Land Conservation
Roots
to Reefs
Saving the Seas believes that healthy oceans begin on land. Explore our land conservation program, Roots to Reefs (R2R)
A Healthy Ocean Begins on Land
Roots to Reefs is a Saving the Seas initiative that advances ocean health through terrestrial stewardship. Stormwater from residential, agricultural, and urban landscapes carries sediment, fertilizers, and chemical pollutants into watersheds that drain to coastal waters. Native vegetation, mature trees, and healthy soils reduce runoff and improve water quality, making land management a direct contributor to marine ecosystem health.
The program is delivered through a chapter network. Each chapter is a working landscape that serves as a site for public education, volunteer engagement, and community partnership.
Program components
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Certified wildlife habitat and native plant restoration
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Vegetable gardens and food forests
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Community park and freshwater clean-ups
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Guided tours, educational workshops, and volunteer planting events
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Public education on the relationship between land conservation and ocean health
NATIV SPACE Florida, located in Clermont, is a working conservation landscape that demonstrates how habitat restoration, food cultivation, and community education can operate together on a single site. As the first chapter of the Saving the Seas Roots to Reefs program, it serves as the model for chapters in other communities.
The property is a National Wildlife Federation certified wildlife habitat that provides food, water, cover, and nesting places for native birds, butterflies, and pollinators. A vegetable garden supplies fresh produce for program events, and a food forest of edible species and native plants grows beneath mature live oaks. Regionally adapted plantings reduce irrigation needs, improve soil health, and filter stormwater before it reaches local waterways.
Follow us on Instagram @nativspacefl
Programs and Activities
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Education: guided garden tours and workshops on native planting, habitat creation, and the link between land conservation and ocean health
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Volunteer stewardship: planting days and hands-on work in the garden and food forest
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Farm-to-table events: community gatherings featuring produce grown on site, in support of the Eat for the Planet program
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Community wellness: outdoor gatherings and yoga in the garden, sponsored by MERVANA Wellness
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Chapter development: guidance and resources for communities, schools, and landowners who want to create their own NATIV SPACE, from habitat certification and native plant selection to garden design and volunteer programming
Every plant at NATIV SPACE helps slow and filter stormwater on its way to the ocean. The site gives residents a place to see those connections firsthand and a model they can apply in their own yards, schools, and neighborhoods. Visit, volunteer, or bring the NATIV SPACE model to your community. Contact Saving the Seas to learn more about tours, events, and chapter partnerships.
Get Involved
