Horse Farms Forever, Inc.® is pleased to announce Mark Emery, an Emmy award-winning cinematographer, composer, and photographer for National Geographic, the Smithsonian Network, BBC, and PBS as our Keynote Speaker at the 2024 Conservation Summit to be held on Thursday, November 14, 5-7pm at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Arena. Renowned artist of the springs Margaret Ross Tolbert and National Geographic Explorer, cave diver and geology professor Jason Gulley will also join us.
Mark’s stunning photography and videos of the springs will help create more awareness about how important Marion County’s springs are to ensuring clean drinking water for residents and visitors.
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Poster & Print Signing
Mark Emery will sign prints of his photographs. Margaret Ross Tolbert will sign posters of her paintings.
Prints and posters will be available for purchase at the event. The pre-event starts at 4:00 PM and will be held at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Arena.
Inspiring Art
The springs have inspired artists for centuries. We welcome special guest speaker Margaret Ross Tolbert, internationally renowned artist of the springs and author of AQUIFERious. Tolbert’s Water’s Margins exhibit was recently featured at the Appleton Museum of Art. From large-scale paintings to more intimate works created underwater on pieces of slate, Tolbert uses an array of kaleidoscopic blues and earth tones to express her passion for and understanding of these unique subaquatic environments.
Enlightening Science
Also joining us will be Jason Gulley, PhD, professor of Geology at the University of South Florida, photographer and National Geographic Explorer. Jason’s research and photography career have taken him on expeditions to all seven continents, from underwater caves in Florida, the Caribbean and Africa as well as to glaciers in Alaska, the Arctic and the Mt Everest region of Nepal.
Springs Forever Art Contest
To help nurture and encourage the next generation, Horse Farms Forever is sponsoring a poster and essay contest for all K-12 students in partnership with the Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District. The winners will be presented with ribbons and gift certificates at the Summit. We will display the art and essays online and at the event.
Acorn Award Recipient
Horse Farms Forever is honored to present the Acorn Award to Guy Marwick because through his decades-long leadership, he has helped protect thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land in Marion County and across Florida. Guy, who now serves as the Executive Director of The Felburn Foundation, was the original Founder and Director of the Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center. The museum opened over 30 years ago in 1991 as a partnership with Marion County Public Schools and over 15,000 children visit the museum every year.
Our Farmland Protects the Springs
- Florida is home to more than 1,000 artesian springs that are dependent on groundwater from the Floridan Aquifer System.
- There are three First Magnitude Springs in Marion County and together, these springs discharge over 1 billion gallons of water per day: Silver Glen Springs, Rainbow Springs, and Silver Springs, which is the largest artesian spring in the world.
- The Springs Protection Zones for Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs are located within the 193,000-acre Farmland Preservation Area, which was designated in 2005 by Marion County to protect the rare agricultural soils and springsheds in the area. You can see the springsheds on the above map as the yellow shaded areas. The red line is the boundary of the Farmland Preservation Area.
- HFF is raising awareness about the importance of the Springs Protection Zones in the Farmland Preservation Area to help protect the recharge areas for the Floridan Aquifer. The aquifer is referred to as “the lifeblood of the springs” and is the source of much of Florida’s drinking water.
Join us!
November 14th, 5-7pm with book and poster signings at 4pm.
Tickets are $45 and include auditorium seating, light fare and beverages. Doors open at 4pm.
At Ocala Breeder’s Sales with ample free parking.
Questions? Email Busy Shires, Horse Farms Forever Director of Conservation Strategies or call (386) 853-4437.
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My check is in the mail for a ticket to the event. Your Acorn Award recipient, Guy Marwick is a terrific choice!