ABOUT
ATC
VISION.
An island where people and nature live in harmony and balance.
MISSION & HISTORY.
Our mission is to preserve the maritime forest on Amelia Island, Florida, to increase awareness and understanding of its value, to promote community engagement in its preservation and welfare, and to contribute to reforestation of lost canopy.
ATC formed in 2013 as a community response to the destruction of an expanse of lovely live oaks at the intersection of S. Fletcher and 1st Coast Highway (A1A). ATC was an independent committee of the North Florida Land Trust for roughly four and a half years. Now, Amelia Tree Conservancy is an independent 501(c)3 corporation licensed in the State of Florida.
Through the energetic work of its founder, Lyn Pannone, and its Board of Directors, ATC brought about passage of the first county tree ordinance for Amelia Island. Since then, ATC has contributed to many improvements to the City and County tree ordinances, and has raised community awareness of the importance of our canopy and the need to maintain it.
5 YEAR GOALS .
Double our membership
Plant 100 trees
Establish Conservation scholarship for Amelia Island High School students
Extend outreach to all neighborhood organisations on Amelia
CHALLENGES.
The Bureau of Economic Business and Research has predicted that the population of Nassau County will expand by 47.5% between 2020 and 2035. Canopy loss on Amelia Island has been dramatic over the past thirty years. Roads and commercial and residential development continue to eat away at our native forests.
Wider clearance around the airport, golf courses create wind tunnels across the island that usher wind and salt into the canopy.
Removal of shade trees by individual homeowners encourages the growth of invasive vines which overtake trees and can kill them over time.
ATC Board Members
Lyn Pannone
President
Rebecca Raymond
Secretary
Cheryl Witt
Education & Outreach
Arthur Herman
Conservation Director
Diana Herman
Planting & Restoration
Wendelle Burdick
Communications
Russ Jahn
Treasurer
Kristin Huben
Technology
Tracy Johnson
Communications
PARTNERS.
