The Deep Dive Blog

Crystal River is famous for its manatees, crystal-clear water, and freshwater springs. It’s not the kind of place you'd envision meeting a shark. But that’s exactly what sparked the Crystal River Bull Shark Project, an ambitious, first-of-its-kind research effort we’re proud to support. Over the past year, researchers have captured,

On a cool April weekend, more than 600 archers gathered in Gainesville for the 2025 Florida National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) State Tournament.  Our Foundation has supported the tournament for four years, fostering the values that archery instills: discipline, patience, and self-confidence. Our $30,000 sponsorship this year, funded

Thanks to a $35,000 grant from our Foundation, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) is diving in to understand where bonefish spawn in the Florida Keys. Building on a major win in 2023 when a spawning aggregation was successfully documented in the Upper Keys, BTT has turned its attention to three

Thanks to your support, we’ve awarded 15 grants totaling $527,761 from proceeds of the Conserve Wildlife license plate! Every plate purchased contributes $25 directly to funding critical research and conservation efforts. These grants help protect Florida’s unique wildlife, ensuring a future for both well-loved and lesser-known species. We’re proud to

The southeastern pocket gopher (SEPG), a small but mighty ecosystem engineer, is getting a much-needed spotlight thanks to a project using remote sensing to map its distribution across Florida. With a $7,313 grant from our Foundation, courtesy of our Conserve Wildlife License plate, FWC is utilizing satellite imagery to pinpoint

This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the power of confidence, courage, and outdoor adventure—qualities the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) instill in thousands of young girls each year. Thanks to a $20,000 grant from our Foundation, GSWCF will expand its archery program, allowing more young archers and outdoor

February marks the anniversary of Florida’s loss of a conservation hero: Maggy Hurchalla (December 11, 1940 – February 19, 2022). Hurchalla was a prominent environmental activist and public servant in Florida, renowned for her unwavering dedication to conservation and responsible growth management.  Born in Coral Gables, Florida, Hurchalla in 1974

Our Foundation supports innovative solutions to conservation challenges and our recent collaboration with FWC and Bass Pro Shops is a perfect example. With funding support from Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, our Foundation supported spawning aggregation research of snapper near Western Dry Rocks, a major coral reef system

As the sun rose over the central Florida prairie on July 16th, history unfolded. A tiny bird, the 1,000th conservation-bred Florida grasshopper sparrow, took its first tentative hop into the wild, marking a significant milestone for one of North America’s most endangered birds. This special sparrow, accompanied by nine others,