This is a large group that means business and gets things done. In one day they pulled out four thousand pounds of trash working out of Rum Island park. See image below.
Would that there were more like this group. I wonder what would happen if they directed all their energy toward Tallahassee?
OSFR commends and thanks the Keepers of the Springs.
The Gainesville Sun does not provide a link to this article.
Comments by OSFR historian Jim Tatum.
jim.tatum@oursantaferiver.org
– A river is like a life: once taken,
it cannot be brought back © Jim Tatum
RESTORING SPRINGS ‘FROM THE GROUND UP’
Your Turn David Cobiella | Guest columnist
Explore. Inspire. Protect. Since our founding, Keepers of the Springs has tried to embody those three words in everything we do.
When I founded this organization with Brent Fannin in 2017, we had been exploring the springs for over a year and had hundreds of underwater photos. Originally, Keepers of the Springs was a Facebook page designed simply to share photos. We just picked up trash along the way.
On a solo trip floating down the Ichetucknee River, I remember a pivotal moment when I had so many bottles in my arms that I couldn’t carry more. My heart sank when I realized there was no way I could get to them all. My float was full, and I left the rest behind. I had to come back as soon as possible with more hands.
Our first big cleanup was joined by over 40 volunteers. There will always be more bottles in the river, but these days they are much harder to find. We took our cleanups elsewhere, hitting spring after spring. Eventually, we gathered enough resources to pull 4,000 pounds of trash out of the waters surrounding Rum Island in one day.
In the interest of ensuring the safety of my volunteers, I became a freediving instructor. Our Keepers of the Springs videos became more purposeful and educational. We created a learning center on our website to share some of the challenges that face the springs, and I credit the Florida Springs Institute for helping us understand the landscape of springs conservation.
Originally, we called ourselves “The Kings of the Springs.” Back then, we couldn’t have imagined that we would become a registered nonprofit organization with hundreds of volunteers. Over time, it became clear that a name change might better reflect the inclusive nature of our organization. We finally settled on “Keepers of the Springs” because it captures the nature of our volunteers who come from so many different backgrounds as well as the humility with which we carry out our work.
Since we became registered as a federally designated 501(c)(3) organization in 2019, we have seen a lot of changes at the springs. Our photographic footage from the beginning of our adventures shows a Troy Spring that no longer exists. The water was a different hue, the algae was not bearding the rocks and turtles. Folks who lived their lives around here tell me that they remember when Troy was blue rather than the green I’m used to.
Cleaning trash out of the springs isn’t going to solve these complex problems, so in addition to our education efforts, we’ve recently decided to begin springs restoration projects. Our most recent fundraiser, “Keep the Springs Glowing,” took place at First Magnitude Brewing Company this month as their newest annual flagship event. It was a smashing success, generating $6,000 in one night in order to fund the planting of new beds of eelgrass in local springs.
Photosynthesizers such as eelgrass play such a huge role in the ecosystem — oxygenating the water, providing shelter to juvenile animals and feeding Florida’s favorite mega-mammal, the manatee. We’ve already consulted with groups who are doing this work with great success in Crystal River, and we expect that 80% of our grass will survive to perpetuity.
By planting strains of eelgrass that are resistant to pollutants and climate change, we’re planning to restore the springs “from the ground up.” In keeping with the spirit of Keepers of the Springs, we are looking forward to using local volunteers and choosing nearby sites along our favorite rivers in order to restore beds of eelgrass. If you’re interested in becoming involved with Keepers of the Springs, you can start by visiting our website. At www.keepersofthesprings.org, you will find our calendar of events, our springs educational database and our donation page where you can support our operations directly.
Email info@keepersofthesprings.org to ask to sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram in order to get our updates instantly.
We want you to know that you are welcome to join us, and we can’t wait to share our adventures with you and your families.
David Cobiella co-founded Keepers of the Springs in 2016 and has served as the executive director since March of 2022.When not serving Keepers of the Springs, David works as a freediving instructor for Depth Wish Freediving, helping people to discover their ability to dive deep with one breath.
