The Tampa-based The Mosaic Company has been a strong supporter of conservation in Florida for many years as the world’s leading integrated producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash. It employs more than 13,000 people in six countries and participates in every aspect of crop nutrition development.
Its operations extend from the mine to the market. Phosphate is mined on Mosaic land in Central Florida, Peru, and Brazil while its potash comes from Canada and New Mexico. It transforms those raw minerals into high-quality fertilizers and animal feeds, then markets and sells them around the world. Customers in the United States account for roughly half of all sales.
Mosaic is a young company, founded in 2004, but its roots go back to 1909 when entrepreneur Thomas Meadows became involved in phosphate mining in New Mexico and elsewhere. As is true for many American companies involved in natural resource extraction, Mosaic has worked hard to conduct its business with the least possible environmental impact and to give back to the places in which it works. Its employees, which include ecologists, biologists, and engineers, are committed to wise land stewardship and community involvement.
Mosaic works tirelessly to minimize the effects of mining. One example conserved over 1000 acres of oak-scrub specifically for the threatened Florida scrub-jay. Mosaic successfully restored these acres, translocated Florida scrub-jays from small patches of habitat in mined areas to one large contiguous area, in which the Florida scrub-jay population is now thriving. In fact, Mosaic and partners’ bringing together of these isolated scrub-jays to a core area, and the subsequent long-term stewardship of this population, is yielding important information on how to restore preferred habitat and promote population growth helping ensure the Florida scrub-jay is saved from extinction locally.
“Mosaic is home to passionate, hard-working conservationists for whom much of their work may go unknown or unnoticed, given the remote locations where it takes place,” said Raoul Boughton, Mosaic Lead Ecologist. “It is no easy task, but to work on projects that make a difference and see the achievements that can be made towards reclaiming habitats and rewilding wildlife is its own immeasurable reward. We still have a long way to go but in my time with Mosaic, I’ve had the pleasure of assisting on wildlife corridor connections, strengthening our threatened wildlife research and conservation programs on Florida burrowing owl, Florida scrub-jay, and Eastern indigo snake, as well as watching the reestablishment and reconnection of once straightened and sometimes drained streams spring to life, and once again feed critical watersheds. Our job is to continue to improve for the next generation, and at Mosaic we’re proud to say we’re doing just that.”
The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is grateful to The Mosaic Company for its support, and we look forward to working together in the future on a wide variety of conservation needs.
