FROM THE EDITOR

As a Colorado native, I must admit, I used to scoff when I heard people talk about how they love Florida for its nature. For me, “nature” meant big snow-capped mountains, ridges filled with trees as far as you could see, and big, scary beasts ranging from bears to bison wandering around.

But while Florida may not have the people-free views a mountain that spends most of its year covered in snow can offer, I have realized something in 15-plus years of living in Sarasota: Upon a closer inspection, it’s every bit as wild.

Although our landscape is a bit more crowded with homo sapiens and their creations, it has another thing going for it: We barely have to leave home to be immersed in nature — especially on the keys.

As contributor Lesley Dwyer’s story on Lido Key’s mangrove tunnels shows (Page 62), you don’t even have to leave town to escape to another world, one in which you’re surrounded by nature.

These tunnels show how living on a coast means the ecosystem that supports our living things is all around us. Which is also why we have to work to keep it protected and healthy.

On that front, our area is home to numerous organizations dedicated to protecting this ecosystem and everything in it. Contributor Eric Snider highlights one such nonprofit, Save Our Seabirds, which specializes in saving animals of the winged variety. Read all about how its post-pandemic recovery and plans for expansion on Page 46.

Another is The Bay Park Conservancy, which is restoring natural areas on Sarasota’s bayfront

(Page 88). With the completion of its first phase, the organization removed feet of toxic silt from the bayou, improved stormwater filtration and planted Florida-friendly flora. In doing so, it fulfilled another one of its goals, which is to increase access to these wild areas so the public can learn about them and enjoy them.

So the next time you feel like you need to get away, you need not go far to get your nature fix. Just pause and look around — you’re surrounded.