global question as we create and expand on solutions in N. Central Florida. Join us!
This is a hybrid meeting; Please register for link if attending on line
Have questions about data centers? Join Sierra Club for a non-partisan Q&A and learn what to watch for at Marion County’s Sept. 21 Data Centers Workshop.
Lake Santa Fe is a source of the Santa Fe River. Together with Lake Alto, these rain-fed lakes are rookeries for many birds. This is an easy paddle through a canopied shoreline. Kayak rentals are available.
A morning stroll through sandhill, xeric hammock, a sinkhole lake, a baygall, a seepage stream, upland mixed forest, mesic flatwoods and floodplain forest. We will discuss each as we take our morning stroll.
This hunt is moving forward without current, complete population science to justify killing 25% more bears than 2025. Florida black bears belong in our forests, where they help spread seeds, cycle nutrients, and sustain the healthy natural systems connected to the water we all depend on.
Here’s the good news: getting into the fight is inexpensive.
Bear lottery applications cost just $5 each, plus handling fees and you can enter as many times as you want. Florida residents 65 and older are exempt from the hunting-license requirement with proof of age and residency.
Get your license if required. Enter the lottery. Enter again. And again.
If you win, claim your bear tag and don’t use it.
Imagine how good it will feel knowing that instead of simply protesting the hunt, you took direct action to put a permit into the hands of someone who wants a bear to live.
Every application increases our opportunity to Spare a Bear & Bag a Tag!
September 11–21: $5 a chance. Unlimited entries. One powerful goal.
Speak Up for America’s Roadless Forests — Deadline Sept. 21
The U.S. Forest Service is accepting public comments through September 21, 2026 on its proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, which currently protects millions of acres of national forest from new road construction and most commercial logging. This is an important opportunity to put your concerns into the official record. More Than Just Parks, in partnership with Sierra Club, has created an excellent interactive tool that helps you find roadless areas near you and prepare a specific, substantive comment about the forests and impacts you care about. Don’t miss the deadline—explore the map and submit your comment here:Roadless Rule Comment Tool
Marion County Residents Prepare for Data Centers
Residents of Marion County plan to protect their county from the negative affects of Data Centers. A meeting held Monday evening, August 24th, allowed residents to hear from experts on what to expect and how to protect their community.
Some of the highlights included Bruce Castor, former board member of the St. Johns Water Management District who emphasized that his biggest concern was that the state has over-extended it's water budget and Data Centers use up too much water. Read More
